The Volunteers: To the War

The Volunteers: To the War is a 2023 Chinese war film directed by Chen Kaige. It is a tribute to commemorate the "70th Anniversary of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea" as which it was perceived by that time in China. The film is adapted from Lan Xiaolong's novel "War and Sacrifice". Set during the Korean War, the film is intended to be the first installment of a planned trilogy from Chen depicting China's involvement in the war.
The film was released on 28 September 2023. The planned trilogy was completed with [|sequels] released in September of 2024 and 2025.

Plot

In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the new China faced a situation of "internal and external troubles". Since the outbreak of the Korean War, the US military has repeatedly provoked on the Sino-North Korean border, and civilians have been bombed. In order to safeguard the hard-won peace and long-term stability for generations, in October 1950, Chairman Mao decided to send the People's Volunteer Army led by Comrade Peng Dehuai to fight in Korea, and the "War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea" kicked off. Their senior leaders conducted a series of careful discussions and deductions, and sent Premier Zhou to Moscow to request support. This is a "national war". On the Korean battlefield, even though there was a huge gap in armament strength, the army exchanged heroic sacrifices for successive victories; on the diplomatic stage, the delegation of the People's Republic of China appeared at the United Nations for the first time, and China's new voice won international respect. New China, not giving up an inch of land to promote national prestige; new youth, high-spirited to protect their country

Cast

Tang Guoqiang as Mao Zedong
as Peng Dehuai
Liu Jing as Zhou Enlai
Xin Baiqing as Li Moyin
Zhang Songwen as Wu Xiuquan
Huang Xiaoming as Jiang Chao
Zhang Ziyi as Tang Sheng
Zhu Yawen as Wu Benzheng
Zhang Zifeng as Li Xiao
Wei Daxun as Mao Anying
Xiao Yang as Zhao Annan
as Liang Xingchu
Arthur Chen as Sun Xing
Vision Wei as Dai Ruyi
as Yang Shaocheng
as Yang Sandi
Hai Qing as Lin Qiaozhi
Zhu Yilong as Li Xiang
Du Chun as Ye Zilong
as Li Tao
as Han Xianchu
Lang Yueting as Gong Pusheng
Eric Wang as Qiao Guanhua
Lin Yongjian as Nie Rongzhen
Wang Kaisheng as Deng Hua
Wang Wufu as Zhu De
Wu Dajing as Yang Gensi

Production

Production on the film began in July 2022, and finished thirteen months later in August 2023.

Marketing

A trailer for the film was released on 21 April 2023.

Release

The Volunteers was released in China on 28 September 2023, timed to coincide with the country's National Day on October 1.

Box office

The film earned $34.7 million in its first four days of release, behind Under the Light and The Ex-Files 4: Marriage Plan. The film fell below expectations at the box office.

Sequels

The second installment titled The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death was released on 30 September 2024. The trilogy was completed with the release of The Volunteers: Peace at Last in September 2025.