Movie Digest
The movie chronicles the journey of several generations of the Chinese National Women’s Volleyball Team and their inspiring tales of perseverance and national glory over the past 40 years.
The Feel-Good Part
The modern recreations of the Olympic competitions, particularly those for the 2016 games and the ones from 2004 and 2008, are excellent. The match between Brazil in the quarterfinals was by far the most exciting.
The Disappointing Factor
We never learn much about Lang Ping or Chen Zhonghe outside of volleyball. They resemble volleyball officials more than they do a human. These two appear to have no life outside of volleyball.
In-Depth Analysis
The first focus of this film is on volleyball champion Lang Ping, from her beginnings as an 18-year-old who was encouraged to train harder before being chosen for the national team to her first championship victory in Japan. The focus then shifts to her longtime friend Chen Zhonghe, who leads the team to a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. The next shift is to 2008 when the Chinese team competes against Team USA, coached by Lang Ping, and they lose. The focus then switches a third time to follow Lang Ping as she assumes leadership of the National Team once more. The film finally follows the 2016 Olympic team. It was one of the most incredible Olympic comebacks to defeat the unbeatable Brazilian team and win the Gold Medal. The narrative is intensely engaging and exhilarating, which recreates thrilling moments of competitive events. Four significant events—the friendly game between the team of women and the Jiangsu team of men in 1980, the World Cup finals between China and Japan in 1981, the match between China and the United States in the Beijing Olympic group in 2008, and finally the quarterfinal match between China and the host Brazil at the 2016 Rio Olympics—were incorporated into the story. These games brought some thrills and had spectators on the edge of their seats and a whirlwind of emotions. Additionally, the movie executives recruited a significant portion of the actual 2016 teams to recreate the game, eliminating the need for doubles or misleading camera angles.
Star Power
Lydia Bia plays the younger version of her mother, who is the real-life daughter of Lang Ping. Acting is not her strong suit, but she is an inspired casting choice. Gong Li did a great job portraying an older version of Lang Ping.
Overall Opinion
If you know about the Chinese National Women’s Volleyball Team or like sports, this movie is for you!
