When Shen Ao’s “Dead To Rights” hit screens on July 25, few predicted it would strike such a chord: in just eight days, the film shattered summer box office records in the Chinese mainland, grossing over 1 billion yuan (about $140 million) and drawing more than 30 million admissions.
The historical drama became the first post-Spring Festival release to cross this milestone and has topped daily box office charts across all provincial-level regions for five straight days, according to industry trackers Maoyan and Beacon.
Set against the brutal occupation of Nanjing, the film follows a group of Chinese civilians who seek refuge in a photography studio. Forced to develop film for a Japanese military photographer, they uncover negatives bearing damning evidence of wartime atrocities. Risking their lives, they hide the images and smuggle them out to expose the truth.
Director Shen Ao emphasizes the power of those photographs. “In that era, photographs usually preserved life’s most cherished moments. A single image could carry an entire family’s memories,” he says. “The studio in our film holds the crimes they tried to erase. Truths that need to be exposed.”
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. The film holds an 8.6 out of 10 rating on Douban, where viewers praise its simplicity and restraint. One comment notes that scenes such as a knife held to a baby or the rolling heads are more than enough to communicate the horror without sensationalism.
On Maoyan, one user recalled a young girl asking for a “post-credit scene” after the screening. Her mother replied, “The real 'post-credit scene' begins when we step out of the cinema.” The bustling streets and aromas of modern life, she said, are the true miracles shaped by past sacrifices.
Renowned filmmaker Feng Xiaoning hailed the film as “a new high point” for Chinese mainland cinema. “When the film ended, the entire audience remained seated until the credits fully rolled. Everyone was lost in deep thought,” he said.
With revised projections now exceeding 4 billion yuan in total revenue, “Dead To Rights” is poised to become the year’s second-highest-grossing film on the Chinese mainland, trailing only the animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2.”
As it continues its run, “Dead To Rights” is redefining expectations for summer releases and proving the enduring power of history told through cinema.
Reference(s):
Nanjing Massacre film takes China's box office by storm, tops 1b yuan
cgtn.com
