In mainland China’s film history, director Chen Sicheng, the first director whose box office exceeded 10 billion yuan (RMB), unveiled his latest big-budget film “Decryption” on August 3. However, despite the anticipation, the box office reception has been less than ideal. Starting from 40.86 million on the first day, it dropped to just over 15 million by the third day. Including the preview screenings from the previous week, the total box office earnings of the film have not yet reached 190 million, significantly below market expectations. It is estimated that the film is facing a potential loss of at least 300 million yuan.
“Decryption” was shot entirely with IMAX special effects and is set in the 1940s, following the story of Rong Jinzhen, a mathematical genius with autism, who is recruited by a secret spy agency to become a code breaker.
Dubbed as “Chen Sicheng’s 10-year Masterpiece”, the film marks the reunion of Chen Sicheng with actor Liu Haoran, who first collaborated in “Beijing Love Story” a decade ago when Liu was still a student. This time, “Decryption” represents Chen Sicheng’s first venture into adapting a weighty subject matter for the silver screen.
Given Rong Jinzhen’s ability to crack complex codes as a teenage genius, the original material contained many surreal elements. The movie translates these elements into ten dream sequences of Rong Jinzhen, filled with spectacular imagery such as golden reeds swaying, shimmering ferris wheel, massive oceanic figures, deep sea whirlpools, large computers, and abstract egg-shaped beings, all creating a visually stunning impact and categorizing “Decryption” as a visual effects extravaganza.
The storytelling technique of “Decryption” interweaves the timelines between reality and dream sequences. The film is often compared to the works of British genius director Christopher Nolan, known for the intricate narrative, mind-bending plotlines, and stunning visuals in films like “Oppenheimer”, which won several Oscars last year. With such similarities, discussions have arisen about whether Chen Sicheng is emulating Nolan’s style in “Decryption”.
Featuring renowned actors such as Chen Daoming, Daniel Wu, and Yu Feihong, the nearly two and a half-hour film is the longest release of this summer. With an investment of 500 million yuan over a decade in the making, investors aimed to establish it as the pinnacle of the Chinese industrial film sector, targeting a box office revenue of 3.5 billion yuan.
The film released its trailer on July 3, followed by the official premiere on August 3. With a rating of 6.9 on Douban, dropping by 0.1 on the third day of release, audience responses have been divergent. Some viewers praise the film’s visuals, with some even revisiting the IMAX version, lauding its narrative pace, character development, and especially the special effects quality. However, others criticize the film for its perceived lack of substance in narrative, clichéd plot design, overly prolonged and tedious storytelling, concluding it as “visually stunning but narratively sluggish”.
Moreover, the actors’ performances have sparked controversy, particularly Liu Haoran, a poster boy for good looks known for his “ugly” portrayal in the film, became a hot topic among netizens. Some viewers appreciate Liu Haoran’s willingness to challenge himself and sacrifice his image for the role, while others argue that his appearance not only clashes with the character’s setup but also disrupts the overall aesthetic of the film.
Most notably, the film’s box office performance has been on a decline. Initial numbers already surprised many with only 40.86 million on the opening day, further plummeting to 15 million on the third day, painting a bleak picture for the film. In contrast, “Claw Machine”, starring Shen Teng and Ma Li, managed to achieve nearly 80 million in ticket sales after 19 days of screening. Consequently, “Maoyan”, a ticketing platform, has revised the projected total box office revenue for “Decryption” from 768 million down to 500 million.
According to a report by “Tencent”, with an investment of 500 million yuan, the film would require at least 1.5 billion in ticket revenue to break even. However, current trends suggest that the film is unlikely to surpass 477 million, much less reach the break-even point of 1.5 billion. Should the final box office earnings exceed 500 million, even excluding marketing costs, “Decryption” is estimated to face a loss exceeding 300 million yuan. If that becomes reality, the film will join the ranks alongside Jackie Chan’s “The Myth” as one of this year’s mainland China’s biggest box office disasters.