1937 unyaka. Kuthathwa isigaba sokuqala sempi yaseJapan-Chinese, idolobha laseNanjing lithunjwa. Amasosha aseJapan awazi isihawu (ngokwesibonelo, adlwengule bonke abesifazane abathola ngawo). Iqembu lezikole zesikole zaseChina lingacashe esigodlweni sezindela, esisesikhundleni sentshonalanga (nokho, wonke umuntu okufanele akwenze ngakho). Kanye namantombazane asezigodlweni zezindela kuza eMelika (Christian Bale). Ngemuva kwesikhashana, iqembu lezifebe elivela kwikota elingumakhelwane liyaphendulwa. Umgomo ukushiya i-nanjing, kepha akuveli nonke.
Ekuqaleni, ifilimu yabizwa ngokuthi "12 Nanjing". Ngempela, konke ukunakwa koMqondisi kule filimu kugxile kwabesifazane. Ngeshwa, ezigcawini zodlame nazo. Baphenduka inhle. Ngasikhathi sinye, i-cinema ayijabulisi kangako kuyo. Eduze kwami, isantatheli yesiShayina yayihleli ehholo, owayebukhali abuyele konke okwenzeka, ahleke, akhala futhi ashaya izandla.
UmKristu othandekayo, engxenyeni yokuqala yefilimu, udlala (uxolo) i-feeder ephelele. Iqiniso likwenza ngentokozo enkulu (into efana ne: GOSH! Ngiyabonga ngokungaphenduki futhi). Ngokuvamile, kungabonakala ukuthi umlingisi yile phrojekthi "evutha". Mhlawumbe, engqungqutheleni yabezindaba ngemuva kwefilimu, wayesesimweni esihle kakhulu, ephendula ngesineke ngohlobo lwezinhlobo ezifanayo zezintatheli zamaShayina. Ngaphambi kokushiya iHholo leBale, cishe imizuzu eyi-15 kwanikeza ama-autographs futhi athwetshulwe ngesibindi kakhulu.
Kwabalingisi baseChinese noma ifilimu kaZhang Duda yaba yi-lungiselelwe ku-cinema. Amantombazane anenjabulo abatshele ukuthi bayesabisa kuqala i-bale ("inkanyezi enkulu"). Mina, ngaphinde ngagcizelela futhi ukuthi abalingisi abahle baseChina bahle kanjani. Ngicabanga ukuthi uNini, ofunde isiNgisi kahle kwifilimu, kukhona wonke amathuba okuthola i-poloathwood eHollywood
Uma sifingqa, khona-ke kimi le filimu emkhosini sekuyinye enhle kakhulu. Kuyadabukisa ukuthi akabambi iqhaza kulo mncintiswano. Bengingaqinisekile ngokugcwele ukuthi i-Master of Visual Zhang Imou izokhombisa isihloko se-adigious. Kepha kwavela. Ngokuhlukumezeka kakhulu, muhle kakhulu, kujabulise kakhulu. Kepha ngizobuyekeza? Akunakwenzeka.