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Poster for The Flowers of War

The Flowers of War

Seen it?

2011 | 146 min | Drama, History, War

Weeknight Watch

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

With middling reviews (41% on Rotten Tomatoes), it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for history buffs. If you loved Casualties of War or The Last Emperor, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood
Intense.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 26 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated R: meant for adults.
  • It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Critics were cooler on it than audiences.

A Westerner finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsBelow par

    41% on Rotten Tomatoes, 46 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.4 out of 10

  • AwardsBelow par

    Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

  • Box office & staying powerSolid

    $95 million worldwide on a $94 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 113K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Zhang Yimou

  • Christian BaleJohn Miller
  • Ni NiYu Mo
  • Zhang XinyiShu
  • Huang TianyuanGeorge Chen
  • Han XitingYi
  • Zhang DoudouLing
  • Tong DaweiMajor Li
  • Cao KefanMr. Meng
  • Atsuro WatabeColonel Hasegawa
  • Yuan YangchunziMosquito