How China’s military movie misfires highlight ideological battle

In the run-up to its release, Sky Hunter was hyped as a potential landmark for Chinese cinema – it was either China’s Top Gun, the next Wolf Warrior 2 , or an on-screen celebration of the high-profile romance between two of the country’s A-list stars.

But the film’s commercial performance lagged way behind competitors during the National Day holidays – when overtly patriotic films usually flourish.

Sky Hunter, which opens in Hong Kong on October 19, has stumbled and stuttered since hitting China’s screens on September 30. It has taken just under 270 million yuan (US$41 million) during the past two weeks, and ranks fifth among films released during the lucrative Golden Week window, losing out to a body-swap farce (Never Say Die), a Jackie Chan thriller (The Foreigner), a Hong Kong-set gangster flick ( Chasing the Dragon ) and a comedy about young small-town musicians (City of Rock).

With his directorial debut slammed by critics and fans across China’s online movie portals, Li Chen – who also starred in the film alongside his real-life paramour Fan Bingbing – may struggle to establish a behind-the-camera career any time soon.

While Li and producer Lu Jianmin have taken a hit – Lu had predicted the film would earn 1.5 billion yuan in Chinese cineplexes – so have the military propaganda chiefs who hatched the idea with the producer. According to reports, Sky Hunter was born out of a discussion between Lu and the leaders of the Chinese air force’s promotional bureau. The production was dependent on the help of the authorities, who gave Li and his crew access to the country’s most advanced fighter jets.