THE TAKING OF TIGER MOUNTAIN
China, 2014, 141 minutes, Colour.
Zhang Hanyu, Tony Ka Fai Leung, Kenny Lin, Liya Tong.
Directed by Tsui Hark.
An audience intending to watch this film would be well advised to look up some of the history of China, immediately after the war, after the defeat of Japan and the Japanese forces relinquishing a lot of weaponry in China, the bandits and warlords who were taking possession of the land and fighting amongst each other as well as the PLA, People’s Liberation Army – which led to the Civil War, the rise of Mao Tse Tung and Communism.
The Vietnam-born director has worked in China, making a great many films, martial arts action films, fantasies – and this is his venture into Chinese history, the atmosphere in the countryside of 1945 – 46.
The film was shot in 3-D and there are quite a number of special effects, slow motion bullets, explosions, colliding grenades as well as powerful war scenes, ski scenes…
The film focuses on a unit of the PLA on the frontiers, dealing with the bandit groups, battles, infiltration of forces, especially through a mysterious stranger who becomes Brother 9, infiltrates the elaborate headquarters of a warlord, Hawk, with his own hawk.
This leads to a final confrontation – but the film is framed with a story from the 21st-century, a young Chinese man in the United States returning home and finally meeting up with his family for a meal, their remembering the past, their ancestry – but the film changing tone with the young man imagining the conflict between Brother 9 and Hawk as martial arts extravaganza, special effects and action.
1. Chinese storytelling? History and memories? The director, born in Vietnam, his Chinese movie career? Connecting the 21st-century to this history?
2. The recreation 1946, countryside, army and uniforms, the bandits, the headquarters of the Army, of the Hawk? Winter, the ruggedness of the scenery, beauty?
3. The film made in 3D, the impact, special effects, slow motion bullets, grenades colliding…?
4. The musical score, orchestral, the beating drums, percussion?
5. The impact for the audience, Chinese, world audiences? The stances of the filmmakers, their perspectives on the war, post-war, the Civil War, the liberation Army and the bandits?
6. The 21st century opening, the young man, his friends, the journey, seeking his past, meeting his family – reality and fantasy?
7. Information about the caps PLA, unit 203, the men, the nurse arriving, the mysterious warrior? The battles, siege against the bandits, hunger? The emphasis on statistics?
8. The bandits, the two groups, the potential clash, playing each off against the other?
9. Hawk, the literal Hawk, his leadership, hold over his men, his captivity of the woman, relationship with her, his appearance, sinister, the lavish headquarters, his style of ruling?
10. Yang, Brother 9? Coming to the PLA, interactions with the leader, initial suspicions? His plan, going to the bandits, his manner of infiltration, his being tested by the woman, his behaviour, interactions with Hawk, with the woman?
11. The boy in the camp, his presence, hungry, attempts to escape? The care of the nurse? Leading the skiing group? His role with the Army, reunited with his mother?
12. The battle sequences, the siege, the issue of the map and the bandit leaders?
13. The escapee from the battle, going to the Hawk, denouncing Yang, the dilemma, his being killed?
14. The buildup to the final fight, deaths?
15. The 21st-century meal, memories of the past – and the visualising of the fight against Hawk and Yang becoming a comic book action hero with the special effects, the cliffs, the plane…? The impact of this kind of ending to the whole film?
