Customer Reviews

Formosa Betrayed

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

If this film focused only on the story of Taiwan, it would have been decent enough, but the theme centers on a murder and the extradition of those responsible, even it it means travelling throughout the globe. Action paced, with terrific acting from a stellar cast. Highly recommended!

My family lived through exactly what was described in the movie, if not more cruel or vivid.
Jail, torture, being monitored, followed, threatened, phone-tapping, ... all are just part of regular everyday life in Taiwan 30-50 years ago.
We were penalized to speak our mother tongue in elementary school. We were afraid to say anything negative about the government because spies are everywhere.
In many aspects, Taiwan was controlled by the Chinese Nationalist from China, the KMT, who used the same tricks as the Communists to terrorize the people into submission.
My family was classified as political dissidents and were persecuted for many years.
Everything you see in the movie is true 100% if not already watered down.
With the new president Ma, the old Chinese Nationalist practices are coming back and he's working together with the communists to take over Taiwan, an already independent sovereign nation for almost 100 years.
Watch this movie, and buy many copies to spread the word and support the cause.
People in the US need to know why there's a Taiwan Relations Act--a law of USA to protect Taiwan.
This movie will tell you why and it's urgency.
Taiwan is the only Chinese Mandarin speaking country in the world that has democracy.
China communists and the new Ma regime are doing everything within their evil powers to prevent Taiwan from moving forward in democracy and move Taiwan into taken over by the communist in China.
I saw this movie in the theater and met the producers and director.
Great people, great movie, great cause.
Be a voice for freedom, be a voice for democracy!

Formosa Betrayed is described as "inspired by actual events" and the story actually condenses a number of important historical events in Taiwan beginning from the 228 Massacre in 1947 up to the democracy movement in the 1980s. The murder of a Taiwanese American professor at the beginning of the movie is an obvious reference to the murder of Taiwanese writer Henry Liu in California in 1984. The Kaohsiung Incident, the Lin Yi-hsiung family murders, spies on US university campuses and the 228 Massacre are also alluded to in the film in varying degrees of detail.

Audiences in Taiwan will already be familiar with much of the historical background to the events portrayed in the film. Those with background knowledge of Taiwan's history might find some of the details are not accurate or don't concord with the chronology of the White Terror period and the early 1980s the film is set in. Anyone who has spent time in Taiwan will also find that the settings, actually filmed in Bangkok, don't accurately portray Taiwan in the 1980s. However, the focus should really be on the story of how an American FBI agent discovers the truth about the true nature of the ROC regime on Taiwan. It is this process of discovery by FBI agent Jake Kelly that forms the central part of the story.

Agent Kelly, played by James Van Der Beek, is working on the investigation of the murder of Professor Wen, a Taiwanese American professor who was shot on a US university campus. When the two suspects flee the country he is then sent to Taiwan to observe the investigation. In Taiwan Kelly gradually finds that the authorities in Taiwan are not merely not cooperating, there is something much more serious going on.

The plot is very well structured and builds to a strong climax. The pacing is perhaps a little slow for those used to Hollywood action fare, but it allows time for events to unfold and for the audience to reflect on the new discoveries that Agent Kelly makes. The government officials who seek to "entertain" Agent Kelly serve as the face of the regime that successfully fools most outsiders. Susan Kane, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) liason officer played by Wendy Crewson, represents the complicity of the US in supporting the authoritarian regime on Taiwan. The presence of a Taiwanese general who is sympathetic to the democracy movement shows the film wants to suggest that people working both inside and outside the government contributed to Taiwan's democratic transformation. The other main Taiwanese characters represent the pro-democracy movement. When the activist Ming, played by Will Tiao, says, "The Chinese say we are their brothers. But if we are brothers why do they treat us like this?" this really sums up the pro-Taiwan sentiments that run through the film.

Although there have been a number of Taiwanese films about the White Terror period none of them have looked at the events as directly as Formosa Betrayed. The most important thing about the film is that it brings the story of Taiwan's recent history to a wider audience. As such it is an excellent way of informing people and promoting discussion about Taiwan's struggle for democracy and justice. Even though the days of White Terror in Taiwan have ended the now democratic country is still denied membership in the United Nations and proper recognition by the international community.

(adapted from the review originally posted on my blog, David on Formosa)

Excellent movie! It honestly depicts the "Era of White Terror" under the KMT authoritarian regime from 1950s to 1980s. Taiwanese suffered persecution under the longest Martial Law in the world, from 1949 to 1987, imposed by the Chinese KMT administration. Learning the history is to prevent human tragedy and repressive regime from happening again.

When I was in grade school the 'Cold War' was in full swing. In the social studies class we learned that Chiang Kai Shek fled the evil communists of mainland China and settled in Taiwan and put up with the paranoia of invasion as an aftermath. The textbooks managed to leave out all the other nasty stuff portrayed in this movie.

Here's the scoop. A university professor is murdered (assassinated) in Chicago. As the killers are found to be Taiwanese who have fled back to the homeland, an FBI agent, played by James Van Der Beek, is sent to Taiwan to "assist/ observe" in the investigation. It takes him little time to realize this is all smoke in mirrors and finds out all sorts of things about Taiwan and their relationship with the U.S. that no one would like the American people to know. His cowboy approach to the investigation gets him in hot water and gets him to question his role as an FBI agent.

This is a good meat and potatoes political thriller. It lists 6 writers but actually could have had a bit (just a bit) better script. The director, Adam Kane, is a cinematographer/ director with a lot of TV under his belt and it shows. This is a very good movie, but could have been phenomenal were it punched up just a few more notches. The power is in the story itself. The opening credits mention that it is "based on a true story" so you know much of it had to be tweeked for filming purposes, but my guess is that is for the narrative. I'd bet the fundamentals of the situation are correct.

I had no idea of the situation in Taiwan and, as of now, I would consider not purchasing one single item more that is manufactured there. And it really makes me want to spit that our government is in league with a country like this. They are an oppressive government that sees the rights of its people as nonexistent.

Van Der Beek does a good job as the agent, though I do wonder why they felt the need to have him sporting a 3 day growth of beard. Would he have looked too young were he clean shaven? All the production values are good and steady. As I mentioned, with a few more dollars and a few better names in writing and directing and this could have been an amazing film as opposed to really good.

If you like this sort of thing this is a good outing. Do not hesitate to avail yourself to it.

As said in the prelude... "Based on True Story", all the names, locations, are altered, but it is a true story. The murdered professor's true identity was, in real life, Prof. Wen-Chen Chen, Department of Mathematics, University of Maryland. His expertise is mathematical statistics.

The story actually happened in the summer of 1982... Beside the graduate school library of National Taiwan University, people found a body on the ground! Lots of people believed that Prof. Chen jump off the building, however, the Graduate School Library was only a two story building about 6 meters high! The fact is that he was killed somewhere else then, his body was dumped in the campus of National Taiwan University!

The fact was Prof. Chen was invited by the secret service of Taiwanese Government, or the SS of KMT! Since Prof. Chen was a very active member of FAPA---one of the most aggressive Taiwanese organization in US. The goal of FAPA is to push Taiwanese Government to declare independency! Prof. Chen's and FAPA's political declaration was against KMT Government's "One China, and China is part of Taiwan" policy! However, China claims that Taiwan is part of China. It is also a fact that Prof. Chen was dead, but the reason most people believe is that the SS detained Prof. Chen, and tortured Prof. Chen too hard, and killed him by accident! But, so far no one (either FBI or Taiwanese Government) declassify the investigation report!

You may ask, how do I know that much... Since I entered the National University Department of Math in 1982, and Prof. Chen was also graduated from the Dept of Math, National Taiwan University.

Did FBI go to Taiwan to investigate the truth? YES! That IS true.

In this movie all these stories were changed to Taiwan against Communist China, and all the characters use different names...

Is it based on true story, yes it is. But it is about Taiwan declaring independency and KMT's political propaganda! But, these twistings of facts is deemed necessary. However, as a movie, I like this move a lot. Just I like MI-I, II, III and other movies.

I would highly recommend this DVD to people who want to know about relationships between Taiwan and China. The backgrounds that led to the Independence movements of Taiwanese people.