Hong Kong actor William Chan starred in the online sci-fi film “Desolate Battlefield” premiered on October 1st. This film, originally planned to be produced with a theatrical release standard and a budget exceeding 30 million Chinese yuan, has only grossed 596,000 yuan in its first six days online, being referred to as a “quite standard box office disaster”.
According to reports from mainland media, this year’s National Day holiday lineup featured 14 online films spanning genres such as action, fantasy, and more, with the most anticipated being “Desolate Battlefield”. The film brought together the original cast of the “Young and Dangerous” series including William Chan and Lam Suet, as well as actress Qu Jingjing from the hit film “The Wandering Earth,” which was nicknamed the “space version of Wolf Warrior”.
The film was initially prepared with the scale of a theatrical sci-fi blockbuster, with a budget skyrocketing to over 30 million yuan. However, after completion, it was shelved for several years, and Qu Jingjing’s popularity boost from the extensive promotion of “The Wandering Earth” by the Chinese official media had diminished. The nostalgic sentiment of the “Young and Dangerous” era has also been greatly depleted by the recent string of lackluster films. Consequently, the production team had no choice but to switch to an online distribution route, attempting to recoup costs through the use of intellectual property and star power.
From the opening scene, with desolate ruins, robotic dogs, and giant monsters controlled by high-tech equipment, it is apparent that “Desolate Battlefield” is a sci-fi film. Some viewers have pointed out that this has turned into the movie’s major flaw: “The robotic dogs are supposed to be flesh and blood, yet they are easily taken down by a single shot. They overlook a person’s head even when standing on a mountaintop, creating inconsistencies.”
Some fans criticized that despite the backdrop being a “future war against extraterrestrial dogs,” the main characters are still using conventional weapons like AK rifles. Additionally, the so-called “extraterrestrial dogs” are merely described as “flesh and blood creatures easily taken down by a bullet,” leading some viewers to question: “It doesn’t feel like a sci-fi movie, rather it resembles a period drama.”
Furthermore, William Chan’s performance has been criticized as “lackluster”. According to netizens, it appears that William Chan maintains a forced expression throughout, lacking intensity in fight scenes, presenting a stark contrast to his portrayal of the character “Chicken” in Hong Kong’s “Young and Dangerous” series. One netizen illustrated, “In the scene where he loses half of his arm in battle, one can imagine the immense pain involved, even if William Chan were to clench his teeth and grimace, it would still show dedication. But looking at his reaction, a slight furrowing of the brow, it seems quite indifferent!”
In the scene depicting the battle against the extraterrestrial dogs, male team members are clad in long-sleeved leather jackets, while female members are dressed uniformly in hot pants and tank tops. As a result, the film has been dubbed as “rife with clichéd romantic storylines”. A netizen lamented, “The male actors are all covered up, while the female actors are in tank tops, even having a rip at the chest. It’s truly baffling how a film edging on the edge like this managed to pass the review process.”
The film has garnered overwhelming negative reviews: “The special effects of the film appear artificial, fight scenes lack excitement, and the story lacks coherence.”
As of October 6th, “Desolate Battlefield” has been online for six days on iQIYI, with a box office gross of only 596,000 yuan, ranking at the bottom among the 14 online films released during the National Day holiday. Industry analysts predict that at this rate, the film’s final box office gross surpassing 2 million could be a challenge, rendering the nearly 30 million production cost nearly unrecoverable.
Chinese self-media outlet “Entertainment Thirteen Guardians” analyzed the dismal situation of the Chinese National Day holiday box office and commented on the recent works of William Chan, who has transitioned from being enthusiastic about Chinese variety shows and livestreamed sales to starring in lackluster productions like “Burning Passion”, “Chasing the Dragon Side Story”, “Loop”, and many others, noting that “today’s William Chan has entirely degenerated into a money-making symbol”.