Mountain Patrol: Kekexili

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Mountain Patrol: Kekexili

PG-13

2004

1h 30m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

50 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Ga Yu (Zhang Lei), a journalist from Beijing, arrives in Tibet to document the poaching of endangered antelope. He enlists the aid of Ritai (Bujie Duo), who leads the volunteer patrolmen who are putting their lives on the line to protect the animals from the insidious threat.

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Critics Consensus

In a setting both visually stunning and cruel, this Eastern film evokes the epic spirit of old-fashioned Westerns.

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Marrit Ingman

Austin Chronicle

Mixes environmental awareness and spiritual mindfulness with its chase scenes through grand scenery.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 3, 2006

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Steven Rea

Philadelphia Inquirer

Breathtakingly beautiful, breathtakingly brutal and simply breathtaking.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 26, 2006

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Bruce Westbrook

Houston Chronicle

Instead of a laudable ecological crusade, the film feels more like a futile Captain Ahab obsession, with patrol leader Ri Tai (Duobujie) vainly chasing a poaching kingpin through the harsh, windy wilderness.

Rated: 1.5/4

May 12, 2006

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Panos Kotzathanasis

Asian Movie Pulse

Lu Chuan uses a rather unique approach for his narrative, combining elements of documentary , road movie, and western

Jan 19, 2020

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Rob Humanick

Projection Booth

An ode to the great sacrifices that often accompany the will to do the right thing.

Rated: B+

Nov 5, 2007

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Jeffrey Chen

Window to the Movies

Moby Dick with a progressive spin.

Rated: 8/10

Oct 13, 2006

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Audience Member

A group of men comes after antelope poachers in the Tibetanian mountains. The hit them hard if they catch them and kind of seem like officers with no manners or plan. I must admit I fell out of it quite fast, but I tried to get on with it many times - not often with luck. It's a bit repetitive. There's mountains, guns, beatings, lack of food and chit-chats. Some characters are cool, others I never really dig. I get the message from this documentary-like, western-ish, semi-action flick, but it has some flaws. Also, I feel like the guys that are after the poachers are there just to bash in some heads - not for the sake of the animals. That may have been the entire point, but then again, that does not make the film great. Lovely nature shots, OK idea, but not the best execution. 4.5 out of 10 skinners.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

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Audience Member

based on true story of the Kekexili Mountain Patrol of 1993-1996 called the Wild Yak Brigade. It is such a shame it took so long for the Chinese government to clamp down on the illegal trade/poaching of shahtoosh (Tibetan antelope wool) from the Tibetan Plateau... one by one costing lives of the men and complete slaughter of the antelope - until authorities finally stepped in - but had it not been for these men, the Tibetan antelope might be lost forever or only to be found in zoos

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

hail the heroes of the kekexili mountain patrol team, your sacrifices have been worth it. quite breathtaking scenery.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

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Audience Member

Stunning landscapes and award-winning direction tell the story of a group of men that try to stop poachers from making the chiru (Tibetan antelope) extinct. The illegal fur trade reduced the population from 1m to just 10k. But, mountain patrols and establishing four Nature Reserves have allowed the chiru to number 75k-100k now. http://articles.latimes.com/2000/aug/29/news/mn-11912

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

Shows humanity's greatness and downfalls...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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Audience Member

Evidently a true story. A harsh and thought provoking story about volunteer game keepers in the west border areas of China. A story of passion, greed, adventure, betrayal... it has it all in a beautiful, vast natural setting. Well worth it.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Chuan Lu

Director

Duobujie

Ri Tai

Zhang Lei

Ga Yu

Qi Liang

Liu Dong

Xueying Zhao

Leng Xue

Ma Zhanlin

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Synopsis

Ga Yu (Zhang Lei), a journalist from Beijing, arrives in Tibet to document the poaching of endangered antelope. He enlists the aid of Ritai (Bujie Duo), who leads the volunteer patrolmen who are putting their lives on the line to protect the animals from the insidious threat.

Director: Chuan Lu
Producer: Yang Du, Zhonglei Wang
Screenwriter: Chuan Lu
Production Co: Columbia Pictures, Huayi Brothers Media Group
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Disturbing Images|Brief Sexuality|Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Apr 14, 2006
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $142.2K
Runtime: 1h 30m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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