Not a bad film about WWII China, but not great either

Rating: 7/10 (12 June 2012)

First of all, this movie is very, very violent. War is shown in all its gritty reality. If you're sensitive to that sort of thing, I'd advise you not to watch this.
The acting is mediocre. Christian Bale is always fun to watch, but this is far from his best work. He spends much of the film crying, which is understandable given the circumstances. The female lead's acting is very wooden. I wonder if she even understood her English lines.
The special effects and sound are probably the best I've ever seen in a Chinese film. This is a clearly a big budget movie.
The pace is rather slow, and the story leaves much to be desired. But, I'm glad I watched it.