A guiding light
Zhang Yimou’s adaptation of Geling Yan’s novel 13 Flowers Of Nanjing is China’s most expensive ($90 million) film ever made and stars Oscar winner Christian Bale in the lead role as an American trapped with a group of women in Nanking during the invasion of the Japanese army in 1937.
Bale plays John Miller, a hard-drinking mortician, who finds himself trapped in a church with a group of schoolgirls when the invasion begins. Struggling to survive the violence and persecution wrought by the Japanese army, the disparate group fight back, risking their own lives for the sake of everyone else.
This World War II-era drama from the award-winning director of House Of Flying Daggers is visually stunning – from the magnificent cinematography, impeccable costume design and beautiful photography – and complemented perfectly by an outstanding cast. Bale plays his role with a combination of irresponsible bravado and new-found dignity and there are standout performances from newcomers Ni Ni and Zhang Xinyi as the schoolgirls at the heart of the story.
An epic saga of survival and redemption, the film is inspiring, stirring and unforgettable in equal measure. Definitely one to watch.
