""The Flowers of War," a melodramatic tale of unlikely heroism set during the Japanese invasion of Nanking, is affecting at times, but finally feels overblown and heavy-handed. It's a disappointment from director Zhang Yimou ("Ju Dou," "Raise the Red Lantern")."
January 1, 1970
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Flowers_of_War