Nanking

R

2007

1 hr. 28 min.

Documentary

List

96%

47 Reviews

Tomatometer

88%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

This documentary chronicles the events in the Chinese capital city of Nanking following the Japanese invasion of 1937. Combining archival footage with interviews and cinematic recreations of historic events, the film follows German businessman John Rabe (Jürgen Prochnow), surgeon Bob Wilson (Woody Harrelson) and American missionary Minnie Vautrin (Mariel Hemingway) as they sacrifice their own safety to protect Chinese refugees from the marauding Japanese army.

Read More

Read Less

Prime Video

Rent Nanking on Prime Video, or buy it on Prime Video.

Critics Consensus

This powerful and horrific documentary brings the atrocities committed at Nanking to light without sugarcoating any of the brutality.

Read Critics Reviews

georgan g

An amazing portrayal of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China in 1937. Sad, horrifying, but riveting. War is never a good thing.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

kevin w

The presentation here is at first questionable. It begins with a look behind the wizard's curtain and we are shown a bit about how what we are about to see was constructed, recreated. But then the actual documentary, like a roller coaster at the apex of the highest point, truly begins, and the mere facts of this story alone are enough to terrify. The pictures serve to put you in the place, allows one to see with one's own eyes, even though you become increasingly aware that the producers have wisely chosen not to show all of what was committed in China then. Not for the faint of heart this. Two eyewitness accounts will burn into your memory forever.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A powerful and moving documentary devoted to shedding light on a singular event in the course of history where true evil reared its ugly head. The story of Nanking is so incredible for the fact that it is so forgotten by time, serving its purpose to show what hell on Earth can mean when allowed to grow and flourish. The atrocities committed are at times hard to listen to, especially when coming from the survivors who witnessed their families be killed in front of them and saw how little humanity humans are capable of showing.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An interesting framing of the documentary, with actors dressed up and reading the voices of the German and US folks who created the safety zone. A very disturbing documentary, brought more to life through the eye witness accounts.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This film must be seen to be believed. Few people have heard of the destruction wrought on what was then the Chinese capital. Even fewer know that the Japanese war criminals who were responsible for ordering the destruction are now venerated as gods in Japan. First, let me put the destruction in perspective. During Japan's virtual annihilation of the city, she killed 200,000 people in six weeks. Even at the height of Nazi efficiency, they only killed people at about a third of that rate. The Japanese were three times more ruthless in killing Chinese as the NAZIS were at killing the Jews at Auschwitz. That'a a sobering thought. Even more sobering is that this film only elucidates the atrocities that took place in ONE CITY in a country of what was, at that time, 650,000,000 people. The film pulls no punches. We see still photos of the Japanese soldiers holding beheading contests using their katanas. We hear stories told both by the people who suffered and those who inflicted the suffering. We hear the journals of the small band of Westerners who strove to protect the Chinese from the horrible destruction. These words are read by modern-day actors and actresses, and their delivery is spine-tingling. Jürgen Prochnow and Mariel Hemingway are particularly effective portraying John Rabe and Minnie Vautrin. While their performances are nuanced and delivered with skill, the sheer ferocity of what occurred in late 1937 and 1938 in Nanking hits with all the subtlety of a cobalt bomb. There's no sugar at all on the film's coat. Some might argue that this film is anti-Japanese; on the contrary, the film is accurate in a desperately sad way. Japan is at fault for what they did in exactly the same way as Germany is at fault for what they did. The big difference, and the film shows this, is that, while Germany has atoned for its role in the Holocaust, Japan has not. In fact, many Japanese deny it ever happened or accuse the Chinese of exaggerating it. See it. You NEED to see it and understand. The 200,000 victims, slaughtered at the rate of nearly 5,000 a day by various means, deserve recognition.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Powerful documentary gives greater context to Flowers of War and City of Life and Death. It's amazing how easy Japan got off the hook.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Bill Guttentag

Director

Hugo Armstrong

John Magee

Rosalind Chao

Chang Yu Zheng

Stephen Dorff

Lewis Smythe

John Getz

George Fitch

Mariel Hemingway

Minnie Vautrin

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

80%

77%

Chicago 10

83%

83%

Protagonist

83%

86%

Heavy Metal in Baghdad

85%

82%

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

66%

84%

Screamers

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Juno, No Country for Old Men Among Writers Guild Award Nominees

Critical Consensus: I Am Legend All Over the Map, Chipmunks Hits Sour Note

Fifteen Documentaries Vie for Oscar Consideration

View more photos

Mark Holcomb

Time Out

Rated: 3/5

Nov 18, 2011

Full Review

Ben Kenigsberg

Time Out

Rated: 3/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B-

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

One of 2007's most important documentaries.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 17, 2020

Full Review

Kelly Vance

East Bay Express

This painful documentary ends on a hopeful note, although with a clear view of the cloud over human nature.

Apr 28, 2011

Full Review

Ian Buckwalter

DCist

A noble effort, but a flawed delivery. The film would benefit from more time spent with the real survivors, and less with actors tasked with "playing" the Western saviors.

Rated: 5/10

Jun 12, 2010

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

This documentary chronicles the events in the Chinese capital city of Nanking following the Japanese invasion of 1937. Combining archival footage with interviews and cinematic recreations of historic events, the film follows German businessman John Rabe (Jürgen Prochnow), surgeon Bob Wilson (Woody Harrelson) and American missionary Minnie Vautrin (Mariel Hemingway) as they sacrifice their own safety to protect Chinese refugees from the marauding Japanese army.

Director: Bill Guttentag
Rating: R (Descriptions of Rape|Disturbing Images|Descriptions of War Atrocities)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Streaming): May 3, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $160.1K

Most Popular at Home Now