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Trailer

City of Life and Death

2009Movie2 h 12 minR

DramaHistory
83
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.7Metacritic858.0Rotten Tomatoes92%86%

A relentlessly bleak, brutally violent drama movie about history and war, with standout world-building.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want to half-watch while scrolling · graphic violence bothers you

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

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Story

In 1937, during the height of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Imperial Japanese Army has just captured Nanjing, then-capital of the Republic of China. What followed was known as the Nanking Massacre, or the Rape of Nanking, a six week period wherein tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed.

Feels like

  • Nanjing Massacre
  • Sino-Japanese War
  • Historical Drama
  • War Crime
  • Tragedy
  • Social Commentary
  • Violence
  • Bleakness

Cast

18 of 18

Crew

Directed by
Lu Chuan
Written by
Lu Chuan
Produced by
Han San Ping, Li Zhou, John Chong
Music by
Liu Tong

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

April 22, 2009 · 2 h 12 min · R

Released
April 22, 2009
Runtime
2 h 12 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama, History, War
Original language
Chinese
Also spoken
German, Japanese, English
Made in
China, Hong Kong SAR China
Budget
$12 million
Box office
$11 million
Available in
15 countries

Tropes

Lighter and Softer, Ensemble Cast, Child Soldiers +9

  • Lighter and Softer
  • Ensemble Cast
  • Child Soldiers
  • Unsafe Haven
  • But Not Too Evil
  • Heroic Sacrifice
  • Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!
  • Bittersweet Ending
  • Death of a Child
  • Shout-Out
  • Despair Event Horizon
  • Fan Disservice

12 of 50 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream City of Life and Death?"

Questions about City of Life and Death

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream City of Life and Death?

Kanopy

In the United States, City of Life and Death is free with ads on Kanopy. It also streams in 3 other countries.

Is City of Life and Death worth watching?

83
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 83 (IMDb 7.7, Rotten Tomatoes 92%, and Metacritic 85).

Will I feel good after watching City of Life and Death?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 10 of 10 for bleakness and 9 for melancholy, against 1 for hopefulness.

Was City of Life and Death a box office flop?

Budget$12 million
Box office$11 million

Yes: it cost about $12 million to make and earned $11 million worldwide, 89% of its budget.

Is City of Life and Death in English?

ChineseGermanJapaneseEnglish

No, it was made in Chinese, with some German, Japanese, and English.

What tropes does City of Life and Death use?

Lighter and SofterEnsemble CastChild SoldiersUnsafe HavenBut Not Too EvilHeroic SacrificeScrew the Rules, I Have Connections!Bittersweet EndingDeath of a ChildShout-OutDespair Event HorizonFan Disserviceand 38 more

TV Tropes lists 50 tropes for it, including Lighter and Softer, Ensemble Cast, and Child Soldiers.