The China release date of Hollywood action blockbuster Mission: Impossible III could be delayed until July or it might even be banned altogether, but a United International Pictures' (UPI) official yesterday dismissed speculations that the movie might offend Chinese censors with its "bad portrayal" of Shanghai.

With about 30 percent of its scenes shot in Shanghai and the nearby ancient Xitang Village, the action movie starring Tom Cruise and Asian-American starlet Maggie Q is expected to wow Chinese audiences and achieve huge box office success. However, while it was screened in other countries worldwide on May 3, pushing its way into the Chinese market has proven a little tougher.
 
Last weekend, Shanghai-based newspaper Xinmin Evening News reported that M:i:III could be kept out of China for "tarnishing the image of Shanghai".

According to the report, the film could well have "offended" the Shanghai authorities. In the film, Cruise sets foot in the metropolis to see "rags and underwear drying outdoors along side streets" rather than Shanghai's "shining skyscrapers." And there is reportedly unhappiness over the film's portrayal of "awkward" and "slow-moving" Shanghai police.

"It's not true," a manager surnamed Chen from UPI in charge of China operations said furiously, denying the report. In an interview with Information Times, Chen said: "How could we possibly tarnish Shanghai's image by showing the modern parts of the city, including the nightscapes of Shanghai Bund, the Jinmao Tower, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower? And what is more ridiculous is there aren't any Chinese police in the scenes, let alone the complaint of 'awkward' and 'slow-moving.' I wonder what version the reporter saw! As far as I know, many overseas critics have given the big thumbs up to the Shanghai scenes."

The film is currently being reviewed by the Film Bureau of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, but Chen said nothing of it apart from that he was optimistic. It was reported that bureau officials censored the film for the third time last Friday, and will reach a final verdict this week.

Speaking from Los Angeles in an interview with Information Times on May 3, the film's director, JJ Abrams, said that the plot climaxes in Shanghai because he wanted to create the perfect juxtaposition of traditional and modern elements of the city. One of the classic scenes of this part of the movie is Cruise's stunt jump from the Bank of China Tower. He also said that Cruise himself was very satisfied with the Shanghai scenes.

Two requirements must be met before a foreign film is allowed for release in China. First, the China Film Group Corporation (CFGC) has to decide if a movie has market potential. Second, the Film Bureau must vet the film for potentially controversial, particularly political, content.

On average, China imports only 20 foreign films a year.

UPI's Chen said that M:i:III was originally scheduled to hit Chinese mainland screens on May 5, but the production company missed the censorship review period. CFGC has revealed that other US blockbusters including Poseidon, Ice Age 2, Superman Returns will fill cinemas during the June movie season. This means that even if M:i:III is allowed in China, it will be shown only after July 10.

(China.org.cn by Zhang Rui, May 16, 2006)