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Blind Mountain

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Blind Mountain reviews
60
8.5 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 11 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 2 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Drama

Written by: Li Yang

Directed by: Li Yang

Release Date:
Theatrical: March 12, 2008
DVD: January 6, 2009

Running Time: 95 minutes, Color

Origin: China

Language(s): Mandarin

Summary

RATING: Not Rated

Starring Huang Lu, Yang You'an, Zhang Yuling, Yunle He, Jia Yinggao, and Zhang Youping

Bax Xuemei is a young college graduate who yearns for a life as a budding urban capitalist but ends up drugged and sold as the bride of a rural brute. Beaten and raped by her new husband with the help of his parents, she tries desperately to escape but is trapped both by the closed culture and by the very remote location of the village. Unlike other kidnapped brides, she refuses to accept her fate even when she becomes pregnant, but her repeated escape attempts lead only to continuing brutality and betrayal. (Kino International)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

88

TV Guide Ken Fox

Twenty years ago, Li's film might have served as a warning; today, it rues a dehumanizing economic system run rampant that leaves one sad slave wife to muse, "It's easy to die. It's living that's hard."

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80

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

This is a resolutely tough-minded, beautifully crafted film so compelling as to make bearable watching the nearly unbearable.

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75

Chicago Tribune Tasha Robinson

Li’s story is lean and economical, but deeply harrowing, as Xuemei--sympathetically played by debuting performer Huang Lu, the only classically trained actor in a cast of non-professionals--clings to her courage and tries again and again to escape.

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75

San Francisco Chronicle Walter Addiego

A potent drama from Yang Li, one of China's Sixth Generation filmmakers noted for the stark realism and documentary feeling of their work.

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75

New York Post V.A. Musetto

A stinging and frightening indictment of mainland China.

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70

The Hollywood Reporter Ray Bennett

The film's economical style, vivid cinematography and tremendous acting should attract audiences far and wide.

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70

The New York Times Manohla Dargis

Blind Mountain is a reminder that art sometimes keeps the truth alive far better than the news.

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67

The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray

Blind Mountain would be better-served by more touches of universality, as in the scene where a neighbor woman comforts Huang by saying, "All women go through this." That scene flirts with metaphor. The rest of the film too often descends into harangue.

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50

Variety Derek Elley

Low on drama and originality, and high on deja vu, sophomore outing by writer-director Li Yang ("Blind Shaft," 2003).

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40

Village Voice J. Hoberman

Blind Mountain forces its way through numerous illogicalities and several plot lapses to a violently abrupt ending.

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30

Chicago Reader Andrea Gronvall

The movie not only indicts the country's embrace of capitalism by showing how low people will sink to make money, it also denigrates the agrarian class--once celebrated as heroic under Mao--by portraying its members as illiterate barbarians concerned only with continuing their family lines.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 2 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Galen F. gave it an8:
Do not use my name, first or last. Utterly real. Hard to forget.

Mike T gave it a9:
An extremely well-made film, at once tense, invigorating, and deeply depressing.

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