I was attracted by the film when the trailers came out. I was at first shocked by its vivid, cruel and accurate description of the war scene. But when I watched this film at the cinema, I could hardly hold back my tears. It's not a pure military blockbuster. It's a story of a hero searching for the glory and the honor that he and his brothers deserved. It's a story of the return of a long-lost heroism.
I think the biggest breakthrough that Xiaogang Feng made is there was no propaganda for the Communist Party of China. Soldiers pulled the triggers of their rifles because it was their mission that demanded them to do so. They feared blood, feared death. They would step back when bullets were buzzing around. They would save their friend from dying at any cost. I'd say that director Feng had created some real vivid figures. The soldiers in the film are a real reflection of the true Chinese spirit.
As a Chinese, I loved this movie very much even though it was not 100% "Made in China", for it was a milestone in the Chinese film history where directors learned not to simply imitate how American or European directors to shoot a movie, but to use these technologies to tell a more convincing story. Heroes are still human beings, and this is what "The Assembly" actually wanted to tell.
I'll give a 10/10. It's really worth watching, at least from the point of view of a Chinese.
