Film Review – Dongji Rescue

August 21st, 2025 | POSTED BY Allen Almachar

There are sequences in the Chinese film Dongji Rescue (2025) that are breathtaking. Set primarily in or around the ocean, scenes feature characters swimming across choppy water, diving deep under the surface with no oxygen, or flinging themselves off sinking boats. These instances are so believable that I wondered if they just had the actors and stunt crew perform them in real time. There’s a verisimilitude to the set pieces that make the action feel immediate and in your face, as though we are right there in the thick of it all. The sense of peril is tangible, amplifying the suspense two-fold. I’m sure special effects and computer aided imagery helped construct the action, but the contrast between digital and analog is so seamless that it all worked convincingly.

Directed by Zhenxiang Fei and Guan Hu (screenplay by Shu Chen, Runnian Dong, and Ji Zhang), Dongji Rescue recounts the real-life story of the Japanese ship “Lisbon Maru” which – in 1942 – was torpedoed by a U.S. submarine and sank into the East China Sea. Unbeknownst to the American sub was the fact that the Lisbon Maru was carrying nearly two thousand British POWS, captives of the Battle of Hong Kong. The main arc of the narrative involves the efforts to rescue as many people as possible before the ship disappeared into the water. Interestingly, several of those that helped were fisherman from the nearby Dongji Island. Despite the island being occupied by the Japanese – who worked to keep this event from gaining international attention – the fishermen were still able to man their small boats and break through enemy lines to get to the British soldiers.

I’ll admit to you, dear reader, that my knowledge of the Lisbon Maru sinking is limited. I would not be surprised if the production exaggerated certain details to heighten the drama and spectacle. Of course, we’re not necessarily here to get the exact details of this historical event, but rather to be pulled in by a compelling story. In that regard, the film does its job. The main point of view centers on brothers Ah Bi (Zhu Yilong) and Ah Dang (Wu Lei). Bi and Dang grew up on Dongji Island and are experienced fisherman. But what makes them unique is their ability to exist both above and below the water. Early narration paints them in near mythical terms, describing how they are powerful swimmers and can hold their breath underwater for extended amounts of time. 

Bi and Dang’s lives change when they save a British soldier (William Franklyn-Miller) who just managed to survive the torpedo attack. With Japanese authorities searching for the soldier, Bi and Dang – along with the rest of the villagers – are faced with a difficult moral decision. Should they hand the soldier back to the Japanese? Should they keep him hidden? This predicament puts stress on all involved. This is especially true for Bi, whose plans with his partner Ah Hua (Ni Ni) are immediately put on hold. To stand up to the Japanese will undoubtably cause death for many of the villagers, but at a certain point there is no other option than to act. 

Fei and Hu’s direction do not skimp in portraying the brutality of WWII. There are several scenes that show the Japanese as cruel and merciless oppressors. To weed out the British soldier, they line up all the villagers and inflict painful torture upon them until someone provides the information they need. Their wrath is not discriminatory. Everyone – including children and the elderly – have harm done to them, including murder. We see this again when we enter the hull of the Lisbon Maru, where prisoners are packed like sardines inside of a tin can. The bodies – some alive and some deceased – are scattered across every inch of the interior, creating an image that is staggering. The graphic violence and ruthlessness by the Japanese flirt with exploitation. There are moments where the camera lingers a little too long on people getting maimed, shot, or beheaded. There might be one too many shots of corpses floating while survivors scramble for safety.  

The big, splashy sequences are pushed to the third act. In terms of cinematic fireworks, the wait is worth it. The direction (along with Weizhe Gao’s cinematography) captures the sinking of the Lisbon Maru and the subsequent rescue with sweeping camera moves. Wide-angle shots take in the enormity of the situation, placing characters in the water in the foreground, as the ship slowly turns upright in the background. The production spins multiple plates simultaneously – from Bi, Dang, and Hua all jumping headfirst into the fray, as well as all the chaos happening around them. Extra care is taken to make sure we can see the actors’ faces, telling us that they are participating in the stunts themselves. The visuals are sharp and crystal clear. Even the nighttime scenes are executed with clarity – a far cry from the muddiness we’ve seen from other modern films. When it comes to disaster pictures or stories taking place in open water, Dongji Rescue is as kinetic and gripping as any other blockbuster – standing toe to toe with the likes of Pearl Harbor (2001) or Avatar: The Way of Water (2022).

I’m not sure how Dongji Rescue operates when it comes to historical accuracy. But for its thrills and tension, it stands out. Action junkies will get what they’re looking for with the film’s explosive third act. I don’t think one needs to have a grasp of the history to understand the stakes. For those that know the history, this big screen interpretation will offer plenty to chew on and debate over. 

Avatar: The Way of Water, Dongji Rescue, Guan Hu, Ji Zhang, Pearl Harbor, Runnian Dong, Shu Chen, Weigh Gao, William Franklyn-Miller, Wu Lei, Zhenxiang Fei, Zhu Yilong