The Chinese box office hit 'Wolf Warrior 2' has grossed 2.15 billion yuan (319 million US dollars) at the international box office.
Starring martial artist Wu Jing, who also directed it, the movie was partly filmed in the slums of South Africa.
"Our members of the camera team were marched off to the slums to shoot the film. The local police warned us to finish our filming before 12 p.m., otherwise, they cannot ensure our safety," said Wu Jing.
Are the slums in South Africa that dangerous?
The biggest slum around Johannesburg is Soweto. /Google Photo
The biggest slum around Johannesburg is Soweto. /Google Photo
There are more than eight million people living in the slums in South Africa. The biggest slum around Johannesburg is Soweto. Local people advise against visiting Soweto as it is known as 'forbidden area'.
According to a report in Chinanews, at first sight, it appears to be an endless jumble of houses and shacks, overshadowed by palls of smoke in Soweto. Tens or even dozens of households share one toilet. Some households don't have access to electricity and water. The scenes in 'Wolf Warrior 2' show a real Soweto that appeared to be chaotic and crowded.
'Wolf Warrior 2' was filmed in slums in South Africa. /Photo via China.com
'Wolf Warrior 2' was filmed in slums in South Africa. /Photo via China.com
Around Johannesburg, the second biggest slum is Alexandra. It is part of the city of Johannesburg. Alexandra is one of the poorest urban areas in South Africa. Chinanews reports that Alexandra is a paradise for black ethnic groups. The local government has little power to maintain stability in the area.
Residents told a journalist working for Global Times that it was dangerous to enter into the slum alone, because travelers could be robbed or even killed. Wu Jing described the situation in a post on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, "South African advance party has been robbed, no casualties, buddies please take more guards with you."