The action-packed thriller Cruel War (2024) is an expansive work of environmental crises, corporate intrigue, and the endless battle between good and evil. The plot of the film unfolds in an opportune way, covering the themes of climate change and the development of technics, as one of the conflict parties is the future of humanity, which is endangered by genes editing and the natural catastrophic events. The characters, particularly Lin Xiang and Yan Xin are richly detailed with both complexities of love, duty and hope and give the characters an emotional stake to the drama, which is filled with intense plot development. The fact that they are going through their personal troubles in the midst of chaos transforms the story to not just action but a touching journey in a journey of achieving salvation and justice.
The film is visually awe-inspiring, as the idea of nature disasters and the futuristic biotech research facilities is contrasted with the devastating influence of the elements and the bright prospects of scientific progress. The action scenes are properly choreographed and adrenaline-charging, with natural disaster scenes and covert operations increasing the tension. The music increases the emotional and suspenseful scenes, and filming is done to show the splenic landscapes of Southeast Asia and the low-end underworld of the drug trade to bring the audience into the world where everything is on the verge of falling out of control.
Although the movie has captivating visual effects and narratives, it is at times plagued by the presence of a meandered storyline wherein it attempts to combine numerous plots- environmental destruction, business espionage and revenge missions and the movie and thus, it can lose its impact. Certain lines are too expository and some roles should be fleshed out. The message behind it all seemed to be the most emotional to me, the idea of hope, how the seeds of wisdom, creativity and strength can grow even under the most dark and unpleasant circumstances. Cruel War finally leaves a lasting impression on how people go through these hard times in the world and how good can be successful in spite of the insurmountable odds.
