In some ways it was overshadowed by the future atrocities of World War II, but Japan’s invasion of China in 1937 and the Rape of Nanking that followed were landmarks in the history of horror and barbarism.
In the last couple of decades, the event has been increasingly discussed, including Iris Chang’s book “The Rape of Nanking” and in the harrowing 2007 documentary “Nanking.” (The city once called “Nanking” is now known in English as Nanjing.)
“City of Life and Death” explores the subject through a fictionalized story, although it includes real historical figures as well. It is exhausting to watch, but extremely well made.
Director Lu Chuan (who made the excellent “Kekexili: Mountain Patrol”) tells the story in mournful black and white, which is probably a blessing. He presents the massacre on a large scale, but he also focuses on a handful of key characters.
Some of the prominent characters are trying to help the native Chinese as they are overrun by the invaders; the city had a “Safety Zone” initially meant to keep foreigners safe, but was later expanded as a refuge for locals.
One of the people there was a German Nazi, John Rabe, who stayed secure in part because the Japanese did not want to damage their relationship with Germany.
However, perhaps the most prominent character is a Japanese soldier (Hideo Nakaizumi), who exhibits shock and remorse about what his countrymen are doing.
This element has caused some controversy in China, because it foregrounds a Japanese character who retains considerable humanity, making us empathize with his plight, when the truth is he was vastly outnumbered by soldiers doing ghastly things.
In doing this, I think Lu Chuan sought to remind us that the Japanese invaders were also human, rather than supernaturally evil. It’s much more difficult to deal with atrocities on this scale if we must reconcile that kind of behavior with the perpetrators being men, rather than monsters.
The film does not hold back on the horrific slaughter and ritualized rape carried out by the Japanese military.
Toward the end there are a few moments that reach for some feeling of hope or dignity, gestures that will either be welcome or unwanted, depending on how you’ve handled the preceding two hours.
It’s a pretty grueling experience. Some of Lu Chuan’s choices can be debated, but overall the film’s stern commitment is difficult to escape.
“City of Life and Death”
A group of characters caught in the atrocities committed by the Japanese military during the invasion of China in the 1930s. It’s a grim story (dramatized in stark black-and-white), but director Lu Chuan makes it come forcefully to life. In Mandarin and Japanese, with English subtitles.
Rated: Not rated; probably R for violence, nudity, subject matter
Showing: Metro
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