Review: Mao's Last Danger (2009)

[Tim Voon]

Film Review - Mao's Last Dancer 2009
By Tim Voon
4 out of 5 stars

If anyone is guessing as to the peculiarity of this title, it refers
to a period in China's turbulent history, during the time of the
Cultural Revolution when anything and everything remotely associated
with the West was burned, ridiculed and its protagonists imprisoned or
demeaned. This, of course, included ballet.
How did something as harmless as ballet get dragged into this tangled
mesh of communistic politics?
Essentially, Madam Mao vehemently promoted that anything remotely
artistic had to encompass the glory of the Communistic party.
Therefore, dancing, singing and plays all had to come under the
approval of the Communist Party. Art suffered under this regime, but
the spirit of the dancers could never be fully suppressed.
The star of this true biopic is Li Cunxin (played by actor/dancer Chi
Cao)  who is one of the last generation of ballet dancers trained
specifically for this dancing ideal (the ballets were primarily about
resistance fighters who overcame the Capitalist forces of China; with
dancers dressed in army uniforms and carrying guns). From an
impoverished background, he is selected by Communist talent officers
to attend the Academy of Arts. Only the best and most flexible
students won this privilege and it was considered a privilege to win
selection.
In this rigid system of training where teachers are mercilessly strict
and discipline is essential to perfecting art, Li learns his craft of
dancing. Here he is inspired by secret recordings of Russian dancers
and also by a teacher who believes in the beauty of ballet, and not in
the propaganda that controlled it.
There is an epic feel to this movie as director Bruce Beresford takes
the movie watcher through the life and trials of this remarkable
individual, Li Cunxin. The movie seamlessly moves from the poverty
stricken villages of China to the Academy Halls of Bei Jing and
finally to the Art Stadiums of Houston Texas.
As fortune would have it, the Art Director of the Houston Ballet, Ben
Stevenson was allowed to visit China during the early 80's. It is here
that he notices the hidden passion of the dancer that is Li Cunxin. I
would have to agree that some of the most memorable and enjoyable
moments of this movie ARE the dance scenes. WOW is all I can say, and
this is coming from someone who isn't a big fan of the art. The spins
the jumps the turns are amazing. Dancer Chi Cao is amazing as Li,
unfortunately I have never seen Li dance in real life, but I hear he
was dynamite.
This brings us to the crux of this movie. When Ben Stevenson invites
Li to come to performs in Texas, LI not only falls in love with the
country, but also with an American girl. This leads to one of the most
tense and suspenseful moments when Li is held captive in the Chinese
Embassy, until some high levelled US politicians come to his aid -
name the senior Bushes of the U.S of A (Barbs was a patron of the
Texas ballet). His eventual release and asylum status however comes at
an immense and painful cost. Never to be allowed back to the
motherland China and prevented from seeing his parents and family
again.
The movie has wonderful cinematography, especially some of the scenes
from China really depict how special and beautiful this remarkable
country truly is. Joan Chen plays Li's mother in this movie and is
wonderfully, deglamorised for her impoverished role. I had to look
twice before recognising her. Bruce Greenwood flightily portrays Ben
Stevenson the artistic director of the Houston ballet, whom I assume
was gay although this is not directly implied. Kyle McLachalan's role
as Li's lawyer is small, although pivotal to his escape to freedom in
the US.
As to all those viewers who are wandering what happened to Li after
his adventures in the United States. Well he moved to my hometown
Melbourne, Australia and is working as a local stockbroker. The first
time I heard about Li was a few years ago when I read an article in
the paper of an interesting local individual who worked as a broker
during the day and performed ballet by night. Since then, Li has
written a bestselling biopic novel and now produced a movie. Almost
the other the day, I heard from a friend he was sighted walking down
the street.
This movie is a good view for anyone interested in how a remarkable
individual survives great tribulation to become the best person that
they can be. This is the story of Li Cunxin.

Website - filmnet.com
Email - winklebeck @hotmail.com