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MOUNTAIN PATROL: KEKEXILI
Directed & Written by: Lu Chuan.
Produced by: Wang Zhongjun.
Director of Photography: Cao Yu
Edited by: Teng Yun.
Music by: Lao Zai.
Released by: Samuel Goldwyn.
Language: Mandarin & Tibetan with English subtitles.
Country of Origin: China/ Hong Kong. 95 min. Not Rated.
With: Duo Bujie, Zhang Lei, Qi Liang, Zhao Xueying & Ma Zhanlin.

Mountain Patrol (Kekexili) begins with a PETA member's biggest nightmare: a herd of Tibetan antelope is gunned down and subsequently skinned to a lifeless, bloody pulp by illegal poachers. Soon, vultures circle over what seems to be hundreds upon hundreds of antelope corpses.

As unbelievable as the scene is, in the 1990s such horrific illegal poaching used to be a frequent occurrence in the Kekexili mountain region until a courageous band of patrollers stood up to the poachers to protect their beloved antelopes from extinction. The film is told from the eyes of Ga Yu (Zhang Lei), a young photographer/reporter who was drawn to Kekexili after hearing about the alleged murder of a mountain patrolman. He joins the patrolmen by suggesting how his published work could lead to the creation of a natural reserve for the antelope. After just one night with them, Ga Yu quickly senses the strong bond among the patrolmen, and like them comes to revere the leader, Ri Tai (Duo Bujie) – a handsome, long-haired military man whose love and care for his men is surpassed only by his sense of mission. In the early morning the following day, Ga Yu is awakened to see Ri Tai and his men gathering guns and supplies for their journey into the mountains, a scene reminiscent of war as families and relatives hold back tears and beg for the patrolmen's safe return – a moment when Ga Yu realizes what he is in for is a matter of life and more likely death.

For viewers whose idea of Tibet has been friendly monks and luminous mountains, Mountain Patrol will be a rude and merciless awakening. Kekexili, which means “beautiful mountain, beautiful girl” in Tibetan, is located on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and at 5,000 meters the region is as beautiful as it is deadly. Beneath the starlit night skies and breathtaking views of the plateau is the mercilessly harsh side of nature – quicksand, sub-zero temperatures and thin air – which the patrolmen face one by one. Looking for a couple of poachers in such a vast wilderness is a hopeless endeavor for the volunteers. The poachers who sell the luxurious illegal coats of the antelopes (used to make shahtoosh scarves) have enough resources to shoot down the patrollers from their hiding place in the mountains. As the patrolmen moves deeper and deeper into Kekexili, even the cinematography, which starts out showcasing the beauty of the Tibetan mountains through indulgent pans, wisely turns into a more vérité style that makes the plight of the patrolmen all the more gut wrenching.

Director Lu Chan is skillful not to allow nature to take over the entire film. He retains the rich human drama as its centerpiece. As the death count climbs, the very determination of Ri Tai comes into question. He is compassionate enough as a leader to sell confiscated antelope pelts to obtain money to send an injured patrolman to the doctor. Yet that does not mean Ri Tai will stop pursuing the poachers even when he knows he is leading his troupe to a reckless journey that will only end with their death. A film of unrelenting emotional power unburdened by sentimentalism, its only discomforting aspect is its continuous suspense, so much so that the viewer will not have even a moment's rest to take a breath. But neither did these courageous men. Marie Iida
April 14, 2006