Featured Audience Ratings

• Dean M

  
  This film based on a true events of an English reporter who saved Chinese orphan boys from the Japanese invasion in the 1930s is meaning of love, accountability and bravery. That also happened the same story of escaping and trekking over the mountains in 1958's <i>The Inn… More
  This film based on a true events of an English reporter who saved Chinese orphan boys from the Japanese invasion in the 1930s is meaning of love, accountability and bravery. That also happened the same story of escaping and trekking over the mountains in 1958's <i>The Inn of the Sixth Happiness</i> starring Ingrid Bergman as English servant girl Gladys Aylward.

• Walter M

  
  "The Children of Huang Shi" starts in 1937 Shanghai as journalist George Hogg(Jonathan Rhys Meyers) tricks his way into the war zone of Nanjing by pretending to be an ambulance driver. While there, he witnesses a civilian massacre, is captured by the Japanese and is almost… More
  "The Children of Huang Shi" starts in 1937 Shanghai as journalist George Hogg(Jonathan Rhys Meyers) tricks his way into the war zone of Nanjing by pretending to be an ambulance driver. While there, he witnesses a civilian massacre, is captured by the Japanese and is almost beheaded before being rescued at the last second by Communist insurgents, led by Chen Hansheng(Chow Yun-Fat). Hogg's two compatriots are not so lucky and Chen and Hogg have another tight escape before Chen spirits Hogg away to an orphanage for safekeeping. And again, Hogg needs rescuing, this time from a beatdown by the kids, by Lee Pearson(Radha Mitchell), an expatriate nurse who has been in country for five years and the closest thing to a doctor for miles around. Based on a true story, "The Children of Huang Shi" is an enticing and beautifully photographed epic that is not without its share of flaws. There are pacing issues and it could have been longer but I like how it ends. On the plus side, the film goes beyond the old fashioned trappings with little complexities, especially with the children being more troubled than cute. The complicated political realities of the time are captured perfectly with the Nationalists and the Communists both fighting the Japanese but can never overcome their political differences to totally trust each other. However, Chen risks his life to rescue trapped Nationalist soldiers at one point. "The Children of Huang Shi" is not a war movie about combat, but about knowing when to fight and choose your battles, so it is okay to escape in one piece. There is no reason to be heroic if you are dead. Even then, any survivors will remain forever changed by the experience and probably not for the better. Chen was an engineer and now he blows up buildings to ensure the Japanese do not recover valuable information.(At least, somebody enjoys their job.) Along the way, Hogg learns that the best way to conquer the world is through kindness.

• Chihoe H

  
  It has a great backstory and the makings of an epic film, but somehow fell short. The acting felt forced and abrupt, but there were glimpses of what it could have been.

• Juli R

  
  Beautiful to look at. KIlled by melodramatic script.

• Daisy M

  
  The children of Huang Shi was a true story of George Hogg's life and his gift to humanity during the invasion of Japan in China.George Hogg played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers was a journalist assigned to Shanghai in 1937. He wanted to go to Nanjing where he managed to enter as a Red… More
  The children of Huang Shi was a true story of George Hogg's life and his gift to humanity during the invasion of Japan in China.George Hogg played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers was a journalist assigned to Shanghai in 1937. He wanted to go to Nanjing where he managed to enter as a Red Cross worker and photographed the mass murders of the people of Nanjing by the hands of the Japanese. He was captured by the Japanese, tortured and saved by a Chinese Nationalist Chen played by Chow Yun-Fat. He send him to a village of children Huang Shi where it turned to be an orphanage without a leader.The movie did not leave me very satisfied,but it deserved a recommendation,it was not boring, the performances were decent and the direction was good.

• Leo L

  
  Here is an interesting movie about compassion, love, and honor. This follows one man?s journey into capturing firsthand the torments and reality of a war-stricken country in the brink of 1930?s China. Hogg is a young journalist whom believes that getting the inside scoop will lead to… More
  Here is an interesting movie about compassion, love, and honor. This follows one man?s journey into capturing firsthand the torments and reality of a war-stricken country in the brink of 1930?s China. Hogg is a young journalist whom believes that getting the inside scoop will lead to quick success, and high recognition but when experiences teach him another perspective. He begins to realize that it is more than just doing the job that he is capable of, but to express his inner self clearly and to embrace humanity, or lack of. Great cast- Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Radha Mitchell, Chow Yun Fat, and Michelle Yeoh. Worth seeing!

• Nikki M

  
  This was a very interesting piece of Chinese history, very well done.

• Robert F

  
  I'm awarding this film high marks mainly for its technical achievements. The cinematography was excellent, and the locations used were majestic. The music was also beautiful, and if there were a soundtrack ever released, I'd definitely buy it. It's a shame that this… More
  I'm awarding this film high marks mainly for its technical achievements. The cinematography was excellent, and the locations used were majestic. The music was also beautiful, and if there were a soundtrack ever released, I'd definitely buy it. It's a shame that this technical brilliance was undercut somewhat by stilted performances and heavy-handed direction. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers was miscast in the lead role, but hell, it's not like he's an eye-sore or anything, so I got over that. But the accents were pretty bad - Rahda Mitchell's in particular, who spoke with a scattered mix of American, British, and Australian all at once. Some of the delivery was cringe-worthy also - it was like listening to the voice acting done for a cartoon show: all the meaning and emotion was put into the words and little attention was given to facial expression or body language. Having said this, the film did become overly saccharine at times, so maybe any actor would have found the dialogue undeliverable. Still, it seems unfair to harshly penalise the film for all this when it succeeded so well in other areas, so I'm giving it four stars.

• Anthony V

  
  A bit slow, but a touching story and great cast compensate. "Don't Cry Nanking" has a better portrayal of the horrors of Nanking, though.

Read all 9 featured audience ratings