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Wolf Totem

Wolf Totem

Adventure · Drama · 2015

In 1969, a young Beijing student, Chen Zhen, is sent to live among the nomadic herdsmen of Inner Mongolia. Caught between the advance of civilization from the south and the nomads' traditional enemies - the marauding wolves - to the north; humans and animals, residents and invaders alike, struggle to find their true place in the world.

Movie details

Wolf Totem

2015 Adventure · Drama 1h 56m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

In 1969, a young Beijing student, Chen Zhen, is sent to live among the nomadic herdsmen of Inner Mongolia. Caught between the advance of civilization from the south and the nomads' traditional enemies - the marauding wolves - to the north; humans and animals, residents and invaders alike, struggle to find their true place in the world.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Wolf Totem?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jean-Jacques Annaud

Written by

Jiang Rong · Lu Wei · John Collee · Jean-Jacques Annaud

William Feng

William Feng

Chen Zhen

Shawn Dou

Shawn Dou

Yang Ke

Ankhnyam Ragchaa

Ankhnyam Ragchaa

Gasma

Yin Zhusheng

Yin Zhusheng

Bao Shunghi

Baasanjav Mijid

Baasanjav Mijid

Bilig

Tumenbayaer

Tumenbayaer

Sang Jie

Han Tongsheng

Han Tongsheng

Cast

Court is in session

Put Wolf Totem on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.