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Decoded (film)

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2024 Chinese film
Decoded
Theatrical release poster
Directed byChen Sicheng
Screenplay byChen Sicheng
Christopher MacBride
Based onDecoded
by Mai Jia
Produced byChen Sicheng
Starring
CinematographyCao Yu
Production
companies
  • As One Productions
  • Beijing Happy Pictures
  • Media Asia
Distributed byChina Media Capital
Release date
  • 3 August 2024 (2024-08-03)
CountryChina
Languages
  • Mandarin
  • English
Box office$47.2 million

Decoded (Chinese: 解密) is a 2024 Chinese period drama film directed by Chen Sicheng, and starring Liu Haoran, John Cusack, Chen Daoming and Daniel Wu. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Mai Jia.

Plot

The film is set in the war-torn 1940s and follows an autistic math genius Rong Jinzhen with a past shrouded in myth who is forced to abandon his academic pursuits to become a code-breaker for a secret spy agency.

Cast

  • Liu Haoran as Rong Jinzhen
  • John Cusack as Liseiwicz, a mathematician and Rong's university tutor
  • Chen Daoming as Director Cheng, the chief of Bureau 701
  • Daniel Wu as Xiaolili, the chancellor of Rong's university
  • Faye Yu as Ye Xiaoning, Rong's mother
  • Martin Wang [zh] as Vasily, an enforcer of Bureau 701
  • Krystal Ren as Xiaomei, another member of Bureau 701
  • Zhu Zhu as Mrs. Liseiwicz
  • Yusi Chen as the daughter of Xiaolili
  • Pan Yueming

Production

Pre-production of Decoded began in 2018, with Chen Sicheng helming the project. The film is based on Mai Jia's novel of the same name, and is Chen's first project to be adapted from a literary work. Chen noted that he had wanted to produce a film about mathematics and cryptography for a long time, and planned to set Decoded up as a film series. The project was greenlit in July 2023, with Christopher MacBride announced as the screenwriter. Liu Haoran joined the cast in September 2023, followed by rumors of Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Tang Wei starring in October, though both of them denied those reports. Principal photography spanned 98 days and wrapped on 25 January 2024. The film was presented on the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market in March.

Release

Decoded had its premiere on 16 June 2024 on Weibo Movie Night, and was theatrically released in China on 3 August.

Reception

Carlos Aguilar of Variety considered Decoded as "China's answer" to Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (2023), but criticized it for offering a sanitized and overly patriotic narrative, featuring an "uncritical depiction of China's policies and war tactics", while simultaneously demonstrating an "explicit desire to entice American sensibilities" to appease an international audience. Tay Yek Keak of 8days also compared the film to Oppenheimer in his 3/5 stars review, describing it as a blend of A Beautiful Mind (2001) and The Imitation Game (2014), but criticized it for being "too ambitious, over-plotted, and overlong" with convoluted plotlines that attempt to merge nationalistic themes with Western cultural references, while still appreciating the film's human moments and Liu Haoran's performance.

Simon Abrams of RogerEbert.com gave the film 2/4 stars, describing it as a "conventional and hackneyed" spy thriller that suffers from a clichéd portrayal of a troubled mathematician and a "prevailing lack of charm and agency", rendering it "prodding" and failing to engage despite its ambitious premise. Ho Siu-bun of am730 emphasized the film's failure at the box office despite high expectations, calling it "underwhelming", and critiqued its ambitious yet convoluted storytelling that attempts to emulate Christopher Nolan's style, while also highlighting the implausibility of the film's political themes.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2024 Weibo Awards Anticipated Movie of the Year — Won
Popular Filmmaker of the Year Chen Sicheng Won
Liu Haoran Won
Technician of the Year Ma Xiaoai Won

References

  1. ^ Brzeski, Patrick (18 June 2024). "Shanghai: CMC Pictures to Release Chen Sicheng's Spy Thriller Tentpole 'Decoded' in U.S., U.K. (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2024-06-19. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  2. "Decoded (解密) (2024)". The Numbers. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  3. 徐美琳 (11 March 2024). "电影《解密》发布"人生三幕"版预告，刘昊然领衔主演". The Beijing News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  4. 高凱 (3 July 2024). "奇观巨制突破想象 电影《解密》定档". China News Service (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2024-07-15. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  5. ^ 周慧晓婉 (10 July 2024). "《解密》曝光角色关系，家人知己领路人成就主角容金珍传奇人生". The Beijing News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
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  7. "刘昊然为新角色减重20斤，模样气质大变，连潘粤明都直呼认不出来". QQ.com (in Chinese). 3 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
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  10. 孔小平 (29 August 2023). "又一批电影备案，程耳王一博再合作《人 · 鱼》，追光推《白蛇3》". Yangtse Evening Post (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  11. "定情戲仆直！周冬雨一沉百踩 劉昊然捲劈腿疑雲". Oriental Daily News (in Chinese). 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  12. "梁朝偉密密操Fit備戰西片 與湯唯無緣合體拍戲". Oriental Daily News (in Chinese). 22 October 2023. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  13. 徐美琳 (26 January 2024). "陈思诚执导、刘昊然主演新片《解密》杀青，改编自麦家小说". The Beijing News (in Chinese). Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  14. Shackleton, Liz (11 March 2024). "China's Alibaba To Invest $640M In Hong Kong Content Industry; Signs Strategic Partnership With Media Asia". Deadline Hollywood (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  15. "多套重磅港片強勢列陣 古天樂張家輝鄭伊健新作曝光". Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese). 18 March 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  16. ^ 周慧晓婉 (17 June 2024). "电影《解密》亮相2024微博电影之夜，陈思诚、刘昊然双双获奖". The Beijing News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  17. 张宇 (17 June 2024). "陈思诚新片《解密》剧组集结亮相，将于2024年暑期档上映". Modern Express Post (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  18. Zhu, Qing (3 July 2024). "Film adaptation of popular spy thriller joins China's summer box office lineup". Shanghai Daily (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  19. 李洋 (25 May 2024). "陈思诚新作《解密》暑期上映，自称具有国际合作气质". Beijing Daily (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  20. Aguilar, Carlos (23 August 2024). "'Decoded' Review: John Cusack Supports Large-Scale VFX in Rah-Rah Chinese Espionage Drama". Variety. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  21. Tay, Yek Keak (29 August 2024). "Decoded Review: Liu Haoran, John Cusack And Daniel Wu Play Twisty Mind Games In Chinese WWII Spy Thriller". 8days. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  22. Abrams, Simon (23 August 2024). "Decoded". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  23. Ho, Siu-bun (2 October 2024). "《解密》 又解夢又破解密碼 模仿諾蘭風格 票房慘賠". am730 (in Chinese). Retrieved 20 December 2024.

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