China-Made Movies Flop in Hong Kong as Local Film Industry Makes Comeback

Commentators: Hongkongers do not buy propaganda brainwashing

On the first day of the lunar Chinese New Year, two major mainland Chinese blockbusters, the historical drama Full River Red and the sci-fi action movie The Wandering Earth 2 by Frant Gwo, an award-winning director, received extraordinary box office in China. However, both China-made films flopped at the Hong Kong box office. Photo of a local movie office. Oct. 28, 2021. (Adrian Yu/The Epoch Times)

On the first day of the lunar Chinese New Year of 2023, two major mainland Chinese blockbusters, the historical drama “Full River Red” and the sci-fi action movie “The Wandering Earth 2,” received extraordinary box office revenues in China. However, both China-made films flopped at the Hong Kong box office. Meanwhile, viewership for made-in-Hong-Kong films has soared.

Since the 2019 Hong Kong Anti-extradition movement, Hongkongers have been repulsed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and things from the mainland. Film and television professionals indicated that Hongkongers are less than impressed with Beijing’s propaganda movies.

Political commentators said the CCP deliberately distorts Chinese history. They believe that movies released on the first day of the Chinese New Year indicate that the film is politically acceptable to the regime.

Wandering Earth 2

Wandering Earth 2 has been touted by CCP state media, leading to China’s box office result of more than 4.3 billion yuan (approximately $625 million).

However, when the film was released in Hong Kong, it only received HK$320,000 ($40,700) on opening day, and the cumulative box office was only HK$550,000 ($70,100) after two days.

The story tells of humans who built machines to push earth to a new solar system. But the universe is dangerous, and young people must step forward to save the planet for human survival.

Wandering Earth 2 stirs up controversy due to the plot’s propaganda outlines, from how the CCP saves China to how the CCP saves the world and even the universe.

Even though Hong Kong pop singer and actor Andy Lau Tak-Wah leads in Wandering Earth 2, it failed to attract viewers in Hong Kong.

Full River Red

Another patriotic film, Full River Red, pays tribute to Yue Fei, a well-known national hero from the Northern Song Dynasty but distorts the ancient ethics of loyalty to the emperor and China into patriotism and loyalty to the CCP.

On the first day of its release in mainland China, Full River Red’s box office exceeded 300 million yuan ($43 million) and shot up to 800 million yuan ($116 million) in two days.

It also surpassed Wandering Earth 2, becoming the biggest box office success during the Chinese New Year.

Unsurprisingly, the film barely made much noise on its release in Hong Kong on Feb 4. Revenue for the movie in Hong Kong was just HK$53,000 ($6,750) after the first three days.

Mainland Chinese media speculated and discussed online why the two films flopped in Hong Kong.

Netizens commented, “The biggest reasons are cultural gaps and political factors.”

“Culturally, Hong Kong and China are completely the opposite.”

“No one will watch these CCP-appeasing movies in Hong Kong.”

Hong Kong movies focus on reflecting and advocating the truth. Hongkongers do not watch a new film based on political factors.

Meanwhile, mainland Chinese netizens echoed that the core values of civilization and freedom between China and Hong Kong are entirely different.

“The values are completely different. The definition of civilization and freedom is also different.” One mainland netizen wrote.

Impossible to Impress Hongkongers with Propaganda

Alen Xiao, a British Chinese studying in Hong Kong, told The Epoch Times that he would unlikely see the two mainland megahit movies.

After reading online comments, Xiao said he roughly grasped the two movies’ plots.

“Full River Red uses comedy and suspense to promote nationalism, while The Wandering Earth 2 shows great progress in technological advancement in China. However, the annotation is still the same—promotion of political propaganda of the CCP.”

Xiao believes it is difficult to move Hongkongers with the regime’s ideology.

Political Influence

Xiao pointed out that while the propaganda of nationalism is not pleasing to the Hong Kong audience, the CCP has been using apt to brainwash the mainland Chinese.

The CCP regularly distorts the meaning of loyalty to its own needs, the need to educate patriotism for the party and the country.

In ancient China, it was believed that man should fear god. But in today’s China, the CCP not only wipes out the divinity from traditional Chinese culture but also selectively references the theories of benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and faith practiced in Confucianism.

Hence most mainland Chinese have been accustomed to a highly paranoid nationalist state under the influence of atheism.

“Hongkongers were never educated or brainwashed in that way. So they will not watch a movie that preaches ”patriotism to the communists,” Xiao explained.

Revival of Hong Kong Film Industry

Locally-produced dark comedy “A Guilty Conscience” has been hugely successful in Hong Kong. According to the film’s official Facebook page, it earned over HK$90 million ($11.5 million) at the box office after 23 days of showings as of Feb 12.

A Guilty Conscience surrounds a civilian lawyer, played by actor and comedian Dayo Wong, who seeks justice for the powerless and poor everyday people.

On Feb. 4, Film critic Fong Kit pointed out that the subject of fighting against evil, regime, or authoritarianism is always well received. Especially in today’s social climate, A Guilty Conscience arouses the audienceof frustration or hope for possibilities and offers them an outlet to vent.

Hong Kong film producer and director Leslie Albert Ho Chun-yee told The Epoch Times that he has no interest whatsoever in watching Full River Red or Wandering Earth 2. “As soon as you see the two movie posters and the names, you can guess what the movies are about. Full River Red gives the impression of let’s ”praise the motherland“ and ”the Communist Party.“ The other movie, ”The Wandering Earth 2,“ is the same.”

“Generally, Hongkongers tend to watch movies based on who directs or acts in a film.”

He also said that it is a common fact that there are many taboos when shooting films in China with restricted topics.

Barrister: Beijing Distorts Chinese history

Johnny Fok Ka-chi, barrister and former member of the People’s Power, stated that the flop of Full River Red’s box office in Hong Kong is expected and unsurprising.

Fok said it had long been a common phenomenon, even before 2014. “Hongkongers resist mainland Chinese movies manipulated by Beijing or those with political or propaganda means.”

For a while, Hongkongers have almost all boycotted co-produced Chinese movies in Hong Kong.

Fok also pointed out the film is based on issues that Hongkongers do not care about. “It is not a big Hollywood movie, so how can you expect it to sell well?”

“Although Hong Kong and China have some common customs, when it comes to historical views, Beijing always intentionally distorts China’s history. Every movie has China as the primary subject. Hongkongers will never recognize this sort of movie concept.”