Reviewed by Daniel Rutledge
Yet another fantastic Chinese film is gracing our cinemas here in New Zealand and this one should not be missed.
The Message is an extremely well put-together and moving spy drama set in Japanese ruled Manchuria during the second World War. Following a series of insurgent assassinations, it is discovered that there is a double-agent in the puppet government's Anti-Communist Squad.
Five members of the team are taken to the fortified Qiu Castle where they are interrogated in order to find the mole.
What follows is basically an Agatha Christie style whodunit with incredible performances and a stunning ending that will have a lot of the audience wishing they brought tissues.
The film is surprisingly and thankfully free of any heavy-handed propaganda or anti-Japanese sentiment. There are strong themes of honour and sacrifice, but no more so than you'd find in a similar Western film.
The Message is a thoroughly entertaining wartime spy epic, the sort that Hollywood just doesn't make any more. I wish they still did.
Four and a half stars.
The Message
:: Directors: Kuo-fu Chen, Qunshu Gao
:: Starring: Zhou Xun, Li Bingbing, Zhang Hanyu
:: Running Time: 120 mins
:: Rating: R16 - Violence & Offensive Language
:: Release Date: October 15, 2009
