The Rescue (2020 film)

The Rescue (Chinese: 紧急救援) is a 2020 Chinese action film directed by Dante Lam.[4] The film follows the personal and professional lives of members from the China Rescue & Salvage, which is under the Chinese Ministry of Transport. The film stars Eddie Peng, Wang Yanlin, Xin Zhilei, Lan Yingying, Wang Yutian, and Xu Yang. The film was initially scheduled to the released in China on 25 January 2020, but was delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic.[5] The Rescue is the third film in a series of films directed by Dante Lam that pays tribute to Chinese public personnel, including 2016's Operation Mekong (the police) and 2018's Operation Red Sea (the navy). The film has received financial and production backing and assistance from the Chinese Ministry of Transport.[6]

The Rescue
Promotional poster
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese緊急救援
Simplified Chinese紧急救援
Literal meaningUrgent Rescue
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinjǐnjí jiùyuán
Directed byDante Lam
Written by
  • Maria Wong
  • Tan Yuli
  • Yaqing Zhi
Produced byCandy Leung
Starring
CinematographyPeter Pau
Edited byChi-Hung Choi
Music byElliot Leung
Production
companies
  • Bona Film Group
  • China Communications Press
  • China Modern Film And Television Development
  • Tencent Pictures
  • Autonavi YunMap Technology
  • Maoyan Weying Culture Media
  • Emperor Film Production Company Limited
Distributed byCMC Pictures
Release date
  • 18 December 2020 (2020-12-18)
Running time
139 minutes
CountryChina
LanguageMandarin
Budget$90 million[1]
Box office$74.9 million[2][3]

Released on 18 December 2020, the film received generally positive reviews from critics but grossed just $74 million against a budget of $90 million.

Plot

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Cast

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Production

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Music

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The Rescue Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Studio album by
Released2020
GenreFilm soundtrack
LabelMilan Records
Sony Classical

Elliot Leung was invited to return after composing the score to Operation Red Sea. The score was recorded in Synchron Stage. On 18 December, Sony Classical and Milan Records released a soundtrack album consisting of 27 tracks.

Release

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The film was originally scheduled to be released on 25 January 2020 in both China and the United States, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] It was later released on 18 December 2020.

Reception

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Box office

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The Rescue grossed $8.9 million in its first day of release. Chinese audiences gave the film 9.2/10 on Maoyan, 9/10 on Taopiaopiao, and 6.6/10 on Douban.[1] It went on to debut to $36.1 million, finishing first at the box office.[8] Variety wrote that the total was "far below projections and could mean the film will lose money."[9]

In the United States and Canada, the film had a limited release and ranked 25th in its opening weekend, grossing $9,674 from 65 theaters with an average of $148 per theater[10]

Critical response

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On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 90% based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b "China Box Office: 'Wonder Woman 1984' Limps Towards Second-Place Opening". The Hollywood Reporter. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Jin Ji Jiu Yuan (2020) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  3. ^ "The Rescue (2020)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Chinese Action Film 'The Rescue' Sets North American Release". Variety.com. 5 December 2019.
  5. ^ "春节档7部电影全部撤档:以疫情为重,以生命为重". ifeng.com. 23 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Why Dante Lam's 'Rescue' May Be a Lifeline for the Chinese Movie Industry (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.com. 9 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Big-Budget Chinese Action Film 'The Rescue' Sets Day-And-Date North American Release". 5 December 2019.
  8. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (20 December 2020). "'Monster Hunter' Takes In $2.2M Over Poor Pre-Christmas Pandemic Weekend Before 'Wonder Woman 1984' Shakes Up Theatrical Window". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  9. ^ Lang, Brett (20 December 2020). "Box Office: 'Wonder Woman 1984' Sputters in China, Grosses $38.5 Million Overseas". Variety. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Domestic 2020 Weekend 51". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  11. ^ "The Rescue (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
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