It started with so much potential...

I don't think this film could decide which bloody way it wanted to go. I think i'd rather list in point form the problems as i feel i could write a thesis on the errors.

- Historically inaccurate (I'm talking about the life of George Hogg... i'm sure he's rolling over in his grave right now)

- Shallow character development... I do not believe we ever got a real understanding of any of the main character's motivations or indeed any of the poor children's stories... the children all seemed to be superficial caricatures

- The pacing... i found myself several times during the film wondering where it was going to end... and I'm actually someone familiar with the story of Hogg.

- Radha Mitchell... bloody hell woman... i hate ragging on Aussie actors but do you want to practice your American accent more? In one of the scenes in the orphanage she went from Aus--> British --> American and back to British... where the hell did she learn to act? How can you mess up an American accent, arguably the most important one to learn in acting...

AND WHY WAS HER AS A LOVE INTEREST EVEN FREAKING NEEDED!!!! Hogg's life was interesting enough...

ARGH! i could go on and on... i think i'll just try and forget i ever saw this mess.

It had so much potential, i was hoping for a film about Nanjing, instead we got another formulaic (how do you even do that to a historical film?) foreign saviour flick.

Hogg's life was so much more interesting than that.