Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- earnest
- harrowing
- compassionate
- historical film night
- serious weekend viewing
What critics said
Critics found the film earnest and visually convincing, with praised performances and a realistic depiction of war-ravaged China, but criticized its historical omissions and misrepresentation of key figures.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
George Hogg assumes responsibility for sixty orphaned boys and leads them toward safety through war-ravaged China.
The orphaned children and their protectors cross snow-bound mountains and desert regions during an arduous 500-mile journey.
An Englishman relies on a Chinese communist partisan, an Australian nurse, and a displaced Chinese aristocrat.
The journey moves through snow-covered mountains, desert regions, and areas near the Great Wall, supported by production and costume design.
Films like The Children of Huang Shi, and why
The English Patient
shared historical war drama, humanitarian rescue mission, and emotionally earnest adventure
Seven Years in Tibet
shared true-story wartime peril, cross-cultural relationships, and sweeping period adventure
Empire of the Sun
shared wartime humanitarianism, endangered children, and morally serious historical drama
City of Life and Death
shared Chinese wartime setting, displacement, survival, and intimate humanist drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Roger Spottiswoode
- Release Date
- 2008-04-03
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (176)
Cast
- Jonathan Rhys Meyers
- Radha Mitchell
- Chow Yun-Fat
- Anastasia Kolpakova
- Michelle Yeoh
- Zhou Bo
- Guang Li
- Ji Lin
- Matthew Walker
- Takashima Shinichi
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Children of Huang Shi about?
- An English aid worker escorts sixty Chinese war orphans across occupied China, discovering courage, friendship, and responsibility in a landscape devastated by war.
- What is The Children of Huang Shi like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Children of Huang Shi as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Children of Huang Shi violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Children of Huang Shi as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Children of Huang Shi?
- Critics found the film earnest and visually convincing, with praised performances and a realistic depiction of war-ravaged China, but criticized its historical omissions and misrepresentation of key figures.
- Which films are like The Children of Huang Shi?
- Films with a similar feel include The English Patient, Seven Years in Tibet, Empire of the Sun, and City of Life and Death.
- How long is The Children of Huang Shi?
- The Children of Huang Shi runs 125 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Children of Huang Shi?
- In United States, The Children of Huang Shi is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
