Graphic China movie 'Dead To Rights', depicting 1937 Nanjing Massacre by Japanese troops, opening in S'pore on Aug. 28

A historical war thriller depicting the 1937 Nanjing Massacre by Japanese troops has hit the top of China's summer movie box office.

The made-in-China movie, "Dead To Rights", was released in 2025, which marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The movie opens in Singapore cinemas on Aug. 28.

It has been released in North America earlier in August.

Box office hit in China

After it was released on Jul. 25, it grossed 2.6 billion yuan (S$470 million) in three weeks.

Directed by Shen Ao, it is the first summer release to hit the 2-billion-yuan mark and looks set to finish as the top three highest earners overall in China this year.

What movie is about

The movie tells the story of a group of Chinese civilians who seek refuge in a photography studio during the brutal occupation of Nanjing by Japanese aggressors in 1937.

The capital of the Republic of China under the Nationalist government fell and came under Japanese control.

In a desperate bid for survival, they are compelled to assist a Japanese military photographer by developing film.

They then discover that the negatives contain evidence of atrocities committed by Japanese forces across the city.

They secretly keep possession of the negatives and risk their lives to smuggle them to the outside world to expose the truth.

The movie draws on verified photographic evidence of Japanese wartime atrocities.

It features graphic scenes of Japanese soldiers shooting and hacking down large numbers of Chinese civilians.

Other depictions of atrocities include beheadings, mass drownings, and the throwing of infants to the ground.

Many of these scenes can be seen in the trailer of the movie.

Could set off anti-Japanese sentiments

The movie has won widespread critical and audience acclaim, with director Feng Xiaoning hailing it as "a new high point for Chinese cinema", and the film receiving a rating of 8.7 out of 10 on review platform Douban.

The movie-making magic that China now conjures subsequently saw tourists flocking to the Shanghai set where it was filmed.

In late July, the 25,000 sq m site in Shanghai opened to the public.

It features recreated historical buildings of Nanjing.

Many families have visited and taken commemorative photos.

A woman, 38, who took her daughter, aged nine, to the set, said "the tragic history of China must not be forgotten".

However, a Shanghai man in his 60s reportedly said children “should not be educated to hold a grudge against a foreign country”.

According to Kyodo News, a Japanese news outlet, the film has raised concerns that it could fuel anti-Japan sentiment.

It reported that many people have praised "Dead To Rights" on social media, with footage of children saying Japan “should never be forgiven” and tearing up cards of Japanese animation characters after seeing the movie go viral.

Similar war-themed movies to be released by China

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng said at the premiere on Aug. 6 that “the 1.4 billion Chinese people will never tolerate any attempt to tamper with the history of WWII, and all the peace-loving people in the world will never accept any move to turn back the wheel of history”, according to the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

China plans to hold a military parade in Tiananmen Square in the capital on Sep. 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of what China calls its victory in the 1937-1945 War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

Similar war-themed movies have been or are set to be released in China in 2025.

Top photos via Dead To Rights