A brilliant movie despite the rhetoric

Rating: 9/10 (19 January 2003)

There are a lot of comments out there that this movie is trying to brainwash the chinese population. Perhaps. Then again can I ask you what movie does brainwash us? Every movie portrays some sort of ideology, Disney for instance often portray a patriarchal society. American movies often try and sell the idea of Democracy to the rest of the world. Now I am not anti-democracy, but these movies still brainwash. A lot of the people that make the comments on brainwashing only see them, because they come from another society and mentality. To a chinese the idea of falling in line with the West or a war in order to prevent the spread of Communism (e.g. Vietnam, Korea, Angola etc, etc) might seem brainwashing. So when you watch this movie, rather than judge it by its principals, enjoy it for its stories, characters and cinematography...and if you have a problem with brainwashing start at looking in your own culture before judging others! As they might be judging you the same way!
This movie is great to watch!