Children of the Silk Road

Review by Anthony Morris

What's the deal with english folk wandering around China in the 1920's and 30s? 

We've already had The Painted Veil this year, and now Children of the Silk Road marches down the well-worn track, with the added advantage of being based on a true story. 

It's 1937, Japan's invasion of China is well underway, and english journalist George Hogg (Jonathan Rhys Myers) wants to get into the capital Nanjing to find out what's going on. 

It turns out that what's going on is a whole lot of executions, and Hogg only escapes with the help of rebel general Chen Hansheng (Chow Yun-Fat). 

General Chen sends Higg north to a school turned orphanage, where, with the help of western nurse Lee Pearson (Radha Mitchell) he tames the wild kids, turns the orphanage into a haven of safety, and (when the war gets too close) packs everyone and everything up and marches 700 miles to a new safe haven on the edge of the Gobi desert. 

There's some really clunky dialogue here, and for every scene showing a subtle nuance of character there's a moment that wouldn't have been out of place in a bad high school play. 

But it's consistently impressive to look at, the kids give good performances, and in spite of it's real-life origins the story itself is an entertaining and at times heartwarming slice of fast-moving pulp.

3.5 out of 5

Children of the Silk Road
Australian release: 3rd July, 2008
Official Site: Children of the Silk Road
Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Radha Mitchell, Chow Yun-Fat
Director: Roger Spottiswoode