Spotlight: China's first homemade sci-fi blockbuster "The Wandering Earth" orbits U.S. theaters

Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-15 06:29:45|Editor: yan
Video PlayerClose

by Julia Pierrepont III, Gao Shan

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Since China's first homemade sci-fi blockbuster "The Wandering Earth" opened throughout the United States last week, the epic has amazed moviegoers with its bold imagination, winning applause and encouragement for Chinese filmmakers' commendable foray into the sci-fi sphere.

"That was killer!" said Randy, 12, a young American sci-fi enthusiast, who watched the film with his pal, Scott, in the Southern California city of Burbank. "The Chinese totally saved the world this time!" he grinned.

The film, directed by Frant Gwo (Guo Fan), is co-produced by China Film Group Corporation and hit-maker studio Beijing Culture. It was released by China Media Capital (CMC) in 29 U.S. cities on Chinese New Year's Day, in Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles.

"The film is very impressive. It's the best Chinese sci-fi film I've ever watched with great special effects and emotional plot," said a Chinese-American moviegoer, Jenny Gao, who watched the film in an AMC theater in the city of Monterey Park, after having to drive nearly an hour from her Long Beach home.

The film is mainly being screened in limited theaters in cities with larger, overseas Chinese populations, even stirring some complaints among Chinese-Americans for the scarcity of film tickets in prime time.

"The Wandering Earth" is based on a short story with the same name by Liu Cixin, China's top Chinese science-fiction writer and the first in China to win the prestigious Hugo Award. It takes place in a future on the brink of apocalypse, where the dying sun threatens to extinguish all life on earth. The United World Government opts for an audacious plan to physically move the entire planet to orbit a safer, distant star.

Insane? Possibly. But U.S.-based Sciencefiction.com contended, "That's the fantastic and fascinating premise ... and it's an idea so crazy that it might just work."

At a cost of around 50 million U.S. dollars - a hefty price tag for a Chinese film - and an astonishing four-year production schedule and a crew of 7,000, "The Wandering Earth" is China's most ambitious sci-fi film to date.

"We are very proud of our production team on 'The Wandering Earth.' This film represents a big step forward for Chinese production capabilities and our ability to create global appeal," Lou Xiaoxi, Vice Chairman of Beijing Culture, told Xinhua.

Beijing Culture has been on an enviable winning streak with previous box office favorites including "Wolf Warrior 2" and the incandescent "Dying To Survive." It is emerging as one of China's leading studios, largely due to its eye for good material and their willingness to take the risks needed to envision and launch new genres.

"The Wandering Earth" has become the winner of the Chinese box office during the week-long Spring Festival holiday that ended on Sunday, taking in a huge 1.94 billion yuan (288 million U.S. dollars) in just six days. The success of the film in the box office is a clear indication of the growing popularity of homegrown sci-fi in China.

The film attracted a lot of attention outside of China for being China's first big budget sci-fi blockbuster, a genre that Hollywood tentpoles have dominated for decades.

Deadline Hollywood (deadline.com), a popular industry news website, reported that, "Word of mouth has been strong and buzz continues."

The Verge.com contended, "The Wandering Earth has all the hallmarks of a big, Hollywood-style genre movie: it features a dramatic story of the Earth in peril, complete with eye-popping scenes of spaceships escaping Earth ... It could be China's breakout sci-fi blockbuster film."

On the U.S. website IMDB.com, the movie has a score of 7.9 out of 10, averaged from over 3,800 viewers, as of Wednesday. Some IMDB users hailed the film as "the best science fiction movie from China," "an epic science fiction movie," "a rare gem in the field of sci-fi," and "fantastic story and graphics."

One of the users, shellingf7, said the film "Could be better but it is definitely worth watching."

"The visual effects are impressive and goes well with the story. The story is not everyday Hollywood style: Superhero saves the day; everyone else is there to give a round of applause," wrote another user.

"Well, this movie has a lot to improve for sure. But I still give it a 10/10," wrote user Sylph_R, noting that the film is "great movie and a great point of view to know more about Chinese culture."

"The movie actually shows lots of differences between American culture (Hollywood movie) and Chinese culture. For example, I'll accept sheltering spaceships in Hollywood movies when Earth is no longer good for human survival. But in Chinese culture, we will never leave our home. We will try our best and bring everyone together. This is what we saw in the movie: we put 10,000 engines on Earth and run away together," wrote the user.

"If China can put out a quality sci-fi picture similar to a Hollywood blockbuster, like 'The Wandering Earth,' then there is real opportunity for it to connect with global audiences and compete successfully for worldwide box office release," said Jeff Most, an American film producer best known for "The Crow" film series, adding that the film demonstrates a promising future for big screen theatrical releases from China in the United States.

"In the past, Chinese movies have been arthouse releases and prestige pieces. VFX-heavy tentpole pictures have not been the norm. But high-quality, studio-style Chinese sci-fi and action adventure movies are likely to be well-received in the global marketplace," he told Xinhua. VFX is the abbreviation for visual effects.

"Audiences hunger for more diverse material. And global streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube are pushing us to become more open to subtitled material," said Most.

"U.S. audiences want to see diverse films from around the world, particularly sci-fi and blockbuster VFX movies that appeal universally and are designed to be seen on the big screen," he added.

TOP STORIES
EDITOR’S CHOICE
MOST VIEWED
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011105521378224201
快盈彩票 大发app 凤凰彩票app 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 大发彩票 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ii下载入口 乐发ll 乐发v平台 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 乐发lv 乐发lll安装 乐发lv 乐发登录入口 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票登录 网信彩票 彩神 彩神彩票官方网站 彩神彩票官网首页 彩神官方app下载安卓版 凤凰彩票登录 彩神v3 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 快3官网 网信彩票 快3app 网信彩票平台 百姓彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3app下载 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票平台 幸运5分彩快3 快3彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 大发10分PK10 快3下载 网信彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3彩票官网app 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 大发彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 彩神购彩平台 每日彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 彩神彩票购彩平台 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 凤凰彩票登录 乐发lv 乐发∨Il 百姓彩票网站网址 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发lll安装 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 一分快3 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 乐发lll 乐发ii下载入口 乐发彩票官方网站 凤凰彩票官方网站 凤凰快3 彩神彩票官网首页 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 凤凰彩票app 乐发app 网信彩票平台 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票app 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票app 网信彩票平台 乐发彩票app下载 乐发lv 乐发app 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 彩神彩票 乐发彩票中心 极速快3彩票平台 人人快三凤凰 大发彩票app 大发彩票大全 乐发彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 乐发app 酷天堂彩票平台 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票大厅 凤凰彩票app 极速快3彩票平台 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 大发彩票app 网信彩票用户 百姓快三 百姓彩票平台 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 彩信平台 网信彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发∨Il 人人快三凤凰 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 人人快三凤凰 乐发彩票 彩神彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发彩票 大发彩票中心 凤凰彩票登录 凤凰彩票app 彩神彩票 大发彩票 乐发ll 大发彩票app 凤凰快3 凤凰彩票 彩神彩票 乐发ll 凤凰彩票 乐发lll 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 彩神彩票 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 盈彩网投资平台 大发官网 一分时时彩 乐发lv 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 彩神iv 大发彩票app 大小单双平台 一分pk10 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发官网 快彩彩票 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 乐发彩票中心 网信快3 乐发 彩神xl 三分快3 大发彩票 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 大发彩票 乐发 分分快3 彩神vl 55世纪 55世纪 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 乐发lv welcome凤凰彩票 乐发ll 1分快3 彩神 彩神ll 1分快3官网 1分快3的平台 welcome凤凰彩票 三分快3 彩神x 彩神vl 凤凰彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ll 乐发lll 乐发lv 大发彩票app 大发彩票 乐发 乐发彩票 乐发彩票中心 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 彩神xl 腾讯快3 大发彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票app 快3平台 乐发 1分快3 乐发彩票 彩神x 凤凰快3 彩神xl 彩吧助手 大发彩票app 快3平台 大发排列3 彩神iv 彩神vl 乐发IV 彩神x 一分pk10 大发排列3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 一分pk10 凤凰彩票 乐发Vll 大发官网 乐发ll 大发彩票 乐发1 凤凰快3 彩神vl 乐发lx 百姓彩票 乐发VI 彩神x 乐发IV 极速快3 乐发 凤凰快3 网信快3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发lv 乐发lv 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 大发彩票 大发彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 彩神x 乐发 乐发ll 极速快3 乐发lv 乐发彩票中心 快3彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 彩神x 凤凰彩票app 分分快3 网信彩票 网盟彩票 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票 乐发 快彩彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发ll 网信彩票 乐发lv 全民彩票 凤凰彩票app下载 快盈彩票 大发彩票app 大发官网 凤凰彩票 彩神iv 大发彩票 网信快3 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票