The Crossing II (2015)

The Crossing II Poster
Original Title: 太平轮(下):彼岸

A story of three couples and their intertwining love stories set in 1940s Taiwan and Shanghai, centered around the 1949 sinking of Taiping.

Film Overview
"The Crossing II" is a 2015 Chinese-Hong Kong legendary drama film directed by John Woo and produced by Terence Chang. The motion picture is a follow up to "The Crossing" (2014), sharing a common style that highlights the turbulence and the unfettered forces of life, which come with their fair share of trials. Starring worldwide stars such as Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Song Hye-kyo, it offers a more huge than personal perspective of China's unstable 1940s period.

Plot Summary
The movie gets from where it left off in the very first part, embedded in the throes of the 1949 Chinese Revolution and continuing into the Korean War age. The story is centered around three couples aboard a sinking ship leaving mainland China for Taiwan during the turmoil. Each couple comes from various backgrounds, each wrestling with their special demons, dreams, and aspirations.

The prime narrative thread links the stories of Yan Zenkun (Huang Xiaoming), a minor burglar, and Yu Zhen (Song Hye-kyo), a basic town woman. The fate of Yu Zhen is marked by disaster as she becomes pregnant after being raped. In parallel, Yan Zenkun is captured and forced to eliminate in the Korean War. His circumstances return him to Yu's town.

Other stories consist of the romantic hairs of the socially unequaled pair of the steadfast general Lei Yifang (Huang Xiaoming) and the wealthy Chinese debutante Zhou Yunfen (Zhang Ziyi). In addition, there's the eccentric romance of medical professional Tong Daqing (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and nurse Noriko (Masami Nagasawa) that anchors around a military medical facility amidst mayhem.

Artistry and Character Development
"The Crossing II" artfully shows the heavy dichotomy of social hierarchies and love, and how these socio-political aspects effect and influence people's lives. The film magnificently supports its concentrate on the nature of human endurance and the power of an indomitable will.

As they undergo exhausting trials, the characters develop well, showcasing strength and decision. Yan Zenkun metamorphoses from a street thief into a war hero, and Yu Zhen turns her life of embarrassment into among defiance. This character development provides an abundant canvas for portraying diverse characteristics and feelings.

Reception and Conclusion
"The Crossing II", like its prequel, likewise got combined reviews. Critics praised the motion picture's grandeur, production design, and strong performance of the cast, yet critiqued it for its over-ambitious narrative that had a lot of characters and its melodramatic tone. In spite of the criticisms, the film still taken pleasure in success within the Asian market.

In conclusion, "The Crossing II" is a cinematic exploration into survival, personal trial, resilience, and the pursuit of love amidst uncertainty and mayhem. The seamless interweaving of stories provides a compelling and deeply impacting narrative that leaves a long lasting impression on the viewers.

Top Cast

  • Zhang Ziyi (small)
    Zhang Ziyi
    Yu Zhen
  • Takeshi Kaneshiro (small)
    Takeshi Kaneshiro
    Yan Zenkun
  • Song Hye-kyo (small)
    Song Hye-kyo
    Zhou Yunfen
  • Huang Xiaoming (small)
    Huang Xiaoming
    Lei Yifang
  • Tong Dawei (small)
    Tong Dawei
    Tong Daqing
  • Angeles Woo (small)
    Angeles Woo
  • Yang Kuei-Mei (small)
    Yang Kuei-Mei
  • Wang Qian-Yuan (small)
    Wang Qian-Yuan
  • Qin Hailu (small)
    Qin Hailu
  • Bowie Lam (small)
    Bowie Lam
  • Cong Shan (small)
    Cong Shan