Aftershock

With its epilogue, the Chinese epic "Aftershock" makes it known that it wants to stand as a tribute to the estimated 240,000-250,000 lives lost in the devastating earthquake in Tangshan circa 1976. This horrendous quake decimated the city, destroyed lives, and ripped families apart. And any film that wants to honor the heroism and perseverance of the citizens that emerged from tragedy to rebuild not only their city but their lives is worthy of respect for its good intentions. But as I've said often in judging films--good intentions only take you so far! "Aftershock" is much more than its message--it is also an unforgettable and compelling family drama that spans over 30 years. It is an extremely satisfying historical epic that also tells a quietly powerful story about the long range affects that one night had on a family (and by extension, a nation). So, by all means, come to "Aftershock" for its good intentions but don't lose sight that it is also tremendous filmmaking!

If I had my druthers, I would have wanted to go into the film without knowing the major components of its plot. However, some of the details seem to be inescapable if you look at any of the marketing material, advertising, or product descriptions. The film does begin with a spectacular sequence recreating the Tangshan quake. It's a realistic and harrowing depiction that would stand on par to any contemporary special effects you'd see in Hollywood blockbusters. But this is no empty headed disaster film (which I love), but something much more heartfelt and affecting. On this fateful evening, a family of four is divided and it's not until 32 years later where they will all understand the truth of the night. The father is killed, the mother and her son live haunted by their memories, and the daughter is raised by a foster family. We see all the characters at intervals in their lives and, though the earthquake may be history, it and its aftershocks are carried within the psyche of everyone that lived through it. The film culminates with a 2008 Sichaun earthquake that forces our characters to confront one another again. It's incredibly potent and moving drama. Truly!

I, more than anything else you're likely to read, have been purposefully vague about the details of the movie. The film would be better served if its plot unraveled naturally without expectation. Wildly popular in China, "Aftershock" has become that country's highest grossing domestic film ever and was submitted for Academy consideration as China's contender for a Best Foreign Film Oscar (although sadly, it was not nominated). The cast is superb and the screenplay is surprisingly understated. The film is wildly dramatic but it wisely stays away from melodrama. In other hands, this story might have been engineered as weepy and overwrought. Here, I believed the final revelations and reunions because they played on a more realistic keel. They're still likely to make you cry like a baby, but none of the emotion is forced or false. Great actors, with a great screenplay, in a great film. In case I haven't been clear, I think "Aftershock" is quite a special film! Check it out. KGHarris, 10/11.

To understand the scale of what happened in Tangshan in 1976, if you consider that the two atomic bombs detonated detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki between them killed 220,000 people.

The Tangshan earthquake lasted slightly less than a minute, killed 250,000 people. Before the earthquake fish jumped out of aquariums. 89% of the buildings in Tangshan were reduced to rubble, and a million people were left homeless. Aftershock tracks the story of one family, and its effect on them.

A young mother is faced with a crushing dilemma. Both her six year old twin children are trapped under a huge concrete beam. One cannot be rescued without the other being crushed to death. We don't know if another aftershock will kill both of them at any moment. She decides to save her son. She lays the daughter next to the body of her husband believing her dead. However, the daughter regains consciousness, and is adopted by a soldier and his wife. The mother, believing her daughter dead has to live with the consequences of her decision. The daughter faded in and out of consciousness during the rescue, we don't know how much she heard of rescue attempt. However, her subsequent behavior offers clues.

So we follow their lives from then to the present day. We understand their suffering because it makes sense, there are mysteries within the movie, such as will daughter and mother ever be reunited, or will the twin siblings ever be reunited. We hope that for the sake of the story it will happen, but the fact that the daughter marries and moves to Canada seems to indicate otherwise.

Aftershock, is cinematic storytelling at its best. We don't have understand Chinese to fell gripped by the emotions that are unfolding onscreen. Our own humanity abd abillty to feel bridges any language barrier. I feel that Afershock is truly an emotional masterpiece, and the director Xiaogang Feng is the James Cameron of China, and this movie is China's Titanic.

I believe this movie is a very important milestone in Chinese filmmaking history, as much if not more than the better known movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I am very impressed with the quality of foreign movies this year particularly the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, which challenge Hollywood to improve its own standards of storytelling. Foreign moviemakers are now regularly making movies as good as anything being made in Hoillywood, and that's a very good thing.

Aftershock is one of the best foreign movies I have ever seen. I hope you will experience it too. I think you will love it.

The only movie that's ever made me cry. And that's because I watched it with English subtitles; I can't imagine how much more powerful it is if you understand Mandarin.

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