Kekexili - La patrouille sauvage

A true story that shook the Chinese public and helped save an endangered species, based on the experiences of the unofficial Mountain Patrol between 1993 and 1996, brought to the screen in a raw and incredibly powerful form. The result is an acted reconstruction in almost pseudo-documentary style. The breathtaking exteriors with the mountains of the Kekexili region rolling away into the distance are both harsh and unutterably marvelous at the same time. But still, this is a picture mainly about people and their harsh struggle with the inhospitable landscape, who sacrifice not just their personal lives, but also their lives themselves to their work. Although the whole picture is powerful in itself, it is primarily the scene with the quicksand that leaves the viewer breathless and lingers long afterward in his memory. Kekexili, aka Mountain Patrol, is one of the best movies to have come out of China (not just) in recent years. (03/02/2007)