Chinese action film tears into summer box office

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By CGTN's Culture Express

“Being able to make a minimum guarantee deal for eight million RMB, way before we actually started shooting, shows our confidence in [director and actor] Wu Jing and his project because his passion, his expertise, his know how to make such a film is overwhelming,” says Zhang Miao, the man who produced what has become the highest-grossing film in Chinese cinema history.

Opening in theaters on July 27, patriotic action flick “Wolf Warrior 2” has received glowing reviews from movie fans and sent the box office into meltdown.

After taking in more than 4.7 billion yuan (702 million US dollars), the film took only 21 days to become China’s highest-grossing film ever.

Its popularity is such that the screening schedule has been extended until September 28, which will see it run in theaters for more than two months.

Directed by and starring martial arts expert Wu Jing, it is the sequel to his film “Wolf Warriors”, which failed to make much of an impact in cinemas after it was released in 2015.

It tells the story of a former Chinese Special Forces officer who reprises his role as rescuer and protector of civilians after getting tangled up in a war in an African country.

“I think it’s great to show also the friendship between Africa and China,” says actress Celina Jade who plays Rachel in the film.

“One of the things that made me really moved and touched in the movie is the scene where a Chinese factory manager separates the Chinese workers on one side and the Africans on the other, and says, OK come with me on the rescue helicopter and leave the Africans, but Leng Feng (Wu Jing’s character) comes in and says, no, Africa and China are friends,” she said.

Audiences have gone for the film's stirring nationalism and Hollywood-standard stunts in a big way, although some have voiced criticism that the movie is overly patriotic.

“It’s quite a sincere film and I’d love to contribute to the box office for Wu Jing’s movie because that is the right attitude of making movies!” said Weibo user “StubbornDream”.

“Our country is getting increasingly stronger. Even though it still has a lot of shortcomings, this is my home. Chinese movies are also growing better and better, though there are still flops. But get rid of the double standards and don’t slander it before you’ve actually watched it,” suggested @Tingfengdege on movie review site, Douban.com.

“Wolf Warrior 2” is expected to rake in a staggering 5 billion yuan by the time its theater run ends and has definitely set its star on course to be a bona fide martial arts film star both at home and abroad.

As producer Zhang Miao says, “Wu Jing is the soul of this film.”

(This interview and report were originally broadcast on Culture Express on August 17, 2017)