Drama Digest
This Chinese drama is based on a real-life incident. The world knows that China was the biggest dealer of opium in the ancient times/war periods, and many movies and series were made on that topic, including this one. Opium is a highly addictive illegal drug that has been the cause of many deaths in China in the past. It had wrecked the Chinese society and economy as it made people lose control of themselves. This series portrays a group of men who worked towards banning this illegal drug and aimed at reforming China and its people.
The Feel-Good Part
The ancient Chinese war period vibe is the main plus point of the movie. The portrayal of strong-willed men was an impressive point. The camera angles and CGI are done amazingly. The fighting scenes are as impressive as they should be because they match the Chinese standards of action scenes.
The Disappointing Factor
The depiction of addiction to opium can be disturbing for some viewers. As people of all ages were used to consuming opium during that period, the movie can be painful to watch in the beginning.
In-Depth Analysis
The 1800s were under British influence for many countries, including major countries like India, China, etc. this movie takes place. The Britishers had begun the illegal trade of opium from India to China after oppressing the Indians. After opium was smuggled into the Chinese markets, it was illegally purchased by a lot of people and became an addiction for many. The addiction to opium came at a great cost for numerous homes and caused conflicts among many families. This destroyed a lot of families, and many people suffered from immature and untimely deaths due to this addiction. Seeing the condition of his society, Lin Zexu, a middle-aged man who was passionate and desperate about ending society’s opium addiction stepped up. He was an official of the Qing dynasty, and hence was a respectable personality in the village. The destruction of opium at Humen (a town in China’s Dongguan city) took place on the 3rd of June, 1839. It was under the order of Lin Zexu that 1000 long tons of opium were deposited and destroyed on the banks of Pearl River in Humen town. This triggered the British government and gave rise to a war. This war is known as the First opium war, which took place from 1839-1842. Lin Zexu kept facing obstacles from the government officials, and hence a group of young men decided to stand by and work with Zexu. Their efforts toward ending the smuggling of opium in their country caused reformation in this field. A lot of people worked towards this cause and succeeded in eradicating opium from their town.
Star Power
Various young men, along with Lin Zexu, were the stars of the show. Lin Zexu was a real-life character who worked towards the reformation of Chinese society and caused a revolution in history.
Overall Opinion
The movie can be perceived as a documentary of the Chinese opium war portrayed with fictional scenes. The characters of the film are pretty powerful and strong-minded and work toward some kind of revolution. It is a great movie to watch for the adult audience.
