After a series of assassinations in Nanking, a Japanese spy master gathers a group of suspects in a mansion, then a tense cat-and-mouse game erupts as the Chinese agent tries to keep his or her identity a secret.
Acting
Zhou Xun's eyes do what dialogue cannot.
Direction
Chen and Gao weaponize every creaky floorboard.
Costume
Qipao as armor, uniforms as threat.
Director
Chen Kuofu
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The torture devices were historically accurate replicas; actors reportedly needed counseling after certain scenes.
Released for China's 60th anniversary, it became the rare blockbuster celebrating communist resistance while critiquing the human cost—subversive patriotism in a party-approved package.
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