Profoundly powerful epic for human virtues versus evils, and the unsung heroes and heroines

Rating: 10/10 (4 February 2012)

I am not an expert in Greek Tragedy or Shakespeare. But in my opinion, the profound power of this tragic drama should at least rival those of the classics. In most of Greek Tragedy or Shakespeare, the tears originate from human jealousy and greed that went out of control. This movie leaves the audience with shaken hearts that drips not just tears, but blood. Why? Because against the ghastly backdrop of the most savage violence and despicable evils in the history of war crimes, emerged divinely pristine virtues of human courage, compassion, altruism, and sacrifice.
John, the American "priest", was not actually a true priest to begin with. Having worked as a mortician for 5 years, he was trying to deliver something to the reverend of a church in Nanjing, but got stuck in the hellish crossfire of the chaotic street battle. After wading through stretches of rubble and and piles of dead bodies of civilians, many of whom naked women mangled after gang raping, John ended up a refugee in the church. Having learned that the reverend had passed away, he was forced to play along as the reverend in charge to avoid Japanese suspicion, and to protect a bunch innocent teenage girl students seeking asylum there.
Meanwhile, fourteen local prostitutes forced their way into the church to seek asylum, too. They occupied the basement, depriving the girl students a crucial hideout. The two incompatible groups scorned at and bickered with each other, until the church was raided by the Japanese soldiers one day, resulting in the death of one girl student who fell off the balcony during a chase. Just as the prostitutes started to feel guilty about their occupancy of the basement, and held sympathy for the girl students, something worse happened: the Japanese commander issued an "invitation" for the girls to attend their celebration party for capturing Nanjing. A "no" reply was not an option. And everybody knew the real destiny for the girl students was sex slavery in military brothel euphemized as "comfort women", or worse beyond imagination.
When the girl students lined up to commit group suicide by jumping off the bell tower of the church prior to the date to be taken away from the church, the prostitutes could not suppress their conscience any more. In a desperate attempt to persuade the girls to back down from the edges, the prostitutes offered to disguise themselves as the students and volunteered to substitute them for the dooming invitation. The night before the departure was most touching. It was a bit metaphoric to The Last Supper before the crucifixion of Christ. The prostitutes performed singing and dance to the girls as if for them to remember their elder sisters who will be giving up their own lives to redeem them. Then the tearful hugging with whispering farewells, such as, "You live a good life for me", reminding the viewer of what captain Miller whispered to private Ryan before passing away: "Earn it" in the movie Saving Private Ryan.
The love scene between the lead prostitute and John was not as contemptuous to Christianity, or insulting in the solemn context of Rape of Nanjing, as some critics might have suggested. Upon closer scrutiny, the viewer can easily tell it had nothing to do with carnal desire and sensual satisfaction. Rather, it was a genuine thirst for one last taste of human affections as part of the last wish by the lead prostitute. From psychological perspective, John simply served as a substitute for her real old flame. Nonetheless, this ritual brought a closure for her unfulfilled love, before facing her dooming destiny with dignity and serenity. Such substitution can also be found, for example, in the movie The Summer of 1942.
The final ritual late in the night before departure was hair cutting and makeover to disguise the prostitutes as teenage students. Here came an opportunity for John to use his mortician skills. Yet the way he did it was spooky -- he made the prostitutes lie down in a row like the dead bodies he used to work on. It was as ominous as The Schindler's List, in which the Jewish women were shaved off their hairs to get ready for the gas chambers. But the director created this eerie scene for another unique purpose: to project a strong symbol that these women, although biologically existed, were about to be deprived of their souls.
But these brave prostitutes did not submit to their fates without putting up a final fight. Each of them made a dagger out of broken mirrors, wrapped it up with cloths, and hid it inside their robes, readying for the final showdown and martyrdom.
This is a tremendously powerful movie that transforms an extraordinary war crime story into a heroic epic with religious metaphors about human virtues and redemption. It deserves a place in the movies' hall of fame, side by side with masterpieces such as The Bridge on the River Kwai.