"A historical action war drama based on the founding of the Republic of China when nationalist forces led by Sun Yat-sen overthrew the last ruling Qing Dynasty which held unquestioned power and rule for 250 years. From the walls of the Forbidden City to the battlefields of China, no expense was spared in the production and no detail ignored in its quest for historical accuracy. 1911 is a true epic to be enjoyed for generations." - (Alert)
Dramatizes events during the founding of the Republic of China when nationalist forces led by Sun Yat-sen overthrew the last ruling Qing Dynasty. - (Baker & Taylor)
At the beginning of the 20th century, China is in a state of crisis. The country is split into warring factions, the citizens are starving, and recent political reforms have made matters worse, not better. The ruling Qing Dynasty, led by a seven-year-old emperor, and his ruthless mother, Empress Dowager Longyu (Joan Chen) is completely out of touch after 250 years of unquestioned power. With ordinary citizens beginning to revolt openly, the Qing Dynasty has created a powerful, modern army (the "New Army") to quash any rebellion. But weapons are expensive, and desperate for cash, the Qing leaders are trading anything they can get their hands on with foreign countries... and selling China's future in the process. Huang Xing (Jackie Chan) has recently returned from Japan, where he has studied the art of modern warfare. When he finds his country falling apart, he feels he has no choice but to pick up the sword, leading an increasingly desperate series of violent rebellions against the powerful Qing Dynasty and the New Army - several with tragic consequences. From the walls of the Forbidden City to the battlefields of China, with no expense spared in production and no detail ignored in its quest for historical accuracy, 1911 is a true epic in every sense of the word. - (Well Go USA Inc)
Video Librarian Reviews
A sprawling epic from China, 1911 tells the story of the revolution that ended imperial rule at the beginning of the 20th century, ushering in a Western-style republic founded by Sun Yat-Sen (the remnant of which survives today on Taiwan). As presented here, the transition represented only the first stage in the undoing of China's feudal system, which was ultimately completed by Mao's Communist takeover. 1911 offers this very simplified take on history, presumably held by Jackie Chan, who not only co-directed but exhibits his modest dramatic talents as Huang Xing, the charismatic general who led the revolutionary fighters back home while Sun (Winston Chao) was abroad, collecting funds from expatriates and trying to convince European bankers and politicians that their continued support for the empress's corrupt government was a mistake. Unfortunately, while the battlefield sequences are impressively staged, the characterization is pedestrian, the dialogue unremittingly banal, and the introduction of a love interest for both Huang and Sun ludicrous. Perhaps Chinese audiences can feel a sense of nationalist pride while watching this shallow and cartoonish—if also visually lavish—piece of propaganda, but for westerners it will be a chore, especially since reams of printed titles are used to identify unfamiliar people and events while trying to cover massive gaps in the narrative. Not a necessary purchase. (F. Swietek)Copyright Video Librarian Reviews 2011.