The Battle at Lake Changjin
| The Battle at Lake Changjin | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Traditional Chinese | 長津湖 |
| Simplified Chinese | 长津湖 |
| Literal meaning | Changjin Lake |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Chángjīn hú |
| Directed by | Chen Kaige Tsui Hark Dante Lam |
| Written by | Lan Xiaolong Huang Jianxin |
| Produced by | Huang Jianxin Chen Kaige Tsui Hark Dante Lam |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Pan Luo Peter Pau |
| Edited by | Tsui Hark Li Dianshi He Yongyi |
| Music by | Elliot Leung Zhiyi Wang |
Production companies | Bona Film Group Limited August First Film Studio Beijing Dengfeng International Culture Communications Company Alibaba Pictures China Film Group Corporation Huaxia Film Distribution Shanghai Film Group |
| Distributed by | Distribution Workshop CMC Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 178 minutes |
| Country | China |
| Languages | Mandarin English |
| Budget | US$200 million |
| Box office | CN¥5.77 billion (US$913 million) |
The Battle at Lake Changjin (Chinese: 长津湖) is a 2021 Chinese war drama film co-produced and co-directed by Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam, written by Lan Xiaolong and Huang Jianxin, and starring Wu Jing and Jackson Yee. It was commissioned by the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party as part of the Party's 100th anniversary celebrations. The film depicts the story of the North Korea-allied Chinese People's Volunteer Army, forcing U.S. forces to withdraw in a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.
The Battle at Lake Changjin is the most expensive film ever produced in China, with a budget of $200 million. The film grossed $913 million at the worldwide box office, making it the second-highest-grossing film of 2021. It surpassed Wolf Warrior 2, becoming the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time and the highest-grossing non-English film. On 5 February 2025, The Battle at Lake Changjin was surpassed by Ne Zha 2, which became the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time, the highest-grossing non-English film, and the highest-grossing film in a single market. A sequel to the film, The Battle at Lake Changjin II, was released on 1 February 2022.
The film's depiction of the battle has been described as containing historical inaccuracies and has garnered controversy in some countries, including South Korea. The film has also been described as propaganda.