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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
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
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 10/07/2011
A-
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. Go to Full Review
David Lewis San Francisco Chronicle 09/22/2011
4/4
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. Go to Full Review
Joe Williams St. Louis Post-Dispatch 07/08/2011
3.5/4
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. Go to Full Review
Joanne Laurier World Socialist Web Site 03/04/2021
Great effort and care has gone into recreating what is known as the Rape of Nanking. Go to Full Review
Ard Vijn ScreenAnarchy 09/23/2019
5/5
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. Go to Full Review
Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 08/05/2019
3.5/4
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. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Alex G Jun 26 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. See more Bogdan M 04/19/2024 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. See more Gabby B 11/21/2023 Excellent movie. Good acting. See more jorge g 09/24/2021 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. See more 09/16/2019 Best movie I've ever watch. Historically accurate, as well as unbiased. See more 03/07/2017 Lu Chuan's choice to stain history's heroes (John Rabe) and victims while sucking up to popular Hollywood themes of "nuance" is disgusting. See more Read all reviews
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