Review of 1911 - Revolution (2011) by Dlwilson — 19 Oct 2013

I am amazed at the shallowness, ignorance and insularity reflected by both the reviews and the user reviews for this fine move. It is an excellent, well-paced summary of one of the most important, pro-democracy revolutions in world history. It may elude those whose knowledge of eastern civilization began and ended with a two-page review of it in a tenth-grade history book approved by the Texas School Book Commission, but for those of us to whom the name Sun Yat-Sen is well known as the father of democracy in China, and whose overthrow of the ancient imperial dynasty brought China into the modern age, this movie is as alive and exciting as any movie made about American history, including even (or especially) "Gone With The Wind", which next to this film looks like a second-rate soap opera. You know, it is the abject ignorance reflected by these reviews which may yet lead some Tea Party types to start World War III with China one day. Ye gods. Read a book, people! Get to know the good people of the most populated country in the world.

The production values of this film are first rate and immerse the view in the reality of the time. All the acting is above reproach, especially that of Jackie Chan, who co-directed, and who in this move establishes himself as an actor to be taken very seriously. From beginning to end, this movie has been a delightful discovery, and an informative filling out of the history of these important events. I feel privileged to have found it.

My only gripe at all, the ONLY one, is that the informational inserts were too small. But their content was important and I was grateful for them.

I thought Warren Beatty did a wonderful job with "Reds", a great film about the Russian revolution which, like this one, involved some Americans and West Europeans. This film is very much like that one, and it is as successful in artistic terms. I wonder if the lack of support for this film has to do with the fact that the lead characters were not Caucasian. Think about it.