Movie Digest
The narrative of sharpshooter Zhang Taofang, a young army recruit who, at the age of 22, set a Korean War record by allegedly killing or wounded 214 American soldiers with 435 rounds in just 32 days.
The Feel-Good Part
Snipers is a riveting, stunningly filmed action/psychodrama about Chinese and American sharpshooters picking each other out over a dismal, snow-covered battlefield that sadly becomes considerably more conventional in its third act. Zhang’s frequent d.p. Zhao Xiaoding, whose widescreen photography is almost monochromatic, with white snow and black rubble flecked with the ochrish skin tones of the shooters’ features, is an equal collaborator in crafting the drama on such a little stage. The hemmed-in Chinese forces are outmanned, outgunned, and missing the field equipment of their adversaries – the squad only has one set of binoculars. Nonetheless, they put up a valiant fight under Liu’s unwavering leadership, though considerable sacrifice will be required if they are to recover Liang before he expires. The casting choices made by the father-daughter team are remarkable. For more than half of the Chinese cast, Snipers was their first or second film, and it fairly reflects both the Chinese and American perspectives.
The Disappointing Factor
The first hour of action is mostly cat-and-mouse between the two sniper squads as they pick one other off and the Chinese try to recover one spy’s badly injured body from the little valley between them. Apart from leader Li Wenwu, who is typically underplayed by Zhang Yu in a nice piece of counter-casting against iron-jawed types, and the young, emotional lead Chen Dayong, convincingly played by Hebei-born Chen Yongsheng 23, in his first leading role, the individual Chinese snipers are slow to register, as in many war films where the protagonists are just heavily-garbed figures in a landscape.
In-Depth Analysis
People’s Volunteer Army sharpshooter Zhang Da Gong, who is an expert marksman, tells the narrative of a hard-won victory and unselfish dedication. Despite the vast disparity in weapons, he remained courageous in facing the US military elite in a fatal combat during the Korean War.
Star Power
Zhang’s frequent d.p. Zhao Xiaoding, whose widescreen photography is practically a monochromatic palette of white snow and black rubble, flecked with the ochrish skin tones of the snipers’ features, is an equal collaborator in constructing the drama on such a little stage.
Overall Opinion
Overall, the casting decisions made by the father-daughter duo are respectable. Snipers was the first or second film for more than half of the Chinese cast, and it portrays both the Chinese and American perspectives fairly.
