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Cliff Walkers

Play trailer 1:44 Poster for Cliff Walkers 2021 2h 0m Mystery & Thriller Adventure Action Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 51 Reviews 72% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Based on the script by Quan Yongxian, CLIFF WALKERS is director Zhang Yimou's first foray into the spy genre. Set the puppet state of Manchukuo in the 1930s, the film follows four Communist party special agents who return to China after receiving training in the Soviet Union. Together, they embark on a secret mission code-named "Utrennya." After being sold out by a traitor, the team find themselves surrounded by threats on all sides from the moment they parachute into the mission. Will the agents break the impasse and complete their mission? On the snowy grounds of Manchukuo, the team will be tested to their limit.
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Cliff Walkers

Cliff Walkers

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Critics Consensus

Stylish and exciting, Cliff Walkers sees director Zhang Yimou trying his hand at the spy thriller genre with generally impressive results.

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Critics Reviews

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Bob Mondello NPR May 14, 2021
Zhang, celebrated for both masterworks (Raise the Red Lantern), and pop hits (House of Flying Daggers), can't seem to make a film that isn't visually exquisite. Go to Full Review Tim Cogshell FilmWeek (LAist) May 13, 2021
The action scenes are thrilling, but this is big, big, big melodrama!... It is an interesting history, a little bit of which comes to the fore in this film. Go to Full Review David Ehrlich IndieWire May 12, 2021
C
While there are some riches to be found under the surface for anyone who feels like watching this with a flow chart, Zhang is so clearly seduced by the spell of his own movie magic that everything else feels like an inadvertent side effect. Go to Full Review Carla Monfort Espinof Nov 23, 2022
3/5
Albeit confusing at times, Cliff Walkers is an interesting historical spy thriller that shines for its visuals. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Ricardo Rosado Fotogramas Nov 18, 2022
3/5
The filmmaker's visual magnetism and the elegance he bestows upon two hours of propaganda for The People's Republic of China, turns this into an irresistible collection of images that beget us to surrender to his genius... [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Elsa Fernández-Santos El Pais (Spain) Nov 18, 2022
Despite being confusing at times, it is a hard and violent film where the intimate stories of its four kamikazes blossom through action and bloodshed. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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JW May 17, 2021 Entertaining. Good action scene. Story too drawn out See more Johnny May 14, 2021 Amazing movie, incredible performances and a fantastic story and production, one of the best movies I've seen in a long time! See more stefiam May 6, 2021 Beautifully shot. Great performances. Impossible to follow. See more Casey May 3, 2021 Great movie! Nice snow scenes of Harbin, China. I kept worrying about the 4 main characters for two hours.... Director Zhang is really good at telling stories! See more yakov kolontarov May 3, 2021 Loved that that I will make a movie like that one. One day See more Google May 3, 2021 I like it very much. Hope to see more Chinese movies. See more Read all reviews
Cliff Walkers

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Cast & Crew

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Yimou Zhang

Director

Yi Zhang

Zhang Xianchen

Hewei Yu

Zhou Yi

Qin Hailu

Wang Yu

Haocun Liu

Xiao Lan

Yawen Zhu

Chu Liang

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Cliff Walkers

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Cliff Walkers

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Movie Info

Synopsis Based on the script by Quan Yongxian, CLIFF WALKERS is director Zhang Yimou's first foray into the spy genre. Set the puppet state of Manchukuo in the 1930s, the film follows four Communist party special agents who return to China after receiving training in the Soviet Union. Together, they embark on a secret mission code-named "Utrennya." After being sold out by a traitor, the team find themselves surrounded by threats on all sides from the moment they parachute into the mission. Will the agents break the impasse and complete their mission? On the snowy grounds of Manchukuo, the team will be tested to their limit.
Director
Yimou Zhang
Screenwriter
Yongxian Quan, Yimou Zhang
Distributor
CMC Pictures
Production Co
China Film, Emperor Motion Pictures
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Adventure, Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language
Chinese
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 30, 2021, Limited
Runtime
2h 0m
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