A Mensagem

Now although china comes out with low class products, this one was actually pretty good. It's like watching a darker version of Clue, but you want the secret spy to succeed in his/her mission. This is a well crafted espionage spy movie without the crazy action or anything like that, but it's like watching a intense game of poker with bluff versus bluff and elimination after elimination. The cinematography was also really well done and lot of the aspects of the film is well crafted to the point you will actually care what happens. Even the conclusion increased the impact of the film. Great production value and a pretty good story and performances makes this film, worthwhile to check out.

7.9/10

"The Message" (Feng Sheng) is a tremendously engrossing and entertaining thriller, seemingly right out of the 1940's film genre. The film delivers highest quality in production, set design, direction, soundtrack, screenplay, and most notably the incredible cast of actors. I viewed it while in China and was very impressed; just like its jigsaw puzzle of a story, the film's components fit tightly as well. "The Message" is a film for adults but contains a story that all should know for the sacrifice and heroism of those portrayed so well. This is a real victory for Chinese cinema, as the film outdistances all Hollywood productions I have viewed this year.

Only eight people wrote reviews, so i am writing one myself since it is an excellent film to watch.

i watched it on DVD, for some reason, it was too dark throughout the film. I don't know if it is due to the film they used or if they intentionally made it looking so blurry all the time. and the film size is not even full size.

It is a pity that it is a wonderful film, but due to the low DVD quality, it decreases the overall enjoyment.

This film reminds me of "death on the nile". several people got put into a confined place, and one of them is the suspect.

i don't know if this really happened or not, i truly enjoyed it.

Also, I am sure that if the Chinese communist party is not in charge of all films made in mainland china, this film could be more interesting. it still has the undertone to praise how brave the communist workers are. some of the names could be different, such as "communist bandits" instead of "communist party members", etc.

There could be more interesting films made by Chinese filmmakers if the communist party gives up its firm grip of the film producing industry.

Maybe someday Hollywood could also make one just like this one.

The opening of the film already shows some quite different quality from the otherwise dull and hard Chinese films. Visual effect it is, that is what the Chinese doesn't have or has but in a poor way.

However, nice, eyes attracting cg isn't the essence of this film. The script and the performance are the winning factors. Quite like a detective movie, but another way round, "bad" guys searching "good" guys. Clues, dialogs and something unexpected come one after another. Of course, the final answer only shows up in the end. The atmosphere is right: set in a castle, no way to escape, dark and brutal, even bloody. The struggle between Chinese and Japanese in the War time, or to be more general, between the righteous and the evil at that time, is the permanent subject of all time.

Performance of the actors and actresses are beyond reproach. My only disappointment is on Zhou Xu. Nothing in particular, only, say, it can be better.

I have heard that because of the censor some scenes were heavily cut. The cut part must be something even more bloody and scary. However, what should I say, without these scary scenes, the impact of the whole movie would reduce to its half. And I would like to say, the remaining "torture" scenes are not yet entirely convincing, although they are quite enough for the mass majority in China.

In addition, the last scene is quite superfluous, intending to highlight the "old ghost". In an old Chinese saying, painting feet on a snake. In my opinion, silence will do the trick, just let the audience remind themselves.

At the end of the comment: I want more although it is enough!

The movie is super great, like one of the best Chinese movies, completely out of my expectation. It was trilled, dark, breath holding. So dark and depressing that I can't bear to watch again. But really a good movie, well plotted, can't guess the end until the very last minutes. Definitely would recommend to watch.