Film review of Aftershock
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How would it feel if a person uncovered your scar and forced you to face painful memories you had recovered from decades ago? Probably you would get really annoyed and resist thinking about the past.
As a Chinese, perhaps one of the most sensitive words is earthquake. From the 1976 Tangshan earthquake that killed more than 240,000 people to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake that destroyed nearly 70,000 lives, Chinese people have turned pale at the very mention of the word earthquake.
And now, that experience has been made into a film and screened in front of every Chinese. Try to imagine how they would feel at being exposed to the catastrophe again? Repelled, angry or moved? It's hard to tell.
As the most anticipated film of the year, "Aftershock" has garnered enormous attention from the media since it began filming. Not only because of its famous director, Feng Xiaogang, who has successfully entertained Chinese audiences with several classic comedies before, but also for its status as the first Chinese IMAX film. These two elements alone would draw a considerable number of viewers into the cinema. Since its subject is the greatest disaster ever to occur in China, the film is expected to do well at the box office. But you will not be satisfied if you go in expecting a catastrophe film involving large-scale special effects. The earthquake occurs at night in the first five minutes of the film, when you can see the ground trembling and crashing, buildings collapsing and people being hit or smashed by the rocks. The scene is so impressive that you can totally experience the thrill and fear of the massive earthquake. It is certain to be the most lifelike special effect among films in recent years, apart from some small deficiencies.
Then, at the break of dawn the next day, the city has been torn to pieces and numerous people have been buried in the debris. Yuan Ni (Xu Fan), the main character of the film, makes a life-changing decision about which of her children to save when both are buried under a big rock and only one can be saved. After a heart-breaking struggle, she chooses to save her son. (I still cannot figure out why she selects her son instead of her daughter. Maybe because the Chinese traditional family valued boys more than girls at that time) From then on, the film turns into a family ethics drama, which unfolds over 32 years, describing the stubborn mother who lives alone, refusing to move into a new house or remarry. The daughter is also stubborn and refuses to go back home to find her relatives. Only after 32 years, after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the son, Fang Da, and daughter, Feng Deng, run into each other at the disaster area. Then they go back to Tangshan and reunite with the family.
Finally, there's a happy ending. Looking back, it is obvious that there are many scenes that will really move you to tears. I heard many people around me blowing their noses and saw most of the audience was wiping tearful eyes after the film. I'm not a cold-blood creature, and several times I had tears going welling up in my eyes but they didn't fall down. I began to wonder why they failed to run, and I realized that the film contains too many moving points, and none of them reach a certain level that would really bring the tears out. It could go further and deeper, but it just stopped there. For example, at the accidental meeting of Fang Deng and Fang Da at the Wenchuan earthquake disaster area, Fang Deng heard Fang Da telling his story of what happened in the 1976 Tangshan earthquake and thus realized it was her brother. Then, the two are on the way to Tangshan. There are no more details about the moment of recognition between two people who had been separated more than 30 years. We have no idea what kind of struggle Fang Deng went through to see her mother who had deserted her and thought she was dead in the earthquake. I think this could be another successful tear bomb if it had been described specifically.
Actress Xu Fan and actor Chen Daoming are undoubtedly the stars of the film. Both did excellent jobs portraying a brave, stubborn mother and a kind-hearted, responsible father. Their performances have drawn tears from many viewers and wide recognition.
Film, as an entertainment form, can also serve people by teaching something. And what can we learn from Feng Xiaogang's "Aftershock"? The film depicts a stubborn woman who lost her daughter in the disaster and later lived life all alone instead of making any changes. But as a survivor, I think she deserves a better life, with a solid house to live in, and some pleasure in daily life rather than just meaningless regret every day! We understand that Feng Xiaogang wants to express that those victims should be brave and embrace their new lives. But I don't think that is a good way to take it. It is just too cruel to the victims. Actually, it would be better to see those survivors who suffered from the earthquake manage to walk out of the shadows and live happy and comfortable lives.
As a whole, the film is still worthy of praise among domestic films from the last few years, and I hope you do not go into it expecting a catastrophe film, as its Chinese name implies - "Tangshan Da Di Zhen" (the massive earthquake that occurred in Tangshan). Enjoy it as its English name describes: "Aftershock".
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