Watch City of Life and Death

City of Life and Death is a powerful historical drama film that traces the events leading up to and during the infamous 1937 Nanking Massacre. Directed by Lu Chuan, the film is a chronicle of one of the darkest moments in China's history, and it unfolds with an unflinching look at the brutal violence and cruelty that were rampant during that tragic period.

The movie revolves around a diverse set of characters who live in the city of Nanking at the time of the Japanese invasion. From Chinese soldiers and citizens to Japanese soldiers and journalists, City of Life and Death depicts the war from multiple perspectives, creating a layered and nuanced portrayal of the conflict.

The film's central character is John Rabe, a German businessman who works for the Siemens company in Nanking. Rabe, played by Ulrich Tukur, is a humanitarian who sets up a safety zone in the city for Chinese refugees, and he does everything in his power to protect them from harm.

However, even Rabe is powerless against the sheer brutality of the Japanese army, which quickly begins to carry out a horrific campaign of rape, torture, and murder against the citizens of Nanking. The film presents these atrocities with unsparing detail, never shying away from the horror of the violence or the inhumanity of the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, a young Chinese soldier named Lu Jianxiong (Liu Ye) finds himself caught up in the chaos of the war. Initially, he is driven by a sense of duty and patriotism, but as the atrocities mount, he is forced to confront the limits of his own humanity. Through his eyes, we see the degradation and destruction of Nanking, as the Japanese army systematically destroys the 600-year-old city and all of its cultural treasures.

Wei Fan plays Kadokawa, a Japanese soldier who is also struggling with the consequences of the war. Initially enthusiastic about the invasion, Kadokawa begins to question the morality of his actions as he witnesses the atrocities committed by his comrades. Hideo Nakaizumi plays a Japanese journalist named Ida who is sent to Nanking to cover the war, but who also becomes a witness to the horror of the massacre.

City of Life and Death is an extremely powerful and emotionally-wrenching film, and it pulls no punches in depicting the horror of the Nanking Massacre. While not for the faint of heart, the movie is an important testament to the human cost of war, and a reminder of the importance of compassion and empathy in the face of violence and hatred.

Overall, City of Life and Death is a deeply affecting and haunting film. Through its uncompromising portrayal of the Nanking Massacre, it offers a stark warning against the dangers of nationalism, militarism, and the dehumanization of other people. While it may be difficult to watch at times, it is a film that demands to be seen, and that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

City of Life and Death is a 2010 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 13 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7 and a MetaScore of 85.