When Hollywood is not being <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-hollywood-values-updates-20170105-htmlstory.html" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">criticised for being a liberal mouthpiece</a>, it is often viewed as a <a href="http://www.e-ir.info/2013/10/20/international-relations-on-screen-hollywoods-history-of-american-foreign-policy/" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">front for American foreign policy</a>. The time-honoured example of this is the <a href="http://onviolence.com/?e=303" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rambo series</a> wherein Sylvester Stallone&rsquo;s invincible super soldier battles America&rsquo;s communist enemies.

The Rambo films were shot against the reheating of the Cold War in the light of the &ldquo;Star Wars&rdquo; Strategic Defense Initiative and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. They were also a reflection of growing American confidence during the Reagan presidency after the pessimism of the post-Vietnam era. But Hollywood is not the only industry guilty of this cinematic jingoism today.

China has found its own Rambo in Leng Feng, the hero of China&rsquo;s latest box office smash, Wolf Warriors 2 (??2). The film has become <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-china-box-office-20170823-story.html">the most successful</a> in the Chinese box office, making more than five billion Yuan (&pound;585m) since its release in late July, in contrast to a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/aug/11/hollywood-summer-blockbuster-films-dark-tower-valerian-get-out">rather tepid year</a> for its American counterpart.

Just as Rambo took on the might of the Soviet empire in the 1980s, Leng &ndash; played by Chinese action superstar, Wu Jing (??), who also directed the film &ndash; battles China&rsquo;s foreign enemies. While strongly Chinese in national sentiment, it follows the path set by its Hollywood predecessors in terms of action and storyline. Also like many Hollywood movies, the film is indicative of the changes in Chinese foreign policy and attitudes today &ndash; just as Rambo had been for the Reaganite policies of the Cold War.

Echoes of Libya

The plot is standard action fare with Leng, a maverick Chinese soldier, going to a fictional African state in the middle of a civil war to rescue Chinese workers and their African comrades &ndash; while also tracking down those who were responsible for his fianc&eacute;e&rsquo;s death. While this appears to be in keeping with the gung-ho US blockbusters of the 1980s, it is called to mind recent events in Africa.

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fkqGiPB2D8M?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440"></iframe></figure>

Near the beginning of the film, Chinese nationals are whisked aboard a People&rsquo;s Liberation Army Navy ship in a scene reminiscent of the <a href="http://thediplomat.com/2011/03/chinas-nimble-libya-pullout/">evacuation of Chinese citizens from Libya</a> during the country&rsquo;s 2011 civil war. Such a move has been cited as a watershed for China&rsquo;s approach to Africa due to the sheer scale of the operation as well as being a break from the more cautious approach of the past.

This change in stance is further augmented when Leng argues with the admiral in charge of the evacuation, who claims that the lack of Chinese intervention is due to the United Nations rather than China&rsquo;s reluctance.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/183312/width754/file-20170824-18706-244c0q.jpg" />
<figcaption>
The anti-Rambo: Frank Grillo as the bad guy. Lionsgate
</figcaption>
</figure>

There is also a parallel with Libya in the fact that the baddies in the film are portrayed as little more than puppets for their nefarious Western advisors, a group of mercenaries led by Big Daddy (Frank Grillo). This has shades of the assistance provided to anti-Gaddafi forces by NATO &ndash; and the claims that the rebels would not have been successful without Western support.

Ties that bind

So Wolf Warriors is both a critique of Western foreign policy and an expression of Sino-African solidarity, ties which stretch back to the period of post-war decolonisation &ndash; when the nascent People&rsquo;s Republic of China provided assistance to numerous independence movements in the continent fighting against exploitation and harsh colonial policies.

Leng&rsquo;s love interest, Rachel Prescott Smith (Celina Jade), alludes to this in a brief respite from the action in a graveyard for Chinese migrants to Africa. While detailing suffering in Africa&rsquo;s past, she refers to the slaves brought to the continent by outsiders. They are not directly named &ndash; but it&rsquo;s obvious that she is talking about the European empires that once ran much of the African continent. This is presented as a counterpoint to the idea that anti-colonialism was a key factor in the development of <a href="https://www.academia.edu/8080014/China_in_Africa_-_Third_World_Solidarity_in_the_21st_Century?auto=download">significant Sino-African ties in the 20th century</a>.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/183311/width754/file-20170824-18693-1tgn1cp.jpg" />
<figcaption>
The ties that bind: China lends a helping hand to Africa. Lionsgate
</figcaption>
</figure>

This solidarity as expressed in Wolf Warriors II echoes Chinese foreign policy. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, China&rsquo;s priority shifted towards economic development &ndash; and Africa, with its abundant resources, has become particularly crucial to achieving this, especially in the wake of the continent&rsquo;s apparent abandonment by the US and Russia after the Cold War.

Rising dragon

At the same time, Wolf Warriors II also serves as an expression of China&rsquo;s growing military might &ndash; just as Rambo had been for US power in the 1980s. This comes in the light of China&rsquo;s military modernisation <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/china-military-power-army-expand-asia-africa-568308">announced by Xi Jinping</a> in March 2017 on the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People&rsquo;s Liberation Army. China&rsquo;s power is demonstrated in the film&rsquo;s ending where the Chinese fleet moves in to wipe out the remaining Western antagonists and their African puppets while Leng battles his American foe.

China&#39;s increasing military power has been accompanied by a greater willingness to use it &ndash; and the country&rsquo;s military presence in Africa has been augmented by the establishment of a naval base in Djibouti which is expected to enhance China&rsquo;s ability to project power in Africa. This comes with the involvement of other Asian powers, most notably Japan and India, on the continent, leading to fears of a new &ldquo;<a href="https://www.igd.org.za/11775-the-21st-century-scramble-for-africa-implications-and-the-way-forward">scramble for Africa</a>&rdquo;.

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/82659/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />If film historians of the future examine Wolf Warriors II, they are likely to view it as a reflection of China&rsquo;s growing confidence and assertiveness in the Xi Jinping era &ndash; just as Rambo demonstrated American self-belief in the Reagan era. This sentiment, alongside the utilisation of China&rsquo;s soft power initiatives, in turn also illustrates a new shift in Chinese foreign policy in line with China&rsquo;s growing power &ndash; something that is one of the major issues of the present international system.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-chollywood-blockbuster-wolf-warriors-2-echoes-changes-in-chinas-foreign-policy-82659">original article</a>.

&nbsp;

Just as Rambo for the US, Wolf Warriors II serves as an expression of China?s growing military might, particularly in Africa.

When Hollywood is not being criticised for being a liberal mouthpiece, it is often viewed as a front for American foreign policy. The time-honoured example of this is the Rambo series wherein Sylvester Stallone’s invincible super soldier battles America’s communist enemies. The Rambo films were shot against the reheating of the Cold War in the light of the “Star Wars” Strategic Defense Initiative and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. They were also a reflection of growing American confidence during the Reagan presidency after the pessimism of the post-Vietnam era. But Hollywood is not the only industry guilty of this cinematic jingoism today. China has found its own Rambo in Leng Feng, the hero of China’s latest box office smash, Wolf Warriors 2 (??2). The film has become the most successful in the Chinese box office, making more than five billion Yuan (£585m) since its release in late July, in contrast to a rather tepid year for its American counterpart. Just as Rambo took on the might of the Soviet empire in the 1980s, Leng – played by Chinese action superstar, Wu Jing (??), who also directed the film – battles China’s foreign enemies. While strongly Chinese in national sentiment, it follows the path set by its Hollywood predecessors in terms of action and storyline. Also like many Hollywood movies, the film is indicative of the changes in Chinese foreign policy and attitudes today – just as Rambo had been for the Reaganite policies of the Cold War. Echoes of Libya The plot is standard action fare with Leng, a maverick Chinese soldier, going to a fictional African state in the middle of a civil war to rescue Chinese workers and their African comrades – while also tracking down those who were responsible for his fiancée’s death. While this appears to be in keeping with the gung-ho US blockbusters of the 1980s, it is called to mind recent events in Africa. Near the beginning of the film, Chinese nationals are whisked aboard a People’s Liberation Army Navy ship in a scene reminiscent of the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Libya during the country’s 2011 civil war. Such a move has been cited as a watershed for China’s approach to Africa due to the sheer scale of the operation as well as being a break from the more cautious approach of the past. This change in stance is further augmented when Leng argues with the admiral in charge of the evacuation, who claims that the lack of Chinese intervention is due to the United Nations rather than China’s reluctance. The anti-Rambo: Frank Grillo as the bad guy. Lionsgate There is also a parallel with Libya in the fact that the baddies in the film are portrayed as little more than puppets for their nefarious Western advisors, a group of mercenaries led by Big Daddy (Frank Grillo). This has shades of the assistance provided to anti-Gaddafi forces by NATO – and the claims that the rebels would not have been successful without Western support. Ties that bind So Wolf Warriors is both a critique of Western foreign policy and an expression of Sino-African solidarity, ties which stretch back to the period of post-war decolonisation – when the nascent People’s Republic of China provided assistance to numerous independence movements in the continent fighting against exploitation and harsh colonial policies. Leng’s love interest, Rachel Prescott Smith (Celina Jade), alludes to this in a brief respite from the action in a graveyard for Chinese migrants to Africa. While detailing suffering in Africa’s past, she refers to the slaves brought to the continent by outsiders. They are not directly named – but it’s obvious that she is talking about the European empires that once ran much of the African continent. This is presented as a counterpoint to the idea that anti-colonialism was a key factor in the development of significant Sino-African ties in the 20th century. The ties that bind: China lends a helping hand to Africa. Lionsgate This solidarity as expressed in Wolf Warriors II echoes Chinese foreign policy. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, China’s priority shifted towards economic development – and Africa, with its abundant resources, has become particularly crucial to achieving this, especially in the wake of the continent’s apparent abandonment by the US and Russia after the Cold War. Rising dragon At the same time, Wolf Warriors II also serves as an expression of China’s growing military might – just as Rambo had been for US power in the 1980s. This comes in the light of China’s military modernisation announced by Xi Jinping in March 2017 on the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army. China’s power is demonstrated in the film’s ending where the Chinese fleet moves in to wipe out the remaining Western antagonists and their African puppets while Leng battles his American foe. China's increasing military power has been accompanied by a greater willingness to use it – and the country’s military presence in Africa has been augmented by the establishment of a naval base in Djibouti which is expected to enhance China’s ability to project power in Africa. This comes with the involvement of other Asian powers, most notably Japan and India, on the continent, leading to fears of a new “scramble for Africa”. If film historians of the future examine Wolf Warriors II, they are likely to view it as a reflection of China’s growing confidence and assertiveness in the Xi Jinping era – just as Rambo demonstrated American self-belief in the Reagan era. This sentiment, alongside the utilisation of China’s soft power initiatives, in turn also illustrates a new shift in Chinese foreign policy in line with China’s growing power – something that is one of the major issues of the present international system. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

China?s growing power is reflected in Chollywood's blockbuster Wolf Warriors 2

Fresh from shattering China&#39;s box-office record, patriotic blockbuster &quot;Wolf Warriors 2&quot; has claimed another slice of history by becoming the first non-Hollywood film to break into the top 100 all-time grossing movies worldwide.

The flag-waving action movie&#39;s plotline of Chinese soldiers saving war-ravaged Africans from Western baddies has resonated in an increasingly self-assured China, and the film last week became the country&#39;s all-time top earner less than two weeks after its release.

The strength of those domestic receipts has now propelled the film onto industry monitor Box Office Mojo&#39;s all-time 100 list, where on Wednesday it knocked 1994&#39;s &quot;Forrest Gump&quot; from the No. 100 spot.

Box Office Mojo said &quot;Wolf Warriors 2&quot; had grossed $682.1 million worldwide, nearly all of it in Chinese cinemas.

But it looked likely to climb still further up the list -- latest figures from the official China Movie Data Information Network said &quot;Wolf&quot; had already raked in 4.75 billion yuan ($710 million) in domestic sales as of Wednesday.

That would put it nearly another 10 places higher on Box Office Mojo&#39;s list, in the company of &quot;The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1&quot;, and &quot;Dawn of the Planet of the Apes&quot;.

With special effects, stunts and explosions worthy of Hollywood, &quot;Wolf&quot; boasts the ominous tagline &quot;whoever offends China will be hunted down no matter how far away they are&quot;.

It depicts a Chinese former special forces operative&#39;s fictional foray into an unnamed African war zone to rescue compatriots and downtrodden locals from rebels and blood-thirsty Western mercenaries.

The movie is directed by martial arts expert Wu Jing, who also plays the lead role of Leng Feng, and a cliff-hanger ending sets the stage for a third instalment and another likely windfall.&nbsp;

&quot;Wolf&quot; is riding a wave of patriotic fervour whipped up by the ruling Communist Party. This summer has also seen the release of the film &quot;The Founding of an Army&quot;, which chronicles the origins of the People&#39;s Liberation Army.

Cinemas across China have been ordered since July 1 to show short clips promoting &quot;core socialist values&quot; and President Xi Jinping&#39;s &quot;Chinese dream&quot; political credo before each film.

Wu said in an interview published Tuesday: &quot;I&rsquo;ve only taken a match and lit up people&#39;s patriotism with a spark.&quot;

&quot;Wolf Warriors 2&quot; will have work to do to climb up to the top ranks of the list, which is headed by &quot;Avatar&quot; (2009) at $2.7 billion, followed by &quot;Titanic&quot; (1997) and &quot;Star Wars: the Force Awakens&quot; (2015). &nbsp;

The flag-waving action movie's plotline of Chinese soldiers saving war-ravaged Africans from Western baddies has resonated in an increasingly self-assured China, and the film last week became the country's all-time top earner less than two weeks after its release

Fresh from shattering China's box-office record, patriotic blockbuster "Wolf Warriors 2" has claimed another slice of history by becoming the first non-Hollywood film to break into the top 100 all-time grossing movies worldwide. The flag-waving action movie's plotline of Chinese soldiers saving war-ravaged Africans from Western baddies has resonated in an increasingly self-assured China, and the film last week became the country's all-time top earner less than two weeks after its release. The strength of those domestic receipts has now propelled the film onto industry monitor Box Office Mojo's all-time 100 list, where on Wednesday it knocked 1994's "Forrest Gump" from the No. 100 spot. Box Office Mojo said "Wolf Warriors 2" had grossed $682.1 million worldwide, nearly all of it in Chinese cinemas. But it looked likely to climb still further up the list -- latest figures from the official China Movie Data Information Network said "Wolf" had already raked in 4.75 billion yuan ($710 million) in domestic sales as of Wednesday. That would put it nearly another 10 places higher on Box Office Mojo's list, in the company of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1", and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes". With special effects, stunts and explosions worthy of Hollywood, "Wolf" boasts the ominous tagline "whoever offends China will be hunted down no matter how far away they are". It depicts a Chinese former special forces operative's fictional foray into an unnamed African war zone to rescue compatriots and downtrodden locals from rebels and blood-thirsty Western mercenaries. The movie is directed by martial arts expert Wu Jing, who also plays the lead role of Leng Feng, and a cliff-hanger ending sets the stage for a third instalment and another likely windfall. "Wolf" is riding a wave of patriotic fervour whipped up by the ruling Communist Party. This summer has also seen the release of the film "The Founding of an Army", which chronicles the origins of the People's Liberation Army. Cinemas across China have been ordered since July 1 to show short clips promoting "core socialist values" and President Xi Jinping's "Chinese dream" political credo before each film. Wu said in an interview published Tuesday: "I’ve only taken a match and lit up people's patriotism with a spark." "Wolf Warriors 2" will have work to do to climb up to the top ranks of the list, which is headed by "Avatar" (2009) at $2.7 billion, followed by "Titanic" (1997) and "Star Wars: the Force Awakens" (2015).

China blockbuster joins top 100 grossing films worldwide

A Chinese action film that depicts the country&#39;s soldiers saving war-ravaged Africans from Western baddies soared to become China&#39;s all-time top box-office earner Tuesday, headlining a summer of patriotic cinematic fare.

The wildly popular &quot;Wolf Warriors 2&quot; boasts the ominous tagline &quot;whoever offends China will be hunted down no matter how far away they are&quot;, and millions of Chinese cinema-goers have lapped it up since the movie&#39;s release less than two weeks ago.

The blockbuster has raked in more than 3.4 billion yuan ($500 million) since debuting on July 27, according to unofficial China box-office trackers Maoyan, a leading ticket merchant, and other industry tallies.

The movie&#39;s phenomenal success launched it past &quot;The Mermaid&quot;, a China-Hong Kong fantasy comedy released last year that grossed 3.39 billion and had held the record, according to Maoyan.

Replete with special effects, stunts and explosions to rival Hollywood, &quot;Wolf Warriors 2&quot; tells the story of a former Chinese Special Forces operative&#39;s foray into an unnamed African war zone to rescue compatriots and downtrodden locals.

Experts say the movie is riding a wave of patriotic fervour drummed up by the ruling Communist Party.

It comes soon after China opened a naval base in Djibouti, a major step in the country&#39;s expanding military presence abroad. The facility in the Horn of Africa nation is China&#39;s first overseas naval base.

However, not all patriotic Chinese films this season have enjoyed such rave reviews.

&quot;The Founding of an Army&quot; boasts better-known actors but has been panned by critics, movie-goers and even families of a number of Chinese revolutionary heroes.

That film was timed to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People&#39;s Liberation Army, which was accompanied by celebrations and wall-to-wall media coverage.

The Chinese action film depicts the country's soldiers saving war-ravaged Africans from Western baddies

A Chinese action film that depicts the country's soldiers saving war-ravaged Africans from Western baddies soared to become China's all-time top box-office earner Tuesday, headlining a summer of patriotic cinematic fare. The wildly popular "Wolf Warriors 2" boasts the ominous tagline "whoever offends China will be hunted down no matter how far away they are", and millions of Chinese cinema-goers have lapped it up since the movie's release less than two weeks ago. The blockbuster has raked in more than 3.4 billion yuan ($500 million) since debuting on July 27, according to unofficial China box-office trackers Maoyan, a leading ticket merchant, and other industry tallies. The movie's phenomenal success launched it past "The Mermaid", a China-Hong Kong fantasy comedy released last year that grossed 3.39 billion and had held the record, according to Maoyan. Replete with special effects, stunts and explosions to rival Hollywood, "Wolf Warriors 2" tells the story of a former Chinese Special Forces operative's foray into an unnamed African war zone to rescue compatriots and downtrodden locals. Experts say the movie is riding a wave of patriotic fervour drummed up by the ruling Communist Party. It comes soon after China opened a naval base in Djibouti, a major step in the country's expanding military presence abroad. The facility in the Horn of Africa nation is China's first overseas naval base. However, not all patriotic Chinese films this season have enjoyed such rave reviews. "The Founding of an Army" boasts better-known actors but has been panned by critics, movie-goers and even families of a number of Chinese revolutionary heroes. That film was timed to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, which was accompanied by celebrations and wall-to-wall media coverage.

'Wolf Warriors 2' blockbuster breaks China box office record

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China?s growing power is reflected in Chollywood's blockbuster Wolf Warriors 2

China blockbuster joins top 100 grossing films worldwide

'Wolf Warriors 2' blockbuster breaks China box office record