Shanghai 1937, Chinese soldiers, holed up in a warehouse, make a defiant last stand against the Japanese army, while the international community and civilians watch it unfold...
What makes someone heroic? Is it their actions? Their words? Their defiance in the face of potential death against overwhelming odds? And if you can't be a hero, can you overcome your own fears to do the best you can in such circumstances?
One of the strands in The Eight Hundred, are these questions. In the face of death can you do your duty? I suspect most people who have never served in the armed forces or the frontline in some capacity, be it in law enforcement, fire fighters, paramedics, etc, won't know the answer to that until they have to face it. In the film there are a group of caught deserters who are given a choice; they can fight or be shot. While some decide to join the fight easily, others still struggle with the decision and some refuse.
Another strand of war the film looks at is how civilians and reporters cover battles. The international concession, where foreigners reside, is just across the river from the warehouse. The Japanese are forced to restrict their use of weapons because of this, which in turn means those in the concession can watch the battle take place. The reporters think the battle will be brief, but as it continues, the civilians begin to supply what they can, food and aid, to support those fighting. Of course, it's a double edged sword. The soldiers have been ordered to fight, those who try and desert and cross to the concession area will likely be shot by either side in the attempt. The supplies can get in, reporters can get in, but the soldiers? They are there until the end.
The defence of the Sihang Warehouse is not something I was aware of before seeing the film. I suspect, outside of war historians, in the West it may not be known at all. We often forget, especially in the west, that battles are fought all around the world, throughout the centuries and battles, especially heroic stands in the face of overwhelming odds likely happen everywhere. There's the battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans and their allies (often forgotten about in the telling) held of an invasion force for three days before falling. There's the Alamo, Custer's Last Stand, the battle at Rorke's Drift, Dunkirk, Stalingrad to name a few. These are the ones most likely to be known outside of Asia, having been told in film and books over the years. But the battle of Sihang Warehouse in Shanghai? Not one that's ever brought up, though it really should be.
From what little I have read on the actual battle since coming across the film, I think it's an accurate depiction of what happened over the four days of brutal fighting. And brutal is the right word. Chinese soldiers wrapping themselves in explosives to throw themselves onto attacking soldiers, Japanese soldiers, sneaking in using swords in brutal, close fighting. In one extraordinary scene, the Japanese and Chinese soldiers exchange gunfire inside the warehouse at near point blank range. And in the aftermath of each battle, the Chinese soldiers try to rebuild, regroup and wait for the next onslaught.
During the extended opening credits, the film lays out its story and the reason for the defence of the warehouse. There's nothing more to it than that really. While we learn a little about some of those defending and nothing about the Japanese, it's all about the battle, the reaction of those observing and also to events outwith the control of those fighting as a conference taking place on the other side of the world, will ultimately decide how it will end. The commanding officer and his men are willing to fight to the death of each and every one of them. However, through voiceover relaying what is happening at the conference in Belgium and via a Government minister, they discover they have been abandoned by everyone. The western powers, including the British and French are more concerned with their own positions in the region to help the Chinese and so, the order is given to essentially end the battle and retreat.
It's what follows this order is what makes The Eight Hundred so powerful and why it's likely it is remembered in China. What happens that day and what the film brutally shows is the lack of respect and mercy and the decision of the Japanese soldiers as the renege on their word. A small number of soldiers and those wounded, stay behind to cover the retreat, while the rest will head to the concession area.
Director Hu Guan hadn't skimped on showing the brutal and bloody battles, but in this final one, it hits like a sledgehammer as the soldiers making their retreat are being cut down unmercifully as the civilians watch helplessly. As the begin to tear down the defences on the bridge, even the British soldiers begin to react to the helpless slaughter unfolding before them. To watch these men, these brave men, being cut down like that is not easy to watch. Yes it's a film, but it still hits you damn hard.
The performances from the cast are superb, as both the soldiers and deserters come to face up to what their destiny might be in this battle. The combination of CGI and practical effects are very well done, the battles showing the brutal nature of war. The music is superb, the production design very good indeed. There is little to fault here.
However...
The film was scheduled to be shown at the Shanghai film festival in June 2019. However days before the premiere, the film was pulled from the schedule, allegedly due to 'technical difficulties.' Reading up on it, there are numerous references to 'outside entities' being involved, consulting with the producers of the film. Apparently there are thirteen minutes removed from the film before it was finally released. It has been suggested that because the soldiers were Nationalist ones and not Communist ones, this was a factor into the decision.
There is a key and stunning scene were soldiers sacrifice themselves to keep their flag flying, even though they know it will provoke the Japanese. But this flag is not the Chinese flag, but rather this is now the flag of Taiwan. In the film, the flag is changed to reflect this. With China believing Taiwan is part of the republic and Taiwan saying it is not, the tensions there, albeit perhaps not what they were, you can see why the Chinese would be reluctant for one of their biggest films to reflect the Taiwan nation. Certainly the fact it was due to be released in the year of the 70th anniversary of the Chinese revolution didn't help the film with 'outside entities.'
But does knowing about the change and knowing the film is missing thirteen minutes, does it change the story being told?
To be honest, that is hard to say. As I stated earlier, the film does seem to stick to the events of the battle closely. It has been suggested that the scenes with the civilians trying to help, were given more focus than perhaps otherwise intended, but even if this was the case, does it effect the film as a film?
I would say on this level, no. It's a brutal, moving story brilliantly told, not afraid to show the horror and heroism and determination soldiers are capable of. It's a patriotic tale, possibly even more so after the influence of those outside forces, but then most of the stories of heroic stands in battle usually are.
On this level, The Eight Hundred (the number the commanding officer says is defending, though it is suggested the real number was considerably less, which makes the events even more remarkable) tells its heroic story very well indeed and deserves to take its place, rightly, alongside other, better known, battles of its kind.
The heroism on display deserves no less.
Rating: 5/5
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