On January 9, "Scout Hero" premiered on Zhejiang Satellite TV and Beijing Satellite TV, and was simultaneously broadcast on Youku, Tencent**, and iQiyi.
This drama is directed by Zheng Xiaolong and An Zhanjun, written by Liu Gejian, starring Luo Jin and Ma Sichun, and tells the combat story of a group of volunteer scouts during the period of resisting US aggression and aiding Korea.
Judging from the part that has been broadcast, the perspective of "Scout Hero" is unique, the entry point is stable and accurate, and the detailed tactical play on the battlefield and the strong victory belief of the volunteers are vividly presented.
Microscopic battlefield, see a clear tactical play
The story begins in the spring of 1951, when the scouts of a division of the Volunteer Army were active in the area of Wuyun Mountain under the leadership of Liang Chen (played by Luo Jin), the chief of the reconnaissance section, and completed many reconnaissance, rescue, and surprise attack combat missions.
2020 is the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers entering the DPRK to fight, and there has been a creative climax on the theme of resisting US aggression and aiding Korea. 2023 is the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and there is once again a competition with the same theme.
In general, the previous film writing focused on grand narratives and spectacle, while the TV series focused on epic scrolls and high-level games, and of course, specific battle plots.
Scout Heroes takes a different path, locks the micro battlefield when it comes up, and chooses the narrative perspective of the scout's operation. The presentation of a war requires not only an overall grasp of the freehand, but also a vivid depiction of the details. And "Scout Hero" undoubtedly belongs to the latter expression.
Such an in-depth perspective is convenient for the genre narrative of combat films + spy war films, which can maximize the comprehensive competition of wits and courage.
Screenwriter Liu Gejian showed outstanding tactical dismantling ability in "Meritorious Energy Wenneng Wu Li Yannian", and this unit was also recognized by senior leaders from senior leaders to military enthusiasts to ordinary audiences because of "fighting the battle clearly".
Liu Gejian brought this characteristic to the creation of "Scout Hero". In the first two episodes alone, we see the tactical value of the "living map" Qi Lu in actual combat, and also see the exquisite tactics of a small group of scouts to block a large army. The U.S. military has sophisticated equipment, while the volunteer army is relatively weak in terms of **, which constitutes an asymmetry on the battlefield. The reconnaissance detachment under the leadership of Liang Chen was advanced and meticulous in terms of layout and strategy, breaking this kind of operational asymmetry.
In the battle of ambushing the US tanks, the reconnaissance detachment completed the task arrangement of each platoon and squad under the suppression of the enemy's aimless strafing fire. Such a narrative design makes "Scout Heroes" tense, intense, and exciting in the portrayal of battle scenes.
If you have wisdom, you can save the futile foot effort. There are tactics that can create miracles of winning more with less. Scouts are never meant to be hard work, and we'll see more tactical intrigue and clever running in the following pages.
Three-dimensional writing, see the delicate side of the warrior
After the theme of war leaves the epic expression, the lens is transformed into a microscope. The perspective of "Scout Hero" sinks, and a more delicate portrayal of the battle for the founding of the country was carried out.
In the first episode, the two-line narrative of "Reconnaissance Heroes", on the one hand, Liang Chen led the team to block the US army in Wuyun Mountain, and on the other hand, the division's art team took the wrong road in the mountains and was captured by the US army. Wen Jie (played by Ma Sichun), a soldier of the art team, was in distress, and the conflict between the Volunteer Army, the US Army, and the Li Puppet Army was connected.
is slightly different from the tough style of soldiers with similar themes in the past, the hero Liang Chen, the head of the reconnaissance section, is a military wizard who looks like a gentleman on the outside, usually doesn't talk much, but always has insights at critical moments. Luo Jin's temperament fits this role very well. Wen Jie, a soldier of the art team played by Ma Sichun, and Qi Lu, the "living map" played by Huang Chengcheng, greatly increased the "literary atmosphere" of the protagonist group. Kim Chol, a Korean warrior who appeared later, behaved elegantly, was neither humble nor arrogant, received a good education, and was very familiar with the customs and historical allusions of North Korea.
The image of the soldier in "Scout Hero" is not rough on the whole, including the top leader in the play, the division commander, who is also both civil and military, and has a straight military appearance.
This may be an unintentional move by the creator, but the information that is invisibly conveyed to the audience is closer to ordinary people and real life - if you read the letters written by some volunteer soldiers to their families during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, you will understand this more and more.
The micro battlefield under the macro war is often filled with some rich life and emotional information, and in the popular movies "Hacksaw Ridge" and "1917" in recent years, there are the real reactions of soldiers under the shroud of war.
The same is true for Recon Heroes. One detail is that when the instrument was about to be blown up by a cannonball falling from the sky, the female staff members desperately threw themselves on the instrument and used their bodies as protection. This move did not get the support of his teammates, even if the instrument is the "**life" of the art team members is more important than this**, such details make the play more down-to-earth.
In contrast, a group of American troops, after being surrounded, saw no hope of breaking out. Its commander took the initiative to say, "We have fulfilled our responsibilities and obligations as soldiers, and now we can let go of **". Although this looks a little funny, it is also the embodiment of Western-style battlefield laws and human survival instincts.
With the three-dimensional depiction of the image of the soldier and the normal reaction of the rhythm of life, "Scout Hero" connects with the diverse aesthetics and the common sense of modernity.
Calling for Peace: Bringing more shock and food for thought to the audience
The outbreak of war is a tragedy, the process of war is a contest, and the end of war is hope. For these three points, the drama "Scout Hero" also has different degrees of embodiment.
Because of the word "reconnaissance", this drama has its own suspense color. In the plots such as intercepting intelligence, blowing up bridges, conquering high grounds, going deep into the lone army, and interspersing behind enemy lines, the audience will naturally resonate with the characters at the same frequency and have a stronger sense of substitution.
The confrontational design of Baek Chang-ho, the captain of a spy team of the South Korean Army, corresponding to Liang Chen, the translator of the Puppet Army of the Volunteers, and the American Army and the South Korean Army corresponding to the scouts of the Volunteers, not only bolted the opponent for the light and dark contest between the two sides, but also left enough room for expression for the contrast between the two sides at the level of concepts and the final peaceful ending.
The two sides are at odds with each other in their understanding of the justice of war. But when it comes to the battlefield, there are also some common battlefield rules to be observed, such as the rules for the protection of civilians, the rules of the demilitarized zone, the rules of the truce and truce, and so on.
One of the most mentioned rules in Scout Heroes should be "preferential treatment of prisoners". When the volunteers and the U.S. military have some language exchanges, they will mention the principle of "preferential treatment of prisoners". In terms of plot performance, both sides have also adhered to this principle to varying degrees.
There are similarities and differences, uneven and polymorphic, which is the origin of the world. The move from war to peace is determined not only by the outcome of the battlefield contest, but also by the result of moving in the same direction after the consensus is expanded. The call for peace is also one of the main appeals of "Scout Heroes".
Looking back at history, when the armistice was signed, hatred was no longer the theme, peace was; Nostalgia for the battlefield is not the main theme, but returning home is. A nation-building battle ensured peace for many years, and the sacrifices and sacrifices in "Scout Heroes" have always reflected their meaning and value.
The ultimate purpose of war is to win peace, and this is already the consensus of the vast majority of people around the world. As far as film and television works are concerned, resolving differences and calling for peace are also the most common themes. Because of the existence of the theme of peace, war-themed film and television dramas have a calm core, which brings more shock and thinking to the audience.
Scout Heroes has just launched. It is expected that this latest work about the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea can once again lead the audience through time, on the vanishing battlefield, and feel the great sacrifices and fearless dedication made by the "loveliest people" of that generation.