According to Sina, the film The Great Escape directed by Tran Tu Thanh will premiere on August 3. Previously, the film grossed 100 million CNY (over 350 million VND) in preliminary revenue, marking a significant achievement for a project that carries a deep artistic message.
Sina further reports that the film The Great Escape, featuring Liu Hao Nian in the lead role, has had several preview screenings to gauge audience reactions. Viewers have praised the film’s content, cinematography, and the actors’ performances. The website 163 remarked that the film “elevates the aesthetics of Chinese cinema,” while Sina emphasized that “the film is a vivid representation of the essence of cinematic art.” The Paper praised the film as “finally, China has a remarkable blockbuster,” and also noted that the actor Liu Hao Nian was moved to tears during the viewing.
Director Tran Tu Thanh confirmed that this is his finest work to date. According to the Maoyan tracking service, the film is projected to achieve a total gross of 1.24 billion CNY with a quality rating of 7.5 on Douban.
However, there are opinions suggesting that Tran Tu Thanh is attempting to emulate director Christopher Nolan, yet lacks the vision and talent of the latter. Some critics argue that the film’s length detracts from its overall impact, and not all audiences are equipped to appreciate the themes the filmmakers intend to convey.
Upon the release of the trailer, audiences were stunned to see actor Liu Hao Nian portray the character as a 70-year-old man. According to Sina, to embody the role of Rung Kim Tran, Liu Hao Nian lost 10 kg, altered his hairstyle, and donned a deep-set look. Many viewers remarked that Liu Hao Nian appeared to have undergone “digital aging,” with some failing to recognize “the national treasure of Duy Hoai” from years past.
Set against the backdrop of the 1940s, Liu Hao Nian plays Rung Kim Tran, a mathematical genius who is secretly recruited by a mysterious agency to utilize his extraordinary abilities in the field of cryptography. Alongside Liu Hao Nian, the cast includes prominent actors such as John Cusack, Ngo Ngan Tu, Tran Dao Minh, Phan Viet Minh, and Du Phi Hong, who are well-known figures in both Chinese cinema and the global film industry. The film is directed and scripted by Tran Tu Thanh, set to officially premiere on August 3.
Liu Hao Nian, born in 1997, rose to fame across Asia in 2016 with the animated series The Incredible Adventures of Our Youth. Additionally, Liu Hao Nian is the lead actor in the film series The Detective of the Submarine. He is the first 90s-born actor to achieve a total gross exceeding 10 billion CNY.
