Hostage thriller 'Escape from the Outland' carries message of peace

Director and screenwriter Shen Ao's new film "Escape from the Outland" tells the story of Chinese hostages escaping terrorists in a war-torn North African country, a narrative the filmmaker says advocates for world peace.

The cast and crew of "Escape from the Outland" pose for a photo at the Beijing premiere, Dec. 24, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Bravo Entertainment]

The film is based on the real-life experiences of Chinese hostages held overseas. Starring Xiao Yang, Qi Xi, Zheng Kai and Simon Yam, it follows a Chinese correspondent and his pregnant wife, a volunteer doctor, on a desperate survival journey in a war zone. The couple endures 105 days of captivity, facing atrocities and ransom demands before executing a self-rescue alongside another Chinese captive. The film was shot entirely under the Filmed for IMAX program, with locations including Monaco and the Sahara Desert.

Shen revealed at the Beijing premiere on Dec. 24 that the story's inspiration dates to 2020, when he met his friend Wang Ke, who runs a landmine clearance project in post-conflict regions, helping local communities return to normal life. Wang showed him a photo of a local child using an artillery shell as a crutch. The image deeply moved Shen and led him to incorporate the imagery into his film, with the shell reimagined as a prosthetic leg.

Shen and his team collected firsthand materials, integrating them into the story. Wang, who has worked on hostage negotiation and rescue missions overseas, continued to provide insights. Through him, the team connected with professionals in the field, conducting interviews and gathering memoirs, documentaries and academic papers from survivors and witnesses.

Before filming began, actors received flash drives and hard drives containing hundreds of gigabytes of content to review. "I wanted them to digest the information as quickly as possible, then discuss it. This material served as the foundation and source for all our creative work," Shen said. "Although we were working on a screenplay and engaging in artistic creation, we strived to respect the facts, avoid fabrication and provide audiences with an authentic, immersive experience."

Xiao Yang, who plays the Chinese journalist, noted that the director's vision for his character centers on a simple sense of responsibility. "He's an ordinary person — someone who deeply cares for those around him. When love collides with danger, when peril arises, courage is gradually awakened within him. An ordinary person can be inspired to embrace a spirit of sacrifice."

Qi Xi was pregnant during filming but took the role after being deeply moved by her character and the script. She reflected on what she saw before production: There were many scenes she could barely watch. "The reality is far more terrifying than the film."

Shen noted that the world seemed to become more unstable as filming progressed. "When we began developing the story, it seemed like an isolated incident. But as time passed, it evolved into a pervasive sense of tension and conflict that has spread globally, with frequent outbreaks of regional clashes and even wars. Through this process, I came to deeply appreciate how precious the peace and stability we often take for granted truly are."

While developing "Escape from the Outland," Shen also worked on "Dead to Rights," a survival story that exposes atrocities committed by Japanese invaders during the Nanjing Massacre, in which approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers were killed. Released in August, "Dead to Rights" received strong reviews and grossed more than 3 billion yuan ($426 million) at the Chinese box office.

"'Escape from the Outland' is actually connected to 'Dead to Rights' in certain ways, because the two films were shot back-to-back and written concurrently. Both feature a character with a camera documenting a war and recording the events unfolding," Shen said. "'Dead to Rights' explores how we should confront invaders when facing an aggressive war — we must resist and expose them. In 'Escape from the Outland,' a Chinese citizen becomes entangled in a war unrelated to himself, swept up in the conflict. The film focuses on the courage, responsibility and commitment that should be embodied by citizens of a major country like China."

A poster for "Escape from the Outland." [Image courtesy of Dirty Monkeys Studio]

Shen stressed that the team followed a core principle: They would not focus solely on depicting cruelty and violence. "The purpose of making this film is not to stir audiences' emotions and make them want to take up arms, but to show them warmth and humanity," he said. "We found a narrative theme that transcends the story itself: turning enemies into friends."

"I hope that whether it is with overseas Chinese who share the same roots, or with people of other ethnic groups, regions, beliefs and cultures, we can forge widespread friendships," he said.

"I believe in the unity of people around the world, I believe in standing together against common enemies, and I believe in turning enemies into friends," he added. "The film will hit theaters on the last day of this year. I pray for world peace in the new year."