Product Details

• Actors: James Van Der Beek, Leslie Hope, John Heard
• Directors: Adam Kane
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: Cantonese, Chinese, English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Screen Media
• DVD Release Date: July 13, 2010
• Run Time: 103 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0039ZBLZ6
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,779 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Formosa Betrayed" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Based on true events when a taiwanese-american professor is murdered fbi agent jake kelly races to track the killers back to taiwan. Kelly soon finds himself immersed in dangerous conspiracy as he dodges forces ranging from the u.S. State department to the chinese mafia. Studio: Gaiam Americas Release Date: 07/13/2010 Starring: James Van Der Beek Leslie Hope Run time: 103 minutes Rating: R

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced, Multi-dimensional Thriller, April 30, 2010

By 

Latuza (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Formosa Betrayed (DVD)

The main point of the message I believe is that freedom doesn't come free. Let those of us in the US not take that for granted, and lend support to friends abroad when we can:

The movie actually is quite thought-provoking by presenting multiple perspectives on the Taiwan issue. It's not one-dimensional as some would believe. The multiple perspectives constitute the conflict that lasts/runs throughout the movie (primarily between agent Jake Kelly and the AIT (American Institute in Taiwan) director). I think the props and sets could be better, but overall it's a suspense-packed and fast-paced movie that leaves you hanging off the edge of your seat most of the time.

Fact Events in Taiwan that inspired the making of the movie, 8 March 2010

Author: Bobby W from United States

1) Kaohsiung Incident (1979) - A demonstration led by Formosa Magazine staff resulted in the Martial Law arrest of dozens of dissidents.

2) Lin Family Massacre (1980) - A grim murder of the 7 years old twin girls and their 70 years old grandma in their house then under 24-hour surveillance by the Garrison Command (Taiwan secret police). The day before her murder, the grandma had managed to reach out the international human right organizations about the brutal treatment received by her son in jail. Her son Lin Yi-Hsiung was among the Kaohsiung Incident dissidents arrested.

3) The Murder of Chen Wen-Chen (1981) - Carnegie Mellon University professor Chen Wen-Chen, while visiting Taiwan, was interrogated by the Garrison Command agents two days in a roll. He never returned home. Dr. Chen had been an active Taiwan independence advocate.

4) The Assassination of Henry Liu (1984) - California resident and Journalist Henry Liu was killed in his garage by mafia killers sent overseas by the Taiwan Garrison Command (the secret police head was later sentenced to life by Taiwan authority). Liu had just released a book about the reigning president Chiang Jing-Guo, son and successor of Chiang Kai-Shek.

50 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Based on true (and painful) events from Taiwan in the 80s., April 12, 2010

By 

JH - See all my reviews

This review is from: Formosa Betrayed (DVD)

This movie tells the true stories about the KMT's cruel regime in Taiwan during the 1980s. Many of these were covered up for many, many years, and finally there is a movie to share to the rest of the world. My ancestors were on the island of Taiwan (otherwise known as "Formosa", the beautiful island) for over 200 years before the arrival of the Chinese Nationalist in the late 1940s. In some ways our family was lucky, because during the 228 Massacre, a generation of all the highly intelligent/skilled people in Taiwan were killed by the KMT government so they could maintain control. My ancestors were mostly farmers in the rural South, so they were spared.

The Taiwanese people who fought for democracy had to pay high prices--as one politician's family was destroyed when he came home one night to find his seven year-old twin daughters and his mother killed. His older daughter witnessed the whole incident and survived. The former Taiwanese president's wife is paralyzed for life because she pushed her husband away as a car was about to run him over during a rally.

It's amazing how far Taiwan has come to promote democracy. And it's due to all these people who never gave any hope up, even if it costs their own lives. This movie tells the true stories about what happened in the past and what we could learn for the future.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Movie with a Social Conscience, June 11, 2010

By 

Tony C (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Formosa Betrayed (DVD)

Formosa Betrayed is an excellent portrayal of the devastating history that the people of Taiwan have endured over the years. A rich and fertile island that has been occupied by foreigners for most of its history, Taiwan's history is entirely unknown to the vast majority of Americans. Thus, this film speaks volumes about the ignorance of many Americans toward the plight of the Taiwanese people who have been seeking independence for centuries, and serves to educate the masses who have the privilege of watching it. History is important, and this film is a first class history lesson and a must see film.

While watching Formosa Betrayed I was struck by the way in which the film depicts injustice in a manner that implicates (and rightly so) the American government as complicit in allowing the oppression of the Taiwanese people. The makers of this film have done an excellent job displaying the effects of power politics at the international level on smaller countries. Taiwan, a nation with a distinct identity separate from mainland China, has just as much of a right to be an independent nation as the United States did when it declared independence from Great Britain. Unfortunately for Taiwan, the United States cares more about its foreign relations with Taiwan's larger neighbor China than it does about promoting justice, as embodied through the independence of Taiwan. This film focuses on the injustices endured by Taiwan, and shows that Taiwan becoming a democracy is not a miracle at all, but rather the result of the multitude of sacrifices of the Taiwanese people.

Formosa Betrayed is made all the more excellent through fantastic performances by its leading actors, especially those of James Van Der Beek, Will Tiao and Wendy Crewson. Furthermore, it's extremely well made, and as a political action thriller it transcends a mere history channel documentary while sacrificing none of the content.