Promotional material for film Warriors of Future, China's hard sci-fi mech movie has hit the big screen on August 5,2022. Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Hanrui

Just hit the big screen on August 5, film Warriors of Future is being marketed as China's first hard sci-fi mech movie with its discussion over climate change, pollution, and the future of human beings.

From the recently released animated film Rainbow Sea Fly High to the domestic hit Mozart from Space, which explores the relationship between music and the universe, Chinese directors have been focusing their lens on discussions about futuristic worlds.

"I wish more young people showed their interest in producing more high-quality sci-fi movies after watching this,"said Louis Koo, who produced the multi-million-dollar Hong Kong sci-fi action movie Warriors of Future.

"I'd say we have to be bald in our attempts, especially at a moment when China is  still at an early stage of sci-fi movie production. But now I think we've kicked off the door leading to this area and for other young men, I suggest insisting and lingering on this path no matter how hard it is to make one sci-fi movie successful," said Koo who spent 6 years to produce this movie with his team.

The story is set in a future time when human beings are paying the price for years of environmental destruction. One day, a meteorite hits the Earth, bringing with it the extremely lethal alien plant known as Pandora, which starts to devour all it encounters and to endanger life on Earth. The two main characters Tai Lai and Zheng Chongsheng must lead a mech team to defend Earth from Pandora. Yet a mysterious conspiracy may hinder their efforts. 

Promotional material for film Warriors of Future, China's hard sci-fi mech movie has hit the big screen on August 5,2022. Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Hanrui

Hardcore Chinese romance

In the trailer released on social media, futuristic mechs named after mythological figures such as Xingtian and Qiongqi captured the viewers' attention, an ingenious combination of Chinese traditional culture and futuristic technological world. 

The mech names originated from the ancient book The Classic of Mountains and Seas, a treasure trove of information about mythical figures, rituals and natural history.

According to myth, the deity Xingtian lost his head in battle. Not willing to give up, he uses his nipples as eyes and his bellybutton as a mouth to continue to fight with a shield in one hand and a battle axe in the other.

The movie also names a mech after Qiongqi, a mythical demonic beast. The beast was said to have been exiled by the Emperor Shun for disregarding faith and loyalty. It was described as looking like a tiger with a pair of wings.

Being in an environment where the end of world is drawing close, the protagonists work together to resolve the crisis and the national cultural connotation can be seen from their names: Tailai, Chongsheng, and Panpan (namely Peace, Rebirth, and Expectation). The movie is driven by a core  theme: finding hope in despair. 

The movie also talks about human beings' scientific exploration and technological progress, their awe towards nature and their worries and hopes for the future. 

The story sets its background in the environmental deterioration of a bleakfuture world that aims to spark a reflection upon contemporary environmental issues.

The movie studio worked with the special effects team that was behind the Chinese sci-fi blockbuster Wandering Earth. According to reports, the film's budget is $HK 450 million ($58 million). 

Directed by Hong Kong visual effects artist Ng Yuen, the movie stars Louis Koo, Sean Lau and Carina Lau.

A rare example of its genre, Warriors of Future currently ranks second on the Highest Anticipated Movies list on Chinese movie ticketing platform Taopiaopiao. 

Global Times