Oscar-winning director Florian Gallenberger explores the crucial role that foreigners played in helping countless Chinese escape a fate worse than death in this period docudrama concerning the 1937 invasion of Nanking by the ruthless Japanese Imperial Army. Casually known by historians as the "Rape of Nanking," the relentless assault on the then-Chinese capitol found countless men, women, and children slaughtered with a ferocity that shocked the entire world. Yet, despite the violence that
surrounded them, some people refused to sit by silently as the innocents perished. One of those people was German engineer and Nazi party member John Rabe, who earned the nickname "The Schindler of China" for constructing a vast safety zone in which nearly a quarter of a million civilians sought sanctuary. Ulrich Tukur, Daniel Brühl, Dagmar Manzel, and Steve Buscemi star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
It is a tale of a true hero, even if in its minor details it's less than entirely true. For a movie with ambitions as big as "John Rabe," that doesn't just make it good. That makes it epic.
One of the main virtues of John Rabe is to demonstrate that, however much we know about the worst of all wars, it still has little-known corners that can amaze us.
Despite its gruesome scenes of hundreds of Chinese prisoners of war being lined up and executed and its ostentatious shots of severed heads, the movie is less than indelible.
Despite a reliance on docu-drama contrivances, a reasonably intelligent, impressively mounted account of a little-known act of twentieth-century heroism.
Deftly incorporated into the narrative is archival footage from the Nanking Massacre -- a stark reminder of the horrifying true events on which the film is based.
An often contrived, melodramatic and pedestrian war drama slightly elevated by Ulrich Tukur's captivating performance, exquisite production values and a modicum of suspense.
Portrait of altruism in the face of staggering odds by a righteous group of foreigners, movingly and passionately enacted as full individuals, not plaster saints.
Reduced to obscurity after the war, Rabe deserves to be remembered for his role in shielding hundreds of thousands in a "safety zone" on company grounds. But the film will help little in securing his legacy.
Unusual portrait of a Nazi and German businessman who is known in China as a living Buddha for saving 250,000 citizens of Nanking during the Sino-Japanese war.
This German film tells the story of the Japanese sacking of Nanking, China in 1937 and the part German engineer Rabe played in saving great numbers of the population from murder and rape. Especially the 3 hour version takes its time introducing the characters and situation shortly before the Japanese invasion and
delivers some great and spectacular war scenes. Things in town start to get dire pretty soon, too. In its strongest and most horrifying moments, the film does not have to hide behind Schindler's List, when it comes to depicting the horrors of war and war crimes in particular. That sometimes makes it almost unbearable to watch, but still so enthralling and touching. The acting is top notch, especially Tukur is a really convincing jovial but humane Rabe. Buscemi as the American doctor in town has the best one liners and brings some bitter humor into play. The direction is flawless and creates a maelstrom of desperate situations without ever entirely abandoning hope. That makes for engrossing and moving film making and a movie that actually got deeper under my skin than Spielberg's classic. Highly recommended for history buffs.
Based on a true story, "John Rabe" is an epic World War II saga, telling of horror and mass murder on the other side of the globe. It is December 1937 and we are made witness to the Rape of Nanking in which approximately 300,000 Chinese citizens were brutally massacred by the Japanese with a wink and a nod from the
Nazis. We witness this horror through the eyes of John Rabe, the manager of the Siemens plant in Nanking. Integrating multiple languages and real news footage, this is a masterfully crafted film, deserving of high praise. While difficult to watch, it is worthy of your attention.
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