Watch Beginning of the Great Revival

Beginning of the Great Revival is a historical drama film that follows the story of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) founding, starting with the May Fourth Movement in 1919 and ending with the Party's establishment in 1921. Directed by Han Sanping and Huang Jianxin, the movie is a star-studded affair, with John Woo, Chow Yun-Fat, and Bingbing Fan among the lead cast.

The movie begins with the May Fourth Movement, which was a student-led protest against the Chinese government's weak response to the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty had come after World War I and gave Germany's Chinese territory to Japan. The students rallied against this and held protests, culminating in the burning of books and marching on Tiananmen Square.

The film shows how these protests ignited a passion in China's youth and the beginnings of a sense of national pride. However, the authorities were quick to clamp down on the protests, resulting in the imprisonment and torture of many activists, leading them to flee from China to other countries.

The plot then jumps to a few years later, where the story follows characters who were heavily involved in the May Fourth Movement and ended up going overseas. This includes Zhou Enlai (portrayed by Liu Ye) and Deng Xiaoping (portrayed by Sun Honglei), who both went to France to study and plan their revolutionary activities from there.

The movie then introduces us to a charismatic young man named Mao Zedong (portrayed by Liu Ye), who at the time was already deeply involved in the revolutionary movement. He travels overseas to connect with other revolutionaries and gather support for their cause. Mao's larger-than-life personality and charisma become central to the story, as he attracts many followers and sets up an underground Communist Party unit dedicated to overthrowing the government.

The story then moves back to China, where the Party members are working to establish the revolutionary movement in China. It shows how the Party worked to unite different factions within China, including the peasants, the urban workers and students, and the revolutionaries who had previously scattered across the globe. It also depicts the brutal treatment inflicted on them by the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek, who would later become their bitter enemy.

The movie is a celebration of the revolutionary spirit, and as such, the story is mostly optimistic, showing the strength of unity and the power of people's movements. However, it also does not shy away from showing the hardships and sacrifices that the Party members had to endure to establish a Communist government in China.

John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat, who are no strangers to historical dramas, make cameo appearances in the movie. Woo, for instance, appears as a Northern warlord who opposes the Communist Party's rise to power. Despite its star-studded cast, the film also has many lesser-known actors, who put in excellent performances in some of the lead roles.

The film's production design is something to behold, with excellent set design and costuming. A lot of effort went into making the film historically accurate, and it shows in the beautiful imagery and attention to detail. The camera work by Lu Yue is also impressive. There are several scenes that are shot with wide flat angles that evoke the feeling of old postcards.

However, there are a few issues with the film. The dialogue is often wooden and stilted, and some characters come across more as caricatures than rounded individuals. It would have been better if the script had explored the characters' motivations more in-depth.

Furthermore, the film tries to cover a lot of ground but at times struggles to find its focus. As a result, some of the scenes feel long and stretched out, resulting in a runtime of over two hours. However, the overall message of the movie is one of hope, and it showcases how a small group of people can make a big difference if they have a vision and are committed to their cause.

In conclusion, Beginning of the Great Revival is an engaging and visually stunning movie that depicts the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. With a star-studded cast and impressive production design, the film is a testament to the power of the revolutionary spirit. While the script does have its weaknesses, the film is still an excellent portrayal of China's revolutionary history and is recommended for anyone interested in the subject matter.