The film “The Road of Purifying Fire,” starring mainland Chinese actress Zhao Liying, among others, has achieved respectable box office numbers since its release during the “Golden Week” holiday. Despite the film still being shown in theaters, the movie’s online streaming links have already appeared on mainland Chinese e-commerce platforms, with prices ranging from 1 to 3 yuan. Additionally, many pirated websites have started offering the full movie for free viewing.
“The Road of Purifying Fire” primarily tells the story of three parents whose children have been abducted and who, by chance, come together to embark on a journey to fight against child trafficking. Xiao Yang plays the character Cui Dalu, who lost his child for six years; Zhao Liying portrays Li Hongying, whose child was sold by her ex-husband; and Liu Ye plays Zhao Zishan, whose child died after being abducted. While the film portrays their despair and collapse after losing their children, it mainly focuses on their intense hatred towards human traffickers and their collective quest for revenge.
The film’s promotional slogans, “Exploding Trafficking, Tigers and Wolves Revenge” and “Heaven’s Retribution, Good and Evil Repaid,” have captured the attention of many viewers. On October 12th, “The Road of Purifying Fire” entered its 12th day of screening, with box office earnings exceeding 400 million yuan. The “Maoyan” platform predicts that the film’s final box office revenue will reach 507 million yuan. This achievement is considered quite impressive in the current Chinese film market scenario, where news of films unexpectedly failing at the box office surfaces frequently. This success has also enabled Zhao Liying, who recently transitioned from television dramas to the big screen, to accumulate a total box office revenue of 5.191 billion yuan through her leading roles in films.
Some viewers have provided feedback stating, “Zhao Liying’s portrayal of the rampant issue of human trafficking in the film has been praised, but the reality is much more cruel and severe than depicted in the movie.”
According to mainland media reports, during the “Golden Week” holiday, a single tourist spot in Shenzhen reported 130 missing children in just three days. Although it is uncertain whether this incident is related to the prevalent issue of human trafficking in mainland China, the film “The Road of Purifying Fire” concludes with a post-credit scene that showcases the moving reunions of real “abducted children” with their parents, leaving a profound impact on the audience. This particular design not only elevates the film’s theme but also serves as a stark portrayal of the harsh reality in China.
As reported by mainland Chinese financial media “Yicai,” despite “The Road of Purifying Fire” still being screened in theaters, various individuals are selling pirated links to the film, along with several other movies tagged as “4K film, Blu-ray,” on platforms like “Xianyu” and other mainland e-commerce websites for prices ranging from 1 to 3 yuan. This trend signifies that “piracy upon release” has become a norm in the mainland film and television industry.