Fallen City
2011 1h 32m movie Film China

Fallen City

“High-concept idea in the drama seemingly inspired by the tragedy of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.”

Synopsis

“High-concept idea in the drama seemingly inspired by the tragedy of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.”

Shubei town, southeast China, the present day. Five years after he fled with RMB 800,000 from a bank robbery, Liu Chuan returns incognito to the town. Policeman Wang Laoshi, who was on duty at the time of the robbery and was demoted for letting Liu escape, is working in the same district police station to which he was transferred after the robbery and still keeps an eye on Liu. By chance, Liu stays in some small lodgings in Wang's district where Qin Xiaosong, a psychology graduate who's run away from her domineering parents, is staying. Next day, Wang spots Liu in the street and gives chase, finally handcuffing him in a deserted warehouse. At that moment, the town is devastated by an earthquake and the building collapses. Wang is knocked unconscious and Liu steals his uniform. After rescuing Qin, Liu finds himself roped into saving other townspeople and becomes a hero in the locals' eyes. Meanwhile, Wang recovers and sets out to hunt down Liu.

The 2010–2012 China Window

98 China films released in this three-year window, ranked here by audience rating. Fallen City sits at position #44.

  1. The Legend of Luo Xiaohei
    #1

    The Legend of Luo Xiaohei

    ★ 9.3 · 2011

  2. A Bite of China
    #2

    A Bite of China

    ★ 8.9 · 2012

  3. Empresses in the Palace
    #3

    Empresses in the Palace

    ★ 8.5 · 2011

  4. Samsara
    #4

    Samsara

    ★ 8.1 · 2011

  5. Let the Bullets Fly
    #5

    Let the Bullets Fly

    ★ 7.7 · 2010

  6. Under the Hawthorn Tree
    #6

    Under the Hawthorn Tree

    ★ 7.7 · 2010

  7. First Time
    #7

    First Time

    ★ 7.7 · 2012

  8. Ocean Heaven
    #8

    Ocean Heaven

    ★ 7.6 · 2010

Other Titles From Beijing Gallop Horse Film & TV Production

The 2010s China Landscape

Catalog density by release year in the 2010s. Highlighted year (yellow) is when Fallen City premiered. 515 total titles in this decade from China.

'1028'1140'1230'1326'1437'1544'1662'1785'1877'1986

Reception Benchmarks

6.4
TMDB Rating
17
Audience Reviews
Well Received
Critical Tier

Ranked #598 of 946 China films indexed here (37th percentile by TMDB audience score).

Rating is -0.3 points below the China average of 6.7/10.

Among China Action productions specifically: #184 of 319 (top 58%).

Production Details

Primary Country China
Original Language Chinese
Production Companies Beijing Gallop Horse Film & TV Production, Chang Ying Group
Runtime 1h 32m
Release Date May 9, 2011
IMDb tt2835556

Themes & Motifs

  • robbery
  • earthquake
  • criminal past
  • rural area
  • sichuan

External Catalogs