A passionate and heartfelt thriller about loss, guilt and determination.
The film reminds me of the well-known kidnapping and murder case of the Yingying Zhang in the US. Investigators never found her until it was too late. It's a heart-breaking reminder of the challenges all people face when living in a place far away from home.
The question must be asked... if something happened to your child, while they were abroad, what would you do to find them? What if you can't speak the language or understand the culture?
In this film Xu (Zhang) is an ex-cop who has a rocky estranged relationship with his deaf daughter. She unfortunately dies, while pursuing her studies in America. Xu becomes convinced the local authorities are mishandling the investigation and that racism is playing a prominent role in endangering the case. Xu not only wants justice. There is sincere desire for him to be redeemed. His journey is not only about catching the monsters, but also understanding his daughter... a task he wishes he could have done better, when she was alive. Braving a new world with his translator, Xu is on a quest to make things right internally and externally.
I was fortunate enough a catch a sneak peak of this film and enjoyed it deeply. I cannot recommend it enough. While some people may pick it apart due to their own biases, (we do live in highly sensitive times, where identity politics are everywhere), this film has a lot of heart and is very entertaining. The message is universal. All parents have a profound connection to their kids that is unspoken, but always felt. I honestly found myself asking, how much time is enough for us to spend with those we love? The correct answer might be... there is never enough. If something happened to someone you love, how far would you go to make things right? I found this film touching and thought provoking. I really enjoyed the acting, choreography, story and pacing. Zhang Hanyu is a top star in China and definitely proved his acting skills are top notch. Micheal Cudlitz, Vivienne Tien and Jake Abel all turn in excellent performances.
For a film with so many different elements coming together, it takes a lot of risks. However, risk taking is what film is all about. This film is a positive step in the right direction for international cinema. It is the first time that so many excellent film teams from the east and west collaborated on such an awesome project. I really do hope it does well, because I would love to see more collaborative works with international films teams.
Do yourself a favor and check this one out.
