🚤 Dongji Rescue (2025): Cast, Plot, Trailer, Release Date & Streaming – Courage at Sea in the Face of War

🌊 Dongji Rescue (2025): A Tale of Courage Amid the Waves of War

"In the darkest of nights, it was the fishermen’s lanterns that became beacons of hope."

War may be remembered for its battles, but history’s most profound stories are often born in the quiet bravery of ordinary people. Dongji Rescue brings one such tale to life — the 1942 heroism of Dongji fishermen, who risked everything to save strangers amidst the chaos of the Pacific theater.

🎬 Directed by Guan Hu (The Eight Hundred) and Fei Zhenxiang, and starring Zhu Yilong, Wu Lei, and Ni Ni, the film

transforms the Lisbon Maru Sinking Incident into a sweeping cinematic epic of human resilience.

⚓ The True Story That Shaped the Film

In October 1942, the Japanese cargo ship Lisbon Maru, carrying over 1,800 British prisoners of war, was struck by a U.S. submarine torpedo near China’s Zhoushan Archipelago. While many remained trapped, hundreds were left adrift in the sea — vulnerable to drowning, exhaustion, and enemy fire.

As Japanese forces began a large-scale search, the fishermen of Dongji Island took to the waters in small boats. Against orders, against fear, they pulled more than 300 soldiers from the waves and secretly sheltered three more in the days that followed.

One survivor’s account recalled: “I saw death in every direction… until I saw the fishing boats.”

🎭 The Cast That Brings History to Life

• Zhu Yilong (Lost in the Stars) as a steadfast Dongji fisherman whose quiet strength drives the rescue mission.

• Wu Lei (Our Times) as a young villager learning the cost of courage.

• Ni Ni (The Flowers of War) as the emotional anchor of the community, torn between fear and moral duty.

• William Franklyn-Miller, Ni Dahong, Yang Haoyu, Chen Minghao, Li Jiuxiao, and Wang Yiquan round out a cast that mixes Chinese cinematic veterans with international talent.

🌊 War, Humanity, and the Power of the Sea

Dongji Rescue isn’t just a war movie — it’s a testament to what it means to choose humanity over survival. The directors blend sweeping maritime visuals with moments of intimate drama, showing both the scale of the rescue and the deeply personal stakes for every person involved.

The cinematography captures the relentless churn of the ocean as both a threat and a savior, while the score swells with the tension of each passing wave.

As one character says in the film: “The sea gives us life… and tonight, it asks us to give it back.”

📅 Release & Viewing Details

• Theatrical Release: August 22, 2025

• Runtime: 2h 13m

• Language: Mandarin (with English subtitles for international releases)

• Distribution: Well Go USA Entertainment

🎬 Final Word

If Saving Private Ryan showed us the chaos of battle, Dongji Rescue shows us the quiet heroism in its aftermath. It’s a gripping tribute to those who faced certain danger with nothing more than small fishing boats, fierce hearts, and an unshakable belief in doing the right thing.

This August, prepare to be swept away by a story where the tide itself becomes a battlefield — and courage becomes the compass that guides men home.