Shang hai bao lei

I am disappointed with this movie. This was a big-budget movie with all the superstars. However, such a mediocre storyline and special effect, I thought I was watching a film from the Scifi channel!

It's definitely not a 10/10 - those reviews must be Chinese people here just to support their country's endeavors.

As a kids film it's not too bad. Simplistic script and bland dialogue feels like it was written by children, and the music is sappy. The sound design is lacking and the sound mix is flat. There are very few moments of good acting. The CGI is not too bad.

What would help the story to bring it into adult-land would be a depiction of the wider global situation and more on the aliens intent, more artistic direction and of course a mature script.

Oddly enough, then "Shanghai Fortress" had managed to stay under my radar, and it wasn't before I was browsing through the movies on Netflix that it happened to pop up.

I was immediately interested in watching the movie, given the synopsis and also because it starred Shu Qi.

First of all, then it should be said that the storyline written by Jiang Nan wasn't exactly rocket science. This was pretty much generic to the core. It was everything you could and would expect from a sci-fi action movie of this type, for better or worse. Well, at least you know what you are getting yourself into when you sit down to watch "Shanghai Fortress". This is hardly a movie that sets new milestones or move existing borders.

That being said, then I will move straight on to saying that while the storyline was generic and predictable, then the movie was actually quite entertaining and enjoyable, nonetheless.

The visual department really upped their game in this movie. And it was such a visual treat to sit down and watch the CGI effects in "Shanghai Fortress", and I think this is actually the first Chinese movie I have seen that have put on this type of grand display usage of CGI. It was marvelous and it really carried the movie a lot of the way, given the shortcomings of the storyline and script.

They had some fairly nicely talented actors and actresses on the cast list. I wasn't familiar with the most of them, which actually is a nice thing for me, as I enjoy seeing new talents and not associate their faces with previously played roles and characters. But for, I must admit, then it was Shu Qi that had the spotlight in "Shanghai Fortress". I have been a fan of hers for a long, long time and she was good in this movie, though it wasn't her best performance in her career.

All in all, if you enjoy a good old fashioned alien invasion movie, then give "Shanghai Fortress" a chance. I enjoyed it from start to end, and I am rating the movie a solid six out of ten stars.

A cross between the Chinese versions of 'Ender's Game' and 'Independence Day' which is probably better as a book as it seems to skip over a lot of stuff and the monologues would fit better. There's lots of dramatic music and inspiring scenes, but also lots of ham-fisted teen romance and a lackluster plot. The mix of Chinese and English voice acting is off-putting and although the military might and special effects are good (if a bit too CGI heavy), it's all too clean and family friendly. The plot is predictable and the characters are undeveloped, but the finale is pretty epic and exciting.

If you like Chinese way making movies you like it but it is not as macho as Hollywood movies