Movie aims to decode cinema competition

The enigmatic world of code deciphering took center stage in Beijing on July 25 when the highly anticipated film adaptation of Mai Jia's bestselling novel Decoded made its grand debut.

The cryptographic feature directed by Chen Sicheng joins China's competitive summer box office race, which runs from June through the end of August and has accumulated 6.5 billion yuan ($900.83 million) as of July 25.

Boasting an international cast led by rising star Liu Haoran and Hollywood veteran John Cusack, with special appearances by Chinese cinema heavyweights Chen Daoming, Daniel Wu and Yu Feihong, Decoded promises to be a marquee addition to the season's lineup.

The film was shot entirely in IMAX format and follows the story of Rong Jinzhen, a mathematical genius with a fragile and reclusive nature who dedicates his life to the complex and perilous field of cryptography.

It was released on limited preview on July 25, 27 and 28, ahead of its nationwide launch on Saturday.

Industry analysts are watching Decoded as a potential box office cipher. While hit comedy Successor is driving recent ticket sales, Decoded represents a more cerebral offering that could diversify audience appeal.

"Of the 13 movie and TV adaptations of my novels, Decoded is the closest to my original work," says Mai Jia, the novel's acclaimed author, expressing his satisfaction with the film adaptation. "It was my first novel and holds a special place in my heart."

He highlights the challenge of translating the abstract world of mathematics and cryptography to the screen, emphasizing that decoding the human heart is at the film's core, calling the emotional task "the most profound cipher in the world".

Chen, who took on the dual role of director and co-screenwriter, shares his motivations and creative journey in adapting the novel.

"Everyone is a unique code and life is a process of decoding. This theme deeply moves me and is a central focus of the film," Chen says.

Chen also reflects on the challenges and artistic choices that were encountered during the filmmaking process, including the incorporation of 10 dream sequences.

One of the most technically demanding scenes involved the creation of a red sand beach in a studio setting. Real sand and wave machines were used to achieve a realistic interaction between the waves and the red sand.

With the help of a massive LED light array, Chen achieved his vision of "capturing the feeling of a sunset on the horizon", a visual outcome he says the team "is very proud of".

Chen is widely known as the director of the Detective Chinatown comedic blockbuster series and the executive producer of crime thriller hits Sheep Without a Shepherd, Fireflies in the Sun and Lost in the Stars.

Lost in the Stars contributed over 3.5 billion yuan to China's total 2023 summer box office sales of 20.62 billion yuan.

Joining a slew of new summer titles across various genres, Decoded is a testament to Chen's evolving artistic vision and the Chinese film industry's growing appetite for diversified adaptations.

Eyes are now focused on whether this adaptation of a popular spy novel can crack the code of commercial success in China's increasingly competitive theatrical landscape.