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City of Life and Death

Play trailer Poster for City of Life and Death 2009 2h 13m History Drama War Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 53 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
The stories of a conflicted Japanese soldier (Hideo Nakaizumi) and a Chinese officer (Ye Liu) draw attention to the atrocities committed by Japanese forces during the 1937 occupation of Nanking.

Critics Reviews

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Tom Long Detroit News It is not an easy film, and perhaps a touch too relentless, but it is a great reminder of how bloody, mad and awful this world can be. Rated: A- Oct 7, 2011 Full Review David Lewis San Francisco Chronicle Lu Chuan makes this feature film soar by telling the story both through the eyes of the Japanese occupiers and the defenseless Chinese civilians in the ancient capital. It makes the savagery all the more senseless. Rated: 4/4 Sep 22, 2011 Full Review Joe Williams St. Louis Post-Dispatch Exquisitely shot in black and white, with a rare attention to detail and dramatic complexity, "City of Life and Death" is a timelessly great film that commands our collective attention. Rated: 3.5/4 Jul 8, 2011 Full Review Joanne Laurier World Socialist Web Site Great effort and care has gone into recreating what is known as the Rape of Nanking. Mar 4, 2021 Full Review Ard Vijn ScreenAnarchy Although it is not overtly gory, the film is powerfully shocking at times, and not for the squeamish. Those squeamish are missing something though... this movie is definitely recommended. Rated: 5/5 Sep 23, 2019 Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row Shot in striking black and white, the film almost feels like a living war document, with a haunting immediacy and authenticity that seems completely organic. Rated: 3.5/4 Aug 5, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alex G A relentlessly depressing film that forces you to look into the horrors wrought upon a people by unfettered nationalism. A multi layered look that does not seek to portray the issue as one side good, one side bad, but rather looks at the humans caught up within it all, often with no means to control events or even their own place within them. Not to be watched if feeling remotely delicate, but this film is real artistry at almost every level of production. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/26/25 Full Review Bogdan M From my perspective, "City of Life and Death" is a profoundly challenging film to watch. It's a raw and unflinching portrayal of a period in history filled with unimaginable horrors. The scenes are difficult to witness, as they force me to confront the atrocities of war and the suffering endured by countless individuals. This film isn't just hard to see; it's emotionally taxing, leaving me deeply affected as I grapple with the weight of the events depicted. "City of Life and Death" serves as a stark reminder of the depths of human cruelty and the importance of remembering the past to prevent such tragedies from happening again. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/19/24 Full Review Gabby B Excellent movie. Good acting. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/21/23 Full Review jorge g Ιnevitably gory and dark, depicts the cruelty and humanity that people are capable of showing to each other. Powerful story, excellent performances and production. Masterpiece. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Best movie I've ever watch. Historically accurate, as well as unbiased. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Lu Chuan's choice to stain history's heroes (John Rabe) and victims while sucking up to popular Hollywood themes of "nuance" is disgusting. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Read all reviews
City of Life and Death

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Cast & Crew

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Chuan Lu

Director

Ye Liu

Lu Jianxiong

Yuanyuan Gao

Miss Jiang

Hideo Nakaizumi

Kadokawa

Yuko Miyamoto

Actor

Sam Voutas

Durdin

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City of Life and Death

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Movie Info

Synopsis The stories of a conflicted Japanese soldier (Hideo Nakaizumi) and a Chinese officer (Ye Liu) draw attention to the atrocities committed by Japanese forces during the 1937 occupation of Nanking.
Director
Chuan Lu
Producer
Sanping Han
Screenwriter
Chuan Lu
Production Co
Media Asia Films Ltd. [hk], China Film Group Corp.
Genre
History, Drama, War
Original Language
Chinese
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 17, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$119.9K
Runtime
2h 13m