1911
(aka 1911 Revolution – Fall Of The Last
Empire/2011/Well Go USA Blu-ray)
Picture: A- Sound: B+ Extras: B Film: A-
Barely
into the 20th century, China
is on the verge of a great change with not only westernization and
modernization, but the dynastic rule of Emperors is coming to end. The government is not only weak and corrupt,
but the people are starving, and revolution is heard throughout the land. The Qing Dynasty rulers desperate to remain in
power, create the modern "New Army" to 'subjugate' the rebel force,
spending more money for foreign weapons than on it's people. General Huang Xin (co-director and star Jackie
Chan) returns home from Japan
only to be asked by 'rebel' leader Sun Yat-sen to lead a generation of young
revolutionaries to fight against his own country. Is the price of revolution worth the lives of
his country's youths?
1911 is a great historical film drama that
is complex and showed many different sides of the revolution. How the rich only cared about their wealth,
how the foreign countries maneuvered around aid and loans but were really
buying up China
and it's people's future. The idealistic
youth and the revolutionaries, how in the end it is their sacrifices, their
blood, that paves the way for a new country. It shows the reasons how governments can rise
and fall. The character Sun Yat-sen goes
from foreign country to country asking them not to support a corrupt country
and how he formulate a new government to create a republic for the people.
Jackie Chan plays a reluctant field general, who sees and experiences first
hand what happens to people died and sacrifice for their country, but in the
end he is able to see the grander picture to help, aid and remind Sun Yat-sen
the reasons why they started the revolution. No expense was spared for this movie; it had
both excellent costuming and settings. It shows how new ideas can create new
countries but there are still those who would exploit them (guess corruption
within any government is inevitable) and that if governments don't forget that
it serves it's citizens and it's citizens are reminded of how the generations
before them gave their lives so they may have a free one, then perhaps that is
the only reasons any government really needs to exist.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image and DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless
5.1 mix is a top rate combination that looks and sounds fine, making for one of
the best-looking imports in the format of late. Extras include deleted scenes, behind the
scenes, Hong Kong press conference and
trailers.
= Ricky Chiang
