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The Volunteers: To the War
Movie

The Volunteers: To the War

2023 • Unknown

Woke Score
1.4
out of 10

Plot

In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, New China was faced with "internal and external troubles". Since the outbreak of the Korean Civil War, the U.S. military has repeatedly provoked the border between China and North Korea, and civilians have been brutally bombed. In order to maintain the hard-won peace and long-term stability for generations, in October 1950, the Chinese People's Volunteers entered North Korea, and the "Resist US Aid Korea" war kicked off.

Overall Series Review

The Volunteers: To the War is a state-backed historical war film focusing on China's entry into the Korean War, framed as the 'War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.' The narrative is a clear, patriotic tribute to the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and the early leadership of the People's Republic of China. The entire structure of the movie is diametrically opposed to the themes of the 'woke mind virus' by championing national unity, traditional sacrifice, and an objective national cause. It prioritizes the collective heroism and ideological conviction of the Chinese military against a foreign enemy (the US-led forces), which are explicitly villainized. The story is driven by a strong sense of national duty and inter-generational sacrifice, not internal critique or intersectional politics. Character merit is measured by loyalty and battlefield heroism for the collective, reflecting a universal, non-individualistic standard within the Chinese cause. The film functions as a celebration of the nation's founding and its ancestors' sacrifices, placing it firmly on the anti-oikophobia end of the spectrum.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

Characters are judged by their dedication, loyalty, and sacrifice for the collective national cause, reflecting a form of meritocracy in action. The focus is on ideological and national identity rather than internal intersectional hierarchies. The primary vilification is external, directed at the 'arrogant racists' of the opposing US forces, a vilification based on a civilizational and national axis, not an internal critique of the protagonist group.

Oikophobia1/10

The film functions as a pure expression of civilizational gratitude and defense, presenting the newly founded nation as a shield against external chaos and threats. Marshal Peng Dehuai’s speech frames the soldiers' 'sacrifice' as a necessary price for the long-term peace of future generations, directly respecting the sacrifices of ancestors and defending the core institution of the nation.

Feminism2/10

The main focus is on the male-dominated military and political leadership of the 1950s, with key figures like Mao Zedong and Peng Dehuai driving the strategic plot. Female characters serve in supportive, though important, roles such as diplomat and interpreter. The film does not feature 'Mary Sue' or 'Girl Boss' tropes, nor does it contain any observable anti-natal or anti-family messaging, instead emphasizing the generational continuity of the nation.

LGBTQ+1/10

The narrative is centered on a historical, existential military conflict and the political maneuvering surrounding it. There is no presence of alternative sexualities, queer theory, or gender ideology. The structure remains normative, focusing on the traditional political and military order required for national survival in wartime.

Anti-Theism2/10

The moral framework is objective and transcendent, anchored entirely in the supreme value of national and Communist ideological conviction. The Chinese heroes are driven by 'the power of conviction or belief' and a clear, objective mission. The film exhibits no hostility toward traditional religion and replaces moral relativism with the ultimate truth of patriotic sacrifice.