Jiang Wen

After a prolonged seven-year hiatus, legendary Chinese auteur Jiang Wen (姜文) storms back into cinemas with Let the Music Fly (你行！你上！), slated for release on July 25. The film chronicles the tumultuous upbringing of world-renowned pianist Lang Lang, refracted through Jiang’s signature hyper-stylized lens. Its bombastic trailer—teeming with A-list stars, surreal imagery, and kinetic chaos—ignites both fervent anticipation and skeptical eyebrows. This isn’t just a comeback; it’s Jiang Wen defiantly planting his flag in the summer box office wars. Shifting its release date from July 15 to 25 strategically dodges clashes with DC’s Superman (超人) and the dark horse fantasy Liao Zhai: Lan Ruo Temple (聊斋：兰若寺). More intriguingly, it avoids a face-off with The Stage (戏台), starring Jiang Wen’s brother Jiang Wu (姜武). The siblings’ uncanny resemblance risks audience fatigue if both films opened simultaneously. Instead, Jiang Wen positions his opus against the historical drama The Litchi Road, betting his flamboyant vision can outshine safer bets. Initial reactions to the trailer reveal a polarized camp. Supporters champion Jiang’s audacious visual language—a whirlwind of masked figures, gravity-defying leaps, and cars chasing trains. Detractors, however, question the appropriateness of such extravagance for a biopic. Comparisons to his divisive 2014 film Gone with the Bullets (一步之遥) (rated 6.7) surface, alongside concerns that star power overshadows substance. Can Jiang…