Back to 1942

Play trailer

Back to 1942

2012

2h 26m

History

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

36%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

The fortunes of a well-off Chinese landlord (Zhang Guoli) fall to ruin, as a devastating famine holds the country in its grip in 1942.

Mark Jenkins

Washington Post

"Back to 1942" shows the director's mastery of chaotic spectacle, massed human motion and elegant camera movements.

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 30, 2012

Full Review

Sheri Linden

Los Angeles Times

Director Feng Xiaogang captures the epic scale of the exodus as well as the often-harrowing details, yet emotional connection proves more elusive.

Rated: 2/5

Nov 29, 2012

Full Review

Bruce DeMara

Toronto Star

A chronicle of unrelenting misery, sorrow and human degradation that has powerful moments but is hardly uplifting.

Rated: 2/4

Nov 29, 2012

Full Review

Donald J. Levit

ReelTalk Movie Reviews

The film could do with more pruning and fewer undeveloped characters.

Jun 5, 2015

Full Review

Daniel Eagan

Film Journal International

A relatively even-handed account of a famine which killed three million people, but the storytelling is so careful that it fails to build much interest or emotion.

Nov 30, 2012

Full Review

Andrew L. Urban

Urban Cinefile

Disaster movie and war movie in one dramatic realisation of a dark chapter in China's history, Back to 1942 is epic in its intentions and its scope

Nov 24, 2012

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

A lost opportunity to share amazing stories and characters, heroes who saved and alleviated the suffering of many 'forgotten-Chinese', during this tumultuous period of Chinese history.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

georgan g

Although interesting historically, this film was too long with too many characters that you didn't learn to like. It was also 98% in Chinese with subtitles that were often too quick to read.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

william d

Respectable depiction of a tragic event of WWII.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Even though the film is in Chinese, the acting is really expressive. The refugee scenes are tragic and unforgettable. Epic.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Simply too many undeveloped characters. It's hard to care for so many people when you can't really remember who's who.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

ok WWII epic post WWII

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Feng Xiao-Gang

Director

Guoli Zhang

Landlord Fan

Tim Robbins

Father Thomas Morgan

Adrien Brody

Theordore E. White

Xu Fan

Huazhi

Wang Ziwen

Xingxing

Masquerade

100%

89%

Masquerade

Watchlist

Hyde Park on Hudson

38%

31%

Hyde Park on Hudson

Watchlist

For Greater Glory

21%

78%

For Greater Glory

Watchlist

Walking With the Enemy

46%

59%

Walking With the Enemy

Watchlist

The Guillotines

14%

17%

The Guillotines

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Critics Consensus: Killing Them Softly Is Certified Fresh

View more photos

Synopsis

The fortunes of a well-off Chinese landlord (Zhang Guoli) fall to ruin, as a devastating famine holds the country in its grip in 1942.

Director: Feng Xiao-Gang
Producer: Zhonglei Wang, Sanping Han, Chen Kuo-fu, Albert Yeung, Peter Lam, Dai Song
Screenwriter: Zhenyun Liu
Distributor: China Lion Film Distribution
Production Co: China Film, Huayi Brothers Media Group, Media Asia Films Ltd. [hk]
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 30, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 11, 2013
Runtime: 2h 26m