The Resistance (2011) User Reviews

why don't they make more movies like this?

[ederczek · 6/10 · 31 May 2018]

Allthough I look at movies from the 1990s and feel that period was the last story telling movies but now in 2010s there is alot of videogame movies with cool special effects but god awful story and and suddenly I find this movie with just so so CGI but awesome story and strong enthusiasm, wow this movie is 2011? Then there is.hope.

The Resistance is about a young girl and her fight against the Japanese army in china 1940, at the same time there is an American journalist that escape Japanese prison to write a story of the Chinese Japanese war, the movie also follow the sad part of war and intense ninja fights and a nazi as it is world war II.

I like this movie for its story and not much special effects.

US DVD has better CGI quality then the European DVD

[biffthecanadian · 6/10 · 30 November 2015]

The Resistance is an epic China film about greed, revenge, hate, and a year of mankind darkest hour of war.

Directed by the former Shaolin monk turned actor/director Peng Zhang Li also known for Last Kung Fu Monk, the movie is starred Chinese actress Hu Sang as the films heroine Xiaoyun.

The Plot: 3 years after the World War II has begun, some parts of China is occupied by the Japanese army. General Takeshi (Peng Zhang Li) has taken control over the south east of China near the coast, there his soldiers have miss treated the people of the small town Shichen. One day a hero known as "Black Dress Killer" arrive to this small town and rescue a young girl from a rape attempt of four Takeshis soldiers. By killing all four soldiers, the hero send a message to General Takeshi, due to the reputation of the black dress killer has already murder 1500 Japanese soldiers in the province that Takeshi control. Worried about this, Takeshi warn people of Shichen to reveal who is the real killer or his men will destroy the town within one week. Meanwhile a group of Chinese resistance plan to rescue an American journalist from Japanese prison camp. One of them is Xiaoyun, a young peasant girl who lost her family due to Takeshis occupation, she swear to avenge her family even if it means losing her own life.

US DVD vs UK DVD: When the the Resistance had premiere in USA it made success, but in UK the movie flopped, and after viewing both DVD's I can say that the US DVD is better then the UKs, for starters the CGI is better done in the US DVD, it looks more realistic and make this movie look epic and is more justice for the film, the U.K. DVD has different opening then the US DVD and CGI is different from the US DVD, also the USA DVD the colour of the film is brown grey scaled, in UK DVD the colour is blue grey scaled and some times in the memory flash scenes the colour is green grey scaled, the USA DVD makes this film look more beautiful and realistic and artistic, if the UK audience want to give the movie a justice view, they should see the American DVD.

My opinion As a movie, the Resistance doesn't fail to entertain me, it has cool ninja fights and beautiful locations, and a very exiting story to follow, not a typical war movie though, but a history movie set in WWII and mix it with classic Japanese Shinobi action

I give it 6/10 just for both versions, but if US version only I would give it 8/10, and I recommend to watch the US DVD of the film, one of the greatest movies from Mainland China

Ninjas come from Japan, ya'll know that rt!?

[hyerculezaxkillis · 5/10 · 12 November 2021]

Sensationalized retelling of the Japanese invasion and occupation of China during WW2. The Japanese conducted horrid insane experiment on the populace and raped the women if Nanking.

Poor cinematography

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 11 July 2021]

A US/China co-production of what turns out to be an open IP MAN rip-off. Inevitably it's not a patch on the Donnie Yen starrer, instead feeling ultra cheesy and camp. There are flag-waving Chinese heroes, evil Japanese soldiers, and a lot of dark blue scenes where you can't see a lot of what's happening. Poor cinematography and a generally cheap feel doesn't help either.

A Chinese propoganda film.

[jfbneko · 1/10 · 27 March 2018]

This movie is quite ridiculous, historically absurd and pure Chinese Communist regime propaganda. Intended to fan the flames of the fire of hatred they've promoted for years, to distract the population from the atrocities committed against their own people by the PRC authoritarian regime.

Beautiful touching action/adventure China movie filled with excitement

[anhleung · 7/10 · 29 December 2015]

when it comes to the case of Chinese anti war movies of the Sino-Japanese invasion normally 9 out of 10 movies goes mostly over the top or obviously made for just be a propaganda movie.

But in this case The Resistance is more then that, it's not a war movie or a an anti war movie at all, it's more of an assassin movie or an action/adventure movie with a style of a female heroine movie, one could say Hu Sang who play Xiaoyun is a woman version of Zorro.

On the other hand, it can't be compared with Mulan who is a typical war story and that movie is more focus on the war with epic knight tale and how the legends was described.

But for what it is, The Resistance is epic as a story of it's own, with beautiful landscape of China, and combined of history drama and ninja adventure.

Ninjas vs WWII soldiers

[johnnybegood-03546 · 10/10 · 5 March 2015]

Cool Ninja Movie but in the WWII time-line and beautiful location.

The story: During Japan's invasion of China in 1937, a masked avenger systematically murders Japanese soldiers after horrible atrocities are committed against her family. A group of Chinese resistance members are gathering to rescue their leader from a Japanese prison camp.

What I love about this ninja film is it mix With WWII settings, and yet it doesn't take away any serious tune, as a matter of fact the history and the situation and the war crime that was committed during the Japanese occupation of China 1937 is shown here too, but instead of playing the part of the regular war Movies, it is played with a Classic ninja Movie style.

In other words, this movie should not be judged as a war film but as an action/adventure film.

Also I love the Chinese location they shot the film, from Beautiful landscape of the ocean and countryside to the big Palace own by the Japanese General.

It's not exactly a war Movie for those who are fans of that kind of genre but should be able to find something worth of history.

And for all ninja fans out there should be entertained of the story and the martial art.

I love this movie, the best of 2010s

[joshien · 7/10 · 22 May 2018]

It feels like it's the last of its kind, a movie with great ambition and strong enthusiasm and with a story that grab the heart.

The plot is about a girl who lost her family during Japanese occupation of China in the 1940s and now she seek revenge. Meanwhile a journalist from USA must escape the Japanese and join the Chinese Resistance to return to American. At the same time the Japanese general must show a German nazi that he has control over China but a mysterious black dress killer is giving him a hard time.

Finally a movie that shows alot of ambition, last time I saw that was in titanic from 1997, then the world became obsessed with CGI and celebrities that know one knows why they are celebrities. Resistance gave us a new classic, I loved it a job well done China.

An entertaining ninja movie in WWII

[coolaziz-aziz · 9/10 · 25 November 2015]

OK first of all after I read all the hate reviews about The Resistance, and I have admit that I got irritated over what they complained about and I must say "what is the big fuzz about?"

OK so The movie has cheap CGI and weak acting.....so what? Since when has CGI been a good thing even when it's expensive done? It was already old after 1999 so no need to be hard on this film just because they use CGI, and also I couldn't find any week actor or actress in this film, OK maybe some were but not the entire cast, there were some cast member who did a great performance and doesn't deserve the hate reviews just because some "popcorn break first eating blockbuster snobs" were expecting everybody to be Tom Hanks. And one more thing that got me irritated was most of the haters said they only watched 10 minute of the film.......really? Half of that is only opening credit and WWII intro, how on earth can someone say it's a bad film when they barely saw anything!

And why I mention all this is because I love this film, it's not a masterpiece and it has a few weak moments but however the ninja action got me exited an the sad moments that happened during the Japanese occupation Is there too and got me emotional.

The shot of the Japanese palace was beautifully done with gray-scaled colors and every fight scene is well choreographed, you can actually feel the punches like it's almost real fighting.

if you really should avoid this film is if you have a heart expecting for a war film with typical bunkers and explosions.

But if you like ninjas or martial art or history or any kind of foreign film specially from Asia then by all means give this movie a chance, I love this film and I'm glad I saw it.

First Chinese fiction war movie released worldwide that made a itself into the history book of movies

[euroasiangenetic · 10/10 · 4 December 2018]

If you have been in China then you probably seen many fiction movies and fiction tv series but very few of them get a release abroad on cinema. The Resistance is the biggest exception and rightly so, this little crown jewel was the beginning of the road to the high top for the Chinese industry without Hong Kong or Shanghai.

In 1937 Japanese imperial army invaded China, 1940 Japan has occupied several provinces of China, including Shichen, but in Shichen there is a resistance fighter known as the black dress killer who is hunting the Japanese army and cutting them down one by one. This unease the Japanese general who needs to capture the black dress killer before he sign a bargain with the Nazi.

It's funny that when an epic story telling movie comes out at first they get harsh criticism from critics but later in time the movie grows and becomes classic and known as great movies. Blade Runner is an example of that in the 1980s and The Resistance is an example of that in 2010s. The Resistance is great for what it is. A fiction war movie that combines martial arts and ninjas with world war 2 and action adventure, with serious story telling with interesting characters. I give this movie a 10/10. And epic forgein movie that says welcome to china.

Xiaoyun is a Chinese super heroine!!!

[xuregina · 10/10 · 27 January 2016]

I love this film

True Chinese spirit

A sad story, with a tragic heroine, who became a member of the resistance, then later become ninja fighter to revenge her people!

She challenge ninjas, soldiers, killer geisha, and a tattooed general who is a friend of the Nazis!

Sadly, the story is inspired by a true event of Nanking massacre during 1937, but despite the movie is an action entertaining movie, it also keep it focus on the tragedy plot.

That's why Xiaoyun is my heroine, she is part of the tragedy, because of this horrible event she lost everything, now to prevent this event to spread she must become fighter. And she does do what she must to protect the innocent even if it means to become a murderer herself

I give full score to this film, I love it...

Best movies so far

[generalmarduk · 8/10 · 14 June 2020]

Despite bad CGI the movie is cool with good ninja action, descent acting, and beautiful visionary filming for example the beach scenes and the ocean hit the small rocks is spot on.

I like this kind movie that try new ideas, mostly World War II movies is about human suffer or battles non stop.

This movie is more adventurous with character drama and is not afraid to be serious with their plot .

A woman's struggle for peace.

[oandark · 9/10 · 11 June 2020]

During the Japanese occupation of China in World War II, a mysterious Assassin attacks the Japanese army one by one, this cause attention worldwide.

Finally a heroine that is feminine and yet deadly. I like that idea the killer is a woman and a beautiful one in the right way. Hu Ling Meng did great job for her role.

The movie itself is great even though it's not a war movie. The story takes place in World War II but far from it. Imagine shogun movie in World War II, or Hanzo ninja in 1940s a ninja movie but more serious.

Best of all, no explosions here and there, a little Chinese CGI sometimes but that didn't bauther me.

I found this movie on Youku, it's great.

[Mei_Li_2008 · 9/10 · 15 June 2020]

Youku is a famous Chinese site where you can look at great Chinese movies, and I found this movie.

A little violent at first but then it didn't look that bad. It was exciting, I also felt my heart beat, specially the ending in all the fight scenes.

Deserves better then the critics give

[nawrapar · 9/10 · 15 June 2020]

This is a good Chinese film without guns shooting or explosions, a war film told by a tale a visionary scenes.

This film deserves more ratings and more fame for its style.

The film is about an abandoned village occupied by the Japanese imperial army and the villagers are forced to create their own resistance alliance. An lonely killer dressed in black attack the army is spreading headlines even to the Nazis in Europe.

The first worldwide successful PRC movie

[meochoi · 10/10 · 15 June 2020]

In a time of war, when occupation turns to genocide, one woman choose resistance over death and takes on the empire of Japan.

The Resistance is not the first PRC movie released outside China but its the first successful PRC movie released worldwide, then came Wolf Warrior and Asura.

Other popular Chinese movies are the Hong Kong movies and Shanghai movies like Zhang Yimou but they are not PRC movies.

This movie is great

[nevergiveuptroll · 10/10 · 19 June 2020]

This is a movie that should be more famous.

It's the best ninja movie ever.

More serious and way better then anyone says.

Great rating despite those forty's retards that give this 1/10s really how stupid can you get? Must be really retarted to give this low points.