Cliff Walkers

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1:44

Cliff Walkers

2021

2h 0m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

51 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Based on the script by Quan Yongxian, CLIFF WALKERS is director Zhang Yimou's first foray into the spy genre. Set the puppet state of Manchukuo in the 1930s, the film follows four Communist party special agents who return to China after receiving training in the Soviet Union. Together, they embark on a secret mission code-named "Utrennya." After being sold out by a traitor, the team find themselves surrounded by threats on all sides from the moment they parachute into the mission. Will the agents break the impasse and complete their mission? On the snowy grounds of Manchukuo, the team will be tested to their limit.

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Critics Consensus

Stylish and exciting, Cliff Walkers sees director Zhang Yimou trying his hand at the spy thriller genre with generally impressive results.

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Bob Mondello

NPR

Zhang, celebrated for both masterworks (Raise the Red Lantern), and pop hits (House of Flying Daggers), can't seem to make a film that isn't visually exquisite.

May 14, 2021

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

The action scenes are thrilling, but this is big, big, big melodrama!... It is an interesting history, a little bit of which comes to the fore in this film.

May 13, 2021

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David Ehrlich

IndieWire

While there are some riches to be found under the surface for anyone who feels like watching this with a flow chart, Zhang is so clearly seduced by the spell of his own movie magic that everything else feels like an inadvertent side effect.

Rated: C

May 12, 2021

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Carla Monfort

Espinof

Albeit confusing at times, Cliff Walkers is an interesting historical spy thriller that shines for its visuals. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 3/5

Nov 23, 2022

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Ricardo Rosado

Fotogramas

The filmmaker's visual magnetism and the elegance he bestows upon two hours of propaganda for The People's Republic of China, turns this into an irresistible collection of images that beget us to surrender to his genius... [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 3/5

Nov 18, 2022

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Elsa Fernández-Santos

El Pais (Spain)

Despite being confusing at times, it is a hard and violent film where the intimate stories of its four kamikazes blossom through action and bloodshed. [Full review in Spanish]

Nov 18, 2022

Full Review

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JW

Entertaining. Good action scene. Story too drawn out

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/17/21

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Johnny

Amazing movie, incredible performances and a fantastic story and production, one of the best movies I've seen in a long time!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/14/21

Full Review

stefiam

Beautifully shot. Great performances. Impossible to follow.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/06/21

Full Review

Casey

Great movie! Nice snow scenes of Harbin, China. I kept worrying about the 4 main characters for two hours.... Director Zhang is really good at telling stories!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/03/21

Full Review

yakov kolontarov

Loved that that I will make a movie like that one. One day

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/12/21

Full Review

Google

I like it very much. Hope to see more Chinese movies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/03/21

Full Review

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Yimou Zhang

Director

Yi Zhang

Zhang Xianchen

Hewei Yu

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Cliff Walkers: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Based on the script by Quan Yongxian, CLIFF WALKERS is director Zhang Yimou's first foray into the spy genre. Set the puppet state of Manchukuo in the 1930s, the film follows four Communist party special agents who return to China after receiving training in the Soviet Union. Together, they embark on a secret mission code-named "Utrennya." After being sold out by a traitor, the team find themselves surrounded by threats on all sides from the moment they parachute into the mission. Will the agents break the impasse and complete their mission? On the snowy grounds of Manchukuo, the team will be tested to their limit.

Director: Yimou Zhang
Screenwriter: Yongxian Quan, Yimou Zhang
Distributor: CMC Pictures
Production Co: China Film, Emperor Motion Pictures
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 30, 2021, Limited
Runtime: 2h 0m

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