MovieChat Forums > The Great Wall (2017) Discussion > So what is the reaction from the local C...

So what is the reaction from the local Chinese audience?


Why don't the SJW asshats tell me that? I bet they are too chicken *beep* to ask them. Or maybe, they don't know how to speak Mandarin or type in Chinese? But hey, remember these SJWs are representing Chinese and defending Chinese culture which they don't know anything about.

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I'd be interested in knowing this too, but I really don't care. Because I'm not Chinese, nor do I identify with Chinese culture. But Matt Damon sure does look ludicrous in that getup!

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I don't know if my reply is appropriate but I know some Andy Lau fans are complaining that their idol received only 5th placing in the poster. China may come out with a different poster to please Andy Lau fans.
If Andy is not complaining, who are they to complain ? Eddie Peng's name and scene don't even appear in the trailer, what is there to complain ?

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Why don't the SJW asshats tell me that? I bet they are too chicken *beep* to ask them. Or maybe, they don't know how to speak Mandarin or type in Chinese? But hey, remember these SJWs are representing Chinese and defending Chinese culture which they don't know anything about

Asian Americans decry 'whitewashed' Great Wall film starring Matt Damon

A chorus of outrage followed the release on Thursday of the first trailer for The Great Wall, a fantasy adventure set in China more than 1,000 years ago, which stars the white Hollywood star Matt Damon in the lead role.

Damon plays a soldier in ancient China in The Great Wall, an English-language film directed by Zhang Yimou and set for release in February 2017.

Constance Wu, a star of the comedy show Fresh off the Boat, posted a statement on Twitter that lambasted the “racist myth that [only a] white man can save the world”.

The popular blog Angry Asian Man called the movie “the latest movie in the grand cinematic tradition of the Special White Person”, adding: “You can set a story anywhere in the world, in any era of history, and Hollywood will still somehow find a way for the movie to star a white guy.”

In her post, Wu wrote: “Our heroes don’t look like Matt Damon. They look like Malala. Ghandi. Mandela. Your big sister when she stood up for you to those bullies that one time. We don’t need salvation. We like our color and our culture and our strengths and our own stories.”

The Taiwanese American actor criticized various justifications for the paucity of starring roles for Asians in Hollywood.

“Money is the lamest excuse in the history of being human. So is blaming the Chinese investors,” she wrote.

“Remember, it’s not about blaming individuals ... Rather, it’s about pointing out the repeatedly implied racist notion that white people are superior to POC [people of color] and that POC need salvation from our own color via white strength

Damon is by no means the first white actor to star in a role that might be expected to go to an Asian or Asian American actor, but the release of The Great Wall comes at a time of increasing anger with the lack of representation of Asian characters in popular culture – and the lack of roles for Asian actors.

Scarlett Johansson’s casting in a remake of the Japanese anime classic Ghost in the Shell and Tilda Swinton’s casting as the originally Tibetan Ancient One in Doctor Strange both drew accusations of Hollywood “whitewashing”.

Other recent instances of whitewashing include Emma Stone’s role as Allison Ng in Aloha, Rooney Mara’s role as Tiger Lily in Pan, and the entire cast of Gods of Egypt.

Actors and audiences have increasingly voiced their frustration with the casting practices on social media. In May, comedian Margaret Cho launched the hashtag #WhiteWashedOut.

The project #StarringJohnCho was launched with photoshopped movie posters featuring the Asian American in starring roles, with hopes of changing the conception of who can star in blockbusters

In her statement on Twitter, Wu reflected on the importance of representation for people of color in Hollywood stories.

“Why do you think it was so nice to see a nerdy white kid have a girl fall in love with him? Because you WERE that nerdy white kid who felt unloved. And seeing pictures of it in Hollywood’s stories made it feel possible,” she wrote.

“Hollywood is supposed to be about making great stories. So make them.”

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jul/29/the-great-wall-china-film-matt-damon-whitewashed


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APLxvcCfHok
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True, its like basing white people's opinion on a small group of KKK members remarks. Its a very small groups opinion that does not come close to representing the whole.

If you present the facts of the situation accurately and don't try to sway there opinion using bias buzzwords, few reasonable people are going to go with this film being whitewashing. Its a cooperative effort with a majority Asian cast from a Chinese studio and director,,with an internationally recognized American actor playing a western part.

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I'm not interested in your racist opinion. I was addressing the OP and his potential racism. Rest assured, there are no doubt other racists on here who might find your perspective on anything interesting. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APLxvcCfHok
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Typical liberal... if someone disagrees with you, call them a racist.

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Typical wingnut. Thinking 'liberal' is an insult and regurgitating right-wing talking points.

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If it isn't my favorite racist troll. How's your struggle against the white devils going?

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It's inappropriate to talk about yourself in the third person.

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I wonder if Chinese reaction will be about the same as the issue of Scarlett Johansson was in Japan.

Japan as a whole didn't seem to have an issue with it. In fact some things I read seemed to indicate a casting of someone like Constance Wu would have been more upsetting.

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I wonder if Chinese reaction will be about the same as the issue of Scarlett Johansson was in Japan.

Japan as a whole didn't seem to have an issue with it. In fact some things I read seemed to indicate a casting of someone like Constance Wu would have been more upsetting.


Their opinions count for little, because they're not American/don't live in America. That's the general response.

Although I kind of understand the reasoning behind it, I think it's more than a little hypocritical to practically dismiss the opinions of the people - first generation people, no less - who's culture/art is being used, because they don't live in America so they don't know what it's like, blah blah blah.

"Sweetie, go get mommy's bazooka."

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They haven't seen the movie yet.

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Here's a response from a group of American Chinese

https://youtu.be/G8J0A22rwhY




I am the Alpha and the Omoxus The Omoxus and the Omega

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Lol! They have NO IDEA how close they are when they say Matt Damon's character is like Hawkeye!

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