Zhou Xun and Tony Leung Chiu Wai in The Silent War
The Silent War (2012) Chinese Movie Information
Title in Chinese – 听风者
Title in Pinyin – Ting Feng Zhe
Genre – Thriller
Subject/theme – A blind man uses his exceptional hearing to battle spies
Language – Mandarin
Region – China
Release date
Hong Kong – 7 August 2012
China – 7 August 2012
Singapore – 16 August 2012
Director – Felix Chong and Alan Mak
Cast & Role Played
Zhou Xun – Chang Xue-ning, spy in 701
Tony Leung Chiu Wai – He Bing, blind piano repairer
Wang Xue Bing – Guo Zhong-xing, head of spy department 701
Mavis Fan – cipher analyst in 701
Story
In the 1950’s the newly established Communist government is in danger from revolutionaries who seek to over throw the government. A secret spy department 701 has been set up to combat revolutionaries and tracks their movements by monitoring their telegraph transmissions on 120 telegraph channels. One day all these channels suddenly go dead 701 seeks the help of a blind piano repair He Bing who has exceptional hearing. Agent 200 Chang Xue-ning is sent to find Bing and bring him back. Bing returns with her some what reluctantly and relocates all of the 120 channels and finds 5 additional top secret channels.
Bing becomes the hero at 701 and indispensable because of his ability to find channels monitor transmissions. Using intelligence gathered from the transmissions, department head Guo sends Xue-ning to Shanghai to capture the head revolutionary. Unknown to the communists, Xue-ning’s identity is known to the enemy and her life is in danger.
Editor's Review of The Silent War – 7/10
The Silent War is set during a harsh period in China’s modern history and the movie is fairly grim. Zhou Xun is brilliant as the seductive spy and Tony Leung Chiu Wai is also very good as the blind piano repairer. For fans who are using to Tony being the sword/gun waving hero, The Silent War will be even more grim. The story is good and shows a very interesting part of China’s history, the cast are excellent with Wang Xue Bing making one of his rare movie appearances and the movie is well worth watching. Just don’t expect a lot of romance or cheerful endings.
The Silent War Links
Movie Poster One
Movie Poster Two
Movie Poster Three
IMDb Movie Database for The Silent War
Youtube Movie Trailer for The Silent War
