The Eight Hundred

The Eight Hundred, a 2020 Chinese war film directed by Guan Hu, is set against the backdrop of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937. The movie is a dramatic and intense portrayal of the Battle of Shanghai, where a group of Chinese soldiers, led by Colonel Cao, found themselves in a desperate and heroic stand against overwhelming odds. The film begins with the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, as the Imperial Japanese Army descends upon the city like a swarm of locusts. The Chinese Nationalist Army, led by the Chinese government, is ill-prepared to face the might of the well-trained and well-equipped Japanese military. The Chinese troops, numbering in the hundreds, put up a futile resistance, but they are eventually pushed back to a small warehouse in the heart of the Shanghai battlefield. Inside the warehouse, we find a group of eight hundred Chinese soldiers, including Colonel Cao, who has taken charge of the group. Despite being vastly outnumbered and outgunned, Cao is determined to hold out against the Japanese, and he becomes the symbol of resistance against the enemy. As the Japanese army closes in on the warehouse, Cao and his men prepare for the inevitable battle ahead. The soldiers are a mixed bag of veterans and new recruits, each with their own motivations and fears. Some are seasoned fighters, while others are green and inexperienced, but they all share a common resolve to fight to the death against the enemy. The Japanese army, led by the ruthless Commander Inoue, is determined to crush the Chinese resistance once and for all. Commander Inoue is portrayed as a cunning and merciless adversary, willing to use any tactic, no matter how brutal, to achieve his objectives. He orders his troops to surround the warehouse, sealing off any possible escape routes, and then sets his sights on breaching the walls of the building. As the Japanese army begins its attack on the warehouse, Cao and his men put up a gallant fight, firing machine guns, grenades, and even using primitive makeshift bombs to try and fend off the enemy. The Chinese soldiers are vastly outnumbered, but they have the will to fight, and they fight with all their might. The battle rages on for several days, with the Chinese soldiers fighting bravely against the odds. The Japanese army uses everything at their disposal to try and breach the walls of the warehouse, but the Chinese soldiers hold firm. They use every available resource to defend their position, including the use of civilians who have taken refuge in the warehouse. As the battle reaches its climax, Cao and his men realize that they cannot hold out much longer. The Japanese army has broken through the walls of the warehouse, and they are now pouring into the building, machine guns blazing. In a desperate bid to buy time for the survivors to escape, Cao orders his men to fall back to the innermost part of the warehouse, a cramped and chaotic space filled with ammunition and other supplies. In a stunning display of bravery and sacrifice, the Chinese soldiers hold off the Japanese army for as long as they can, buying precious time for the survivors to escape. As the battle reaches its final stages, Cao is mortally wounded, but he refuses to give up. He rallies his men, urging them to fight on, and together, they manage to hold off the Japanese for one last time, buying enough time for the survivors to break out of the warehouse and escape. The surviving soldiers flee into the Shanghai night, pursued by the Japanese army, but they are eventually rescued by the Chinese resistance forces. The movie ends on a poignant note, with the survivors haunted by the memories of the fallen, but also with the knowledge that they have inspired a nation to resist against the enemy. The Eight Hundred is a powerful and moving portrayal of the Battle of Shanghai, one of the most pivotal battles of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The movie pays tribute to the brave soldiers who defended the Chinese nation against overwhelming odds, and it serves as a reminder of the sacrifices that were made during this tragic conflict. With its stunning cinematography, intense action sequences, and emotional drama, The Eight Hundred is a must-watch for anyone interested in war movies and history.