The Children of Huang Shi |  | Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Actors: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Radha Mitchell, Yun-Fat Chow, Michelle Yeoh, Guang Li
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $28.96
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Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 15423
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 99
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 125 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 25296
UPC: 043396252967
EAN: 0043396252967
ASIN: B001KEHAEE
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: January 20, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
The Children of Huang Shi is a powerful, inspiring film about a real-life, outsider hero who emerged from Japan's catastrophic invasion of China in 1937. A British journalist, George Hogg (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) sneaks into Nanjing at the height of Japan's destruction of that cosmopolitan city. Rescued from certain death by a suave rebel named Chen Hansheng (Chow Yun-Fat), Hogg goes deep into China's countryside in search of another front to the war. Instead of furthering his career, however, Hogg is talked into taking control of a destitute orphanage occupied by starving, lice-ridden, half-savage boys. A roving nurse, Lee Pearson (Radha Mitchell), keeps Hogg focused on his task, provides him with medical supplies, and ultimately becomes his lover. But the former reporter has to figure many things out on his own, including how to inspire the boys to help fend for themselves. With the Japanese closing in on the orphanage and the Chinese looking at the boys as likely soldiers, Hogg, Pearson, and Hansheng lead the kids on an extraordinarily strenuous, 700-mile hike to Marco Polo's so-called Silk Road, leading to the Gobi Desert. The second half of The Children of Huang Shi is taken up by this sometimes deadly labor, and director Roger Spottiswoode balances the dreariness of it with knockout images of mountains and eerie, desert vistas. The multi-national cast is the best thing about the film, which avoids canonizing the saintly Hogg by not ignoring his sins of pride (he refers to the kids as "my boys" to the wrong Chinese authority, and pays the price) and jealousy. Chow's jaunty persona adds an essential swagger to this Schindler's List-like story, but it's Mitchell's gritty, soul-weary performance that really grabs one's attention. --Tom Keogh
Product Description
THE TRUE STORY OF BRITISH JOURNALIST GEORGE HOGG, WHO HID ATHUANG SHI ORPHANAGE IN 1937 JAPANESE-OCCUPIED CHINA. THERE HE FOUND THE REAL STORIES OF THE WAR, THE NURSE HE LOVED & A RARECOURAGE.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 20
 The best movie of the Year! February 3, 2010
Chad Williams (Cambodia)
Best movie I have seen all year! Has it all. True story, good acting, great scenery, action/adventure, romance, compassion. If you are going to buy one movie this year, this is the one!
 Great story--but Hollywood cheese kills it January 16, 2010
Daniel Mackler (www.iraresoul.com)
The story upon which this movie is based is fantastic---a tale of bravery and courage. However, this movie---a semi-fictionalized version of the real events---had some fatal flaws which undermined the power inherent in the tale.
But first, its positives:
1) Brilliant depictions of the horror of the Japanese occupation of China
2) Especially good (that is, disturbing) depiction of the Rape of Nanjing
3) Good use of Mandarin and Japanese interspersed with English. So many movies do not mix languages well---this one pulled it off.
4) EXCELLENT ending, or post-ending: using actual footage of the now-grown men whom Hogg helped rescue. It was actually the most powerful part of the movie.
5) Chow Yun Fat is an excellent actor, and does not fail here.
And its deadly flaws:
1) The two main characters (Hogg and the nurse) were too pretty and had weak acting ability. That combination made the movie seem FAKE and shallow. Had they gotten average, normal-looking actors OF QUALITY the movie might have worked.
2) The shallow acting made the characters' motives and relationships with others seem cheesy. Hollywood strikes again! (Strikes out, that is.)
3) The romance was unnecessary and insincere.
So, overall: I felt like I was watching Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie rescue more non-white orphans. What's sad is that the real George Hogg, from what I gather (via the internet and from the profoundly sincere words of the actual people he nurtured), was no Brad Pitt. He was the real deal.
Movie review October 25, 2009
Beckie Billings (Panama City, Fl.)
An excellent movie. I highly recomend it to any Jonathan Rhys Meyers fans, and those who are interested in stories based on historical fact. This was also a good love story without falling into the "chick flick" catagory.
Fantastic movie!!!! October 23, 2009
Luella M. Hancock (Portland, Or, USA)
I rented this because the title interested me, but was totally blown away by this movie! I had never heard of George Hogg, and was delighted to see that I could also purchase a biography on him when I bought the movie here on Amazon!
 A piece of history September 13, 2009
Edmonson (Canada)
"The Children of Huang Shi" is based on the true story of the English writer George Hogg, portrayed by Jonathon Rhys Meyers (The Tudors) and his quest to save the boys of a destitute orphanage. This takes place during the Japanese occupation of China around 1937. Radha Mitchell also stars in this movie as the nurse, Lee Pearson, who moved about China helping where she could. She travels with George and the boys on an extraordinary 700 mile hike to escape the Japanese. This trek takes them far into the bowels of China along Marco Polo's silk road in search of a safe place to live. The scenery is as amazing as the story. I highly recommend this movie.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 20
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