Contains smaller spoilers but nothing specific that will ruin the plot.
Usually I do not give these kinds of movies a high score and this is not different.
In short: What is different is that it is Chinese propaganda - the kind a lot more well known from Hollywood regarding the USA. It still seems a lot more real when it comes down to details of the actual "war". The plot lines are the classics, a group of friends (not too unsimilar to saving private Ryan), but there is the love story too.
In long: No one can make the misstake to see this for something else than it is, nationalistic propaganda - it is almost shocking to see it for another nation than the USA with these kinds of effects and how it is produced. The telling of the backdrop the events gives us are seemingly accurate even though the heroes might not be. The effects are good and the explosions are often real, the firefights with tracershots etc are quite good at a few times (but overall not that great). The cinematography is very much in line with Saving Private Ryan but with a little more "red" for explosions and elsewhere.
Pro's Effects (real effects over CGI when possible) Budget Some of the acting
Con's Forced story lines Propaganda Exaggeration (more realism could have made it a really good movie)
End notes: Overall it can be a good watch, there are at least one very seeworthy scene and a few moments of good acting and action - if nothing else to be awakend that there are actually more nations doing these kinds of movies on a grande scale now.
Usually I do not give these kinds of movies a high score and this is not different.
In short: What is different is that it is Chinese propaganda - the kind a lot more well known from Hollywood regarding the USA. It still seems a lot more real when it comes down to details of the actual "war". The plot lines are the classics, a group of friends (not too unsimilar to saving private Ryan), but there is the love story too.
In long: No one can make the misstake to see this for something else than it is, nationalistic propaganda - it is almost shocking to see it for another nation than the USA with these kinds of effects and how it is produced. The telling of the backdrop the events gives us are seemingly accurate even though the heroes might not be. The effects are good and the explosions are often real, the firefights with tracershots etc are quite good at a few times (but overall not that great). The cinematography is very much in line with Saving Private Ryan but with a little more "red" for explosions and elsewhere.
Pro's Effects (real effects over CGI when possible) Budget Some of the acting
Con's Forced story lines Propaganda Exaggeration (more realism could have made it a really good movie)
End notes: Overall it can be a good watch, there are at least one very seeworthy scene and a few moments of good acting and action - if nothing else to be awakend that there are actually more nations doing these kinds of movies on a grande scale now.
