Our Time Will Come is a war film that is less about violence and bloodshed and more about life, love and sacrifice.
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Our Time Will Come is a war film that is less about violence and bloodshed and more about life, love and sacrifice.
The film tells the story of Fang Lan (Zhou Xun), a school teacher in Hong Kong during World War II, who joins the resistance efforts against the Japanese.
During the Japanese Occupation, the Dongjiang guerrilla unit in Hong Kong carries out a plan to evacuate cultural figures and intellectuals to mainland China, saving them from being arrested by the Japanese army. Fang Lan, then a school teacher and the landlady of Mao Dun (Guo Tao) - a revered novelist, is roped into the evacuation mission when she helps Blackie Lau (Eddie Peng) bring Mao Dun to safety. Later Lan is convinced by Lau to join the urban unit, setting up liaison points with other guerrilla members in the city.
The film has a muted, mellow flow to it that might seem out of place for a war film but works surprisingly well here. The senseless violence of the war is relegated to the background, as the story focuses on Fang Lan’s journey as an underground resistance fighter as well as her relationship with the other characters. Particularly, the mother-daughter bond is beautifully portrayed. Deanie Ip is compelling as the worried, loving mother who would sacrifice her life for her daughter.
Zhou Xun’s performance as Fang Lan is certainly the highlight of the film. The award-winning actress managed to bring to life a little-known historical figure, from a young, inexperienced school teacher to a war heroine. Eddie Peng as Blackie Lau - the fearless captain of the guerrilla force, and Wallace Huo as Wing - the double agent infiltrating Japanese authorities, give Fang Lan’s character more dimensions in their interactions.
Fortunately, the film does not turn their relationships into a cliché love triangle, which would’ve taken the focus away from Fang Lan’s heroic journey.
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