When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

China

Transformers 4, A Chinese Menu Of Product Placement

Nutrilite is one of several Chinese brands to appear in the movie.
Nutrilite is one of several Chinese brands to appear in the movie.
Tong Mu

BEIJING — Three years after the epic battle in Transformers: Dark of Moon, it's time for the Autobots and Decepticons to face off again for viewers around the world.

There is particular attention in China, where the fourth installment, Transformers: Age of Extinction, has been chosen to be the closing feature at the Shanghai International Film Festival. But more importantly, as they soak up the Hollywood blockbuster, Chinese film viewers can count the famous tourist attractions and cities in China that pop up — as well as an unprecedented number of product placements in the movie.

The Great Wall, Beijing's National Aquatic Center, Beijing's National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, and Chongqing's Wulong Tiankeng, a huge, deep natural pit all make appearances in this new science fiction/action feature film. There is also the impressive showdown of the various factions of transformers shot in Hong Kong's bustling business and financial center.

This is naturally very understandable — implanting "Chinese elements" is the trend these days to cater to a booming audience for foreign films in China. More than ten Chinese brands are highlighted in this movie including liquor, milk, bottled water, cars, television sets, and bank cards.

Michael Bay, the film director, regards these ad placements as totally natural and denies that he kowtows to commerce, whether it be American or Chinese-made.

Among all the Chinese elements of the new Transformers, the most impressive seems to be actress Li Bingbing for whom Bay has carved out a tailor-made role. Playing a tough senior executive, the Chinese star races through Hong Kong's narrow streets and uses a broom to fight a CIA agent in an elevator. Several other Chinese celebrities, including the Olympic boxing champion Zou Shimin, also get cameo roles on screen.

Chinese elements have already been a key part of the blockbuster series. Multiple scenes have been shot in Shanghai since Transformers 2, while the Chinese brands of Lenovo computer and Yili Shu milk showed up in Transformers 3.

As the world's second largest film market just after that of North America, China can help the Transformers series toward its goal of breaking sequel records in global sales. Simultaneously released in China, as well as in North America this past weekend, Transformers 4 topped $300 million at the box office globally.

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

FOCUS: Russia-Ukraine War

A Russian Soldier Confessed To Killing A Ukrainian Civilian — So Moscow Convicted Him Of Spreading Fake News

After Russian soldiers committed multiple war crimes last year during the attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region, some confessed to their crimes. But now they are being tried in Russia for spreading misinformation about the military.

Photo of a russian soldier

Frolkin left the military after the incident

Irina Dolinina via Facebook
Important Stories

Following multiple reports of war crimes in the early weeks of the war in Ukraine, Russian soldier Daniil Frolkin was interviewed last August by Vazhnye Istorii. In the conversation with the reporter for the independent Russian media, Frolkin confessed to the murder of an unarmed civilian who Ukrainian authorities believe was a 47-year-old named Ruslan Yaremchuk.

Now this public act of truth-telling has led to Frolkin standing trial in Russia and being convicted for spreading misinformation about the Russian military.

He was found guilty and sentenced to probation, though the Russian prosecutor had asked for six years of prison. After the court proceeding Wednesday, Frolkin quickly left and refused to talk to journalists.

Keep reading...Show less

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

The latest