Written by: Mahnoor Fatima
Posted on: October 07, 2019 | 
| 中文
The planet Jupiter
The Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) held a special screening of “The Wandering Earth”, courtesy of the Chinese Embassy of Pakistan. The film was shown as a part of the celebrations for the 70th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This screening also tied in with World Space Week, which, according to the UN General Assembly Resolution of 1999, commemorates the contributions of space science and technology towards the betterment of the human condition.
“The Wandering Earth” is a science fiction space drama, adapted from a 2000 novella by Liu Cixin, a Hugo-award winner, although the film significantly departs from its original material. The film was released in February of this year, and it quickly joined the list of the highest grossing non-English films of all time.
It is set in the year 2061, when the Sun threatens to engulf the Earth, as it transforms into a Red Giant. To counter this eminent threat, the countries of the world merge to form the United Earth Government, and work together to move the earth out of the Solar System using, various “earth engines”, which propel the earth out of the Sun’s gravitational pull. The plot revolves around Liu Qi and his strained relationship with the paternal figures in his life. He must come to terms with his past and his family in order to save the planet, after the earth engines begin to malfunction in Jupiter’s orbit.
An earth engine malfunctioning
“The Wandering Earth” drives home the familiar theme of humanity and human emotions vanquishing cold, scientific rationality in the event of a disaster. But, the film takes time to explain the science behind the plan, however extraordinary it may seem. This is because Director Frant Gwo consulted with actual astronauts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. While the scientific logic may be a little difficult to follow for those not familiar to the genre, its stunning visuals and attention to detail makes “The Wandering Earth” a treat to behold. This film vastly departs from the historical epics that Chinese cinema is most known for. Instead, it takes a more blockbuster film approach, with large action sequences, and a fast pace. Even if the dialogue feels a bit stilted, it still matches the archetype of a Hollywood megahit that one can watch with a side of popcorn.
Qu Chuxiao as Liu Qi
But, one can tell how much Gwo has been inspired by Hollywood sci-fi hits like “The Day After Tomorrow” (2004) or “Armageddon” (1998). Even the artificial intelligence MOSS, with its cold calculating nature, and singular red laser eye, feels like a tribute to Stanley Kubrick’s HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). But, “The Wandering Earth”'s plot departs significantly from its Hollywood counterparts, in the way it imagines catastrophe and technology.
One of the most interesting aspects of “Wandering Earth” is the way it showcases what a future collective government looks like. It is heavily Chinese-centric, which in itself is an interesting contrast to the American-centric films international audiences are so used to seeing. But, one truly understands the global stakes of such a calamity, because the film makes an active effort to combine different languages, spaces and characters together, as scenes unfold. None of the characters relinquish their respective nationalities, but use technology to co-exist, whilst retaining their individual culture and languages. The film shows the audience the true magnitude of disaster that could bring the world together in a consensus, and that is both fascinating and terrifying to conceptualize.
Ng Man-tat as Han Zi'ang
“The Wandering Earth” stands as both an homage to the science fiction genre, and the beginnings of a new trend in Chinese cinema. It will be interesting to see how this film paves the way for new ideas about man’s relationship to space in non-English contexts and ideas. For science fiction fanatics and foreign cinema fans, this incredible feat of Chinese visual effects, and ideas of a fully-realized future, makes this film worth viewing. “The Wandering Earth” can currently be viewed on Netflix.
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