Plot: Modernising Chinese revolutionaries try to overthrow the corrupt and antiquated government.
Essentially a very expensive drama-documentary, "1911" commendably tries to pay tribute to all involved in the 1911 Revolution - and in doing so makes the story incomprehensible to anyone who isn't an expert and unemotionally involving even to those who are. This is because of the frequent jumps between disparate groups, events and time periods and the lack of explanation and of character development. The closest this film gets to being a conventional historical epic is in the characters of Sun Yat-Sen, who puts the case for the revolution gracefully whilst provides firm leadership, and Jackie Chan's charismatic general (who has only one kung fu scene, included almost as a sop to Jackie Chan films). International audiences will notice that Jackie Chan can act and will appreciate the ferocious battle scenes but will be mystified by the plot. It's worth noting the careful path this film treads: still revolutionary (i.e. seeing the 1911 Revolution as the predecessor to the Communist state founded in 1949, as official doctrine prescribes) whilst noting the approval shown to the more Western aspects (the necessity of popular support for the state). Ultimately a worthy but failed venture - especially as the film fails to take note of the devastation caused by the 1911 Revolution (which weakened the traditional state without fully replacing it, leading to the bloody anarchy that bedevilled China in the 1920s and 1930s).
Essentially a very expensive drama-documentary, "1911" commendably tries to pay tribute to all involved in the 1911 Revolution - and in doing so makes the story incomprehensible to anyone who isn't an expert and unemotionally involving even to those who are. This is because of the frequent jumps between disparate groups, events and time periods and the lack of explanation and of character development. The closest this film gets to being a conventional historical epic is in the characters of Sun Yat-Sen, who puts the case for the revolution gracefully whilst provides firm leadership, and Jackie Chan's charismatic general (who has only one kung fu scene, included almost as a sop to Jackie Chan films). International audiences will notice that Jackie Chan can act and will appreciate the ferocious battle scenes but will be mystified by the plot. It's worth noting the careful path this film treads: still revolutionary (i.e. seeing the 1911 Revolution as the predecessor to the Communist state founded in 1949, as official doctrine prescribes) whilst noting the approval shown to the more Western aspects (the necessity of popular support for the state). Ultimately a worthy but failed venture - especially as the film fails to take note of the devastation caused by the 1911 Revolution (which weakened the traditional state without fully replacing it, leading to the bloody anarchy that bedevilled China in the 1920s and 1930s).