CHILDREN OF THE SILK ROAD

Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Radha Mitchell, Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh star in the true story of British journalist George Hogg. During the Japanese invasion of China in 1937, Hogg snuck into Nanjing and found a group of orphaned boys living in squalor in an abandoned school. He stayed and cared for them, teaching them English, basketball, hygiene, courage and hope, then led them on an incredible 1000km walk over the mountains to safety in western China. Beyond the occasionally wooden acting and clunky dialogue, it’s an uplifting film about a couple of idealistic Westerners who overcome the odds to help 60 orphans escape from the Japanese. I just can’t get past the fact that it’s always whitey saving the poor colonials. Judge for yourself. (Lachlan Jobbins)