“Dead to Rights” is a blockbuster Chinese war epic depicting the 1937 capture of the Chinese city of Nanjing by the Japanese Imperial Army.
An estimated 300,000 city residents were killed and given the barbarity of the Japanese forces “killed” may be a modest adjective.
Men, woman and children were executed by various methods including mass executions, stabbings, flame throwers, and the sacking of live bodies and rolling them down the hill into the river. Arson, sexual assault and looting by an army out of control with the blessing of senior officers.
Chang (Liu Haoran), a postman, being hunted down for sport by Japanese soldiers is saved posing as a photo developer very useful for the Imperial Army wishing to photograph key moments of its conquest and occupation. The proprietor of the photo shop Lao Jin (Wang Xiao) is in hiding with his family under the floor of the developing shop and he quickly teaches Chang how to develop photos. Chang develops a relationship with a Japanese army photographer Hide Ito (Daichi Harashima) requiring a developer of his photographs. Ito is not overtly brutal but displays treachery at the end of the day.
A translator Wang (Wang Guanghai) from Nanjing translates instructions from Ito for Chang he possesses photo developing skills. A police sergeant Song (Cunyi You) and an actress (Gao Ye) join Jin’s family beneath the photo shop floorboards.
This well shot and big budget film has authentic war action, suspense, bravery, treachery, deception, barbarity of the basest sort and yes a certain tear inducing melodrama intermixed with patriotism. The acting and sets are spot on and at times near its conclusion the film is spotted by sappiness and a matching cheesy soundtrack.
The Japanese barbarity is sickening but some of it is caught on film in duplicate and smuggled out to the international press debunking the propaganda of “Sino-Japanese friendship” fabricated by senior Japanese military and political leadership this myth being supported by coerced Nanjing residents photographed joyously interacting with the Japanese “liberators”. What arrogance of the Japanese thinking they wouldn’t get their hands burnt with their wholesale genocide. War trials resulted in several Japanese military officers being judged guilty of war crimes in Nanjing and sentenced to death.
Don’t let the sappiness and mild propaganda embracing this harrowing film’s conclusion deter you from watching “Dead to Rights”. This is a story, based on true events, that should be told and one that you should watch.
Directed by Shen Ao.
China’s official entry for the 98th Academy Awards.
Watch the trailer here and gleam a sense of the spectacular cinematography https://vimeo.com/1134788761?fl=ip&fe=ec
Playing at the Asian World Film Festival on 18November2025 in Culver City, California.
RKS 2025 Film Rating 87/100.
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