Wolf Warriors (2015)

1 hour 30 minutes of awful CGI and sweaty ass leng feng

Okay so I wrote the original review for this and that's in quotes and the rest is an analysis of what I am saying and wolf warrior diplomacy. If you are not my IR teacher, the movie sucked, and don't waste your time, if you are, keep reading. 6/10.

Through its chaotic narrative and heavy-handed portrayal of nationalism, Wolf Warrior serves as a cinematic reflection of "Wolf Warrior Diplomacy," China’s assertive and often combative approach to international relations. YAY IR!

I think that Wolf Warrior Diplomacy reflects China's increasingly aggressive stance in international relations, like said previously, shifting from a hide your strength, bide your time shit to one that unapologetically asserts China's interests. This combative diplomatic style became very prominent after this shity-ass movie., hence the name Wolf Warrior Diplomacy. This is seen through Leng Feng’s character and the film’s portrayal of Western antagonists and Chinese drug dealers.

"The Westerners just dropped like 6 bodies, holy fuck," really just goes to show how the film portrays Westerners as lawless aggressors who really just fight to fight, positioning them as stark antagonists to Chinese protagonists (even though Leng was also dropping bodies). The choice aligns perfectly with Wolf Warrior Diplomacy’s strategy, portraying China as a moral or better authority protecting its people from foreign threats while challenging Western dominance (which they didn't really do in the movie, but this is what they were trying to get at).

Do it for your country (patriotism and the sacrifice trope): The film’s constant reinforcement of patriotism, I fight for China" stickers, heavy use of "traitors will damn their ancestors," and Leng Feng’s courage, really align with the ideology that Wolf Warrior Diplomacy promotes: unwavering loyalty to China. Despite there the fact there is "no plot, just bad CGI and Leng Feng fucking sweating" and I think this constant "sweating" because that's all he even does, emphasizes the physical and emotional sacrifice tied to Chinese patriotism in Wolf Warrior. Leng Feng’s heroic willingness to endure any hardship for his country mirrors the message that Wolf Warrior Diplomacy wants to send, China will go to great lengths to protect its interests and citizens, regardless of the cost.

Power: I think the film highlights advanced technology and exaggerated battle scenes, "Very aggressive, shooting up the drug place," with Leng Feng and others using a "sniper," and "some of the worst battle scenes," and "a rocket launcher on the boat," intending to highlight China’s military might but in the end just showing how bad their CGI is. Through this portrayal, Wolf Warrior aims to solidify China’s image as a formidable power, just as Wolf Warrior Diplomacy seeks to assert China's technological and military advancements on the global stage.

Gender and heroism: "The women are in charge and not on the battlefield," suggesting that the film might be attempting to subtly support China’s traditional gender roles, positioning men like Leng Feng as rugged protectors and women as reserved, contributing in supportive roles and shitty ass love interests that only love leng when he steps on a landmine. Although this choice is more subtle, it feeds into the film’s underlying theme of loyalty and sacrifice, with men like Leng Feng enduring personal trauma, as seen when he “carries his fallen comrade in the rain like a badass.”

Western villains and Chinese virtue: The movie’s cartoonish portrayal of Westerners as unscrupulous drug dealers and antagonists serves to further enforce the Wolf Warrior Diplomacy narrative, painting China as a victim of Western interference and aggression. The demonization of the West and the glorification of Chinese courage serve to rally patriotic sentiment, both within China and among its global allies.

In conclusion, Wolf Warrior is a cinematic extension of Wolf Warrior Diplomacy, playing out China's diplomatic assertiveness through Leng Feng’s unwavering loyalty, the starkly portrayed Western villains, and the message that China will always defend its own. For viewers, this blend of nationalism, anti-Western sentiment, and gritty action encapsulates the ideological shift that Wolf Warrior Diplomacy represents, even if the film itself is lowkey bogged down by the "no plot, just bad CGI." This style aims not only to entertain but also to inspire a sense of national pride, through a sweat-soaked, action-heavy spectacle that was so terrible that I will never get that 1 hour and 30 minutes back. Do not watch this shit. Okay bye!

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