800 (film)

800, also known as The Eight Hundred, is a 2020 Chinese historical war film directed by Guan Hu. The film is a dramatization of the Defense of Sihang Warehouse in Shanghai during the Battle of Shanghai, part of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The film depicts the heroic efforts of approximately 400 soldiers of the Republic of China Army (though the number was inflated to create a psychological effect) who defended the Sihang Warehouse against the advancing Imperial Japanese Army in 1937. These soldiers, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Xie Jinyuan, held their ground for several days amidst overwhelming odds, providing a morale boost to the Chinese people and international observers.

800 is notable for being the first Chinese film shot entirely with IMAX cameras. It faced initial setbacks due to censorship concerns, but was eventually released in August 2020, becoming a major box office success, particularly in China. The film's release was politically sensitive, given its portrayal of the Nationalist army and its complex relationship with the Communist Party of China, which eventually won the Chinese Civil War.