Over the years, Dante Lam is known for his choreography in Chinese action cinema.

His newest release, The Rescue, showcases his directorial talents beyond the shoot-them-up popcorn movies with a death-defying disaster-rescue film.

Inspired by China Rescue & Salvage (CRS), the film follows an emergency response team racing against the clock to save lives in dangerous environments.

The cast includes Eddie Peng (Hidden Man, Operation Mekong), Wang Yanlin (Operation Red Sea), Xin Zhilei (Brotherhood of Blades, Crosscurrent), and Lan Yingying (Nice to Meet You, Pacific Rim Uprising).

Here’s the official synopsis:

As the first Chinese film about the rescue at sea, The Rescue is a touching story based on the China Rescue & Salvage (CRS). The alarm went off at the base. An emergency occurred on an offshore drilling platform that caused it to capsize and go under. The Emergency Response Unit raced against the clock in a chopper rescue mission amidst dangerous explosions and a raging fire. The captain of the Unit Gao Quin (Peng) must work seamlessly with his chopper pilot Zhao Cheng (Yanlin) to rescue survivors using the most maverick and dangerous tactics.

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LRM Online’s Gig Patta spoke with director Dante Lam about this latest project. We discussed the rescue organization, stunts, pushing the limits, and special effects on this project.

In 2018, Dante Lam directed Operation Red Sea, which became the second-highest-grossing Chinese film of all time and the ninth on the international box office list. That film earned him the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Director and the award for Best Action Choreography at the 38^th Hong Kong Film Awards. Back in 2008, he won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director for his work on Beast Stalker. Some of his other known works included Unbeatable, Operation Mekong, and The Stool Pigeon.

The Rescue is currently playing in theaters in the United States and China.

Listen to the audio interview with director Dante Lam below. Let us know what you think.

Source: LRM Online Exclusive, CMC Pictures