Aftershocks (Tangshan dadizhen) poster & wallpaper
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Xu Fan, Jingchu Zhang, Chen Li, Chen Daoming, Daoming Chen ... see more see more... , Yi Lu , Jin Chen , Fan Xu

Two natural disasters frame a story of a mother, her children and a painful decision that scars them forever in this grand-scale drama from China. In 1976, Li Yuanni (Xu Fan) is living in the city of ... read more read more...Tangshan with her two children, seven year old twins Fang Da and Fang Deng. The family's life is simple but full of joy until a massive earthquake levels the city and leaves a swath of destruction in its wake. Amidst the wreckage, Li Yuanni discovers both Fang Da and Fang Deng are caught under a concrete slab, and if enough is broken to rescue one of the children, it would tip the balance and crush the other. Li Yuanni is asked which child should be saved, and she impulsively answers her son Fang Da. The boy is rescued, but the effort costs him his arm; meanwhile, the daughter Fang Deng is left for dead but miraculously survives, and is eventually adopted by another family without Li Yuanni's knowledge. The mother is forced to live with the shame of her decision, Fang Da grows to be a physically and emotionally broken man, and Fang Deng studies medicine, starts a family on her own and leaves China for Canada. It's not until 2008 that the story of the mother and the daughter she lost comes full circle in the wake of another earthquake in Sichuan. A massive commercial success in China, Tang Shan Da Di Zhen (aka Aftershock) made its North American debut at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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86% liked it

4,352 ratings

Critics

90% liked it

10 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 8 min.

Directed by: Xiaogang Feng

Release Date: October 29, 2010

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DVD Release Date: December 27, 2010

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Flixster Reviews (270)

  • 3niR
    January 25, 2012
    3niR
    A really heart breaking movie. Performance of each character was really good. Made me sad to tell you the truth.
  • imrealgod
    September 17, 2011
    imrealgod
    Tángsh?n Dàdìzhèn (aka "Aftershock" or "Aftershocks"), dedicated to 240,000 victims of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, claims to commemorate the rebirth and restoration of Tangshan. Now if only (presumably) good intentions were quite enough to make a good movie... Aftershock has a ... read morescript that's not just been-there-seen-it-all one, but also a bit too messy. The movie works neither on personal account of any of the individual characters nor as a whole. Despite being stuffed with heavily emotional sequences, it failed to make me feel sympathetic enough to care for any of the characters, let alone bring a lump in my throat or shed a tear. With all due respect for the victims of the earthquake, this emotional drama (not a docu-drama) doesn't do justice to a movie-viewer. The actors seem competitive, but they could have succeeded in saving the shaky script only that far.


    I don't find "Tángsh?n Dàdìzhèn" recommendable enough, but being aware of my taste (which happens to fall in minority more often than not) I won't be shocked if you do. To start with, just look at the critical response it has received. It's not awful; it's just that it fell short of my expectations.
  • Alireza64ir
    December 13, 2010
    Alireza64ir
    It's surprising that still in the year 2010 some directors use some poor and out dated ideas for making a movie.Aftershocks, Despite of its expensive look is a sentimental trash.
  • chihoe
    September 19, 2010
    chihoe
    What a tearjerker! I watched it at TIFF and you could hear sniffles in the huge theatre throughout the movie. Centering around the Tangshan Earthquake, a family of four is torn apart changing their lives forever. The simulated earthquake scenes were very realistic and heartbreaki... read moreng, and the emotions from the aftershock is performed brilliantly by the cast. Chinese nationalistic and family values are essentially captured by the country's and the survivors' responses. There is an obvious weak link which I will not get into but this movie moves you and I bet you will need a tissue with you.
  • DocHalister
    December 15, 2011
    DocHalister
    This movie starts out well but goes on way too long, with excessive intended tear-wringing. Looking over some reviews by the femmes I see they're applauding it precisely to the degree it made them repeatedly sob. But I'm a man's man type. Sure, I can work up some tears now and ... read moreagain for a movie but my tear ducts just don't flow rivers...in fact I get downright impatient when filmmakers keep trying to work them...
  • muveekween
    March 17, 2012
    muveekween
    Very touching movie. Great cinematography and good acting. I would watch this again even though it is sad but is a very well made movie.

View All Aftershocks (Tangshan dadizhen) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Mike Hale
November 4, 2010
Mike Hale, New York Times

The film may be a blunt instrument, but it's rarely maudlin -- the exception being the performance of Mr. Feng's wife, Fan Xu, as the long-suffering mother -- and is, on occasion, quite moving. Full Review

Gary Goldstein
October 28, 2010
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times

[An] involving, well-acted saga of a family torn apart by a devastating earthquake... Full Review

Simon Kinnear
December 1, 2010
Simon Kinnear, Total Film

Mimics the worst of Hollywood's excesses, pairing gratuitous shock with patriotism and a flood of tear-jerking moments calculated for awards bodies' consideration. Full Review

Henry Fitzherbert
November 12, 2010
Henry Fitzherbert, Daily Express

Aftershock is a gruelling and sombre watch, occasionally over-wrought and melodramatic, yet an absorbing and thought-provoking insight into the consequences of human catastrophe. Full Review

Christopher Tookey
November 11, 2010
Christopher Tookey, Daily Mail [UK]

It's schlock, but on such a grand scale that it's quite fun to allow yourself to be carried along on its tsunami of emotion. Full Review

Peter Bradshaw
November 11, 2010
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]

There's no doubt about it: this film's an unashamed heart-wringer and a tear-jerker, but it packs an almighty punch and the CGI work at the very beginning, as Tangshan crumbles into nothingness, is im... Full Review

David Jenkins
November 10, 2010
David Jenkins, Time Out

Perfect hokum for those who don't mind having their heart strings strummed like a banjo. Full Review

Louis Proyect
November 9, 2010
Louis Proyect, rec.arts.movies.reviews

A very old-fashioned but stirring movie about family values, but not in the debased sense found on the Republican Party right. A gateway into the tastes and values of Chinese society unlike the typica... Full Review

Clay Cane
November 8, 2010
Clay Cane, BET.com

With nuanced performances, each moment rips with cinematic humanity. Full Review

Sean Axmaker
October 18, 2010
Sean Axmaker, Parallax View

... a crowd pleaser to be sure, but a respectful one. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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