Review by James Lindorf
It should come as no surprise that after director Zhang Yimou’s last film was censored by the Chinese government; his newest project would be decidedly pro-China and heavily focused on imagery. Zhang worked with cinematographer Xiaoding Zhao to bring writer Quan Yongxian’s spy thriller “Cliff Walkers” to life. Set in the puppet state of Manchukuo in the 1930s, four Chinese special agents are trying to reach the remote town of Harbin. Betrayed by a high-ranking official, the team finds themselves surrounded by threats. From the moment they parachute into the snow-covered forest, their mission code-named “Utrennya,” and their lives are in jeopardy. “Cliff Walkers” Will begin a limited theatrical run on April 30th.
After years of training in the USSR, four of China’s most elite soldiers are sent to end the Japanese occupation of Manchukuo. Unfortunately, Yongxian’s script divulges very few details of their plan throughout the film. We know it will take place in the city of Harbin and that it will have a significant impact on what is happening in the city and beyond. Yongxian, or maybe Zhang, was more interested in their cat and mouse games than telling a cohesive, easy-to-follow story. Their ultimate goal is to make you feel something for these four soldiers, hate the Japanese, and entertain you with some action and beautiful costuming and scenery. If you become attached to one or more of the agents, then the film has been successful.
The team of four agents surprisingly consists of two married couples. The group is led by Zhang (Zhang Yi) and includes his wife Yu (Qin Hailu), as well as Lan (Liu Haocun), and her husband Chuliang (Zhu Yawen). To help them compartmentalize and not be frozen by grief if their spouse is injured or killed, the two couples split into two teams. Zhang partners with the youthful Lan on team one, while Yu and Chuliang make up team two. They each have a different path and set of contacts to meet along the way that will ferry them to Harbin and their goal. Because completing the mission is not the goal of this story, there must be an emphasis on the personal stakes. Which explains why one couple discovers their children are living on the streets of Harbin. Being homeless in an enemy-controlled city where the average temperature is 38°F is an exceptionally tough life for a couple of pre-teens. These elements are all designed to elicit an emotional response and replace the tension that would typically come from the ticking clock associated with completing a mission.
Since “White Christmas” was released in 1954, I’m not sure snow has ever been more critical to a non winter sports movie. Snow is vital to the look, the action, and even a comedic moment or two. “Cliff Walkers” is always well shot, but like snow, it is occasionally vibrant and beautiful and often grey, dingy, and depressing. Fitting the time period Zhang often incorporated a film noir color palette of greys, blues, and blacks. “Cliff Walkers” is director Zhang’s first foray into the spy genre, and he approached it his way while still hitting a few genre standards. There are some good fight scenes, the obligatory car chase, and a brutal torture scene that bring an air of familiarity.
However, “Cliff Walkers” isn’t for those who want to see characters in a relentless pursuit of completing a mission. It is for those who want to see the human cost of espionage and the limits people will go to for their country and comrades. There is a talented team on both sides of the camera, lending credibility to a weak and convoluted story. For me, “Cliff Walkers” earns a 2.5 out of 5 on the back of its strong acting and cinematography. It has the potential to score much higher with those who actually form a strong connection with the characters.
Genre: Mystery And Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Director: Zhang Yimou
Writer: Quan Yongxian
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 30, 2021 Limited
Runtime: 2h
