The Battle at Lake Changjin II (released in the United Kingdom as The Battle at Water Gate Bridge),[4] is a 2022 Chinese war drama film co-produced and co-directed by Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam, written by Lan Xiaolong and Huang Jianxin, and starring Wu Jing and Jackson Yee.

[8][9][10] It is a fictionalized retelling of the fighting at Funchilin Pass during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir against American forces in the Korean War.

The file opens with a recap of scenes from The Battle at Lake Changjin, introducing the main characters from that film and their earlier actions.

After fighting at Sinhung-ni, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army 7th Company arrives at a location 12km from Hagaru-ri where it meets elements of the 20th Corps and the artillery battalion commanded by Commander Yang, preparing to attack the airfield and American 1st Marine Division supply base at Hagaru-ri.

The film jumps to the Sea of Japan where Douglas A-1 Skyraiders launch from U.S. aircraft carriers to attack PVA units advancing on Hagaru-ri from nine directions.

The 7th Company is then strafed by United States Navy Vought F4U Corsairs, but they move on to a different target inflicting no casualties.

7th Company commander Wu Qianli realises the planes intend to attack the artillery battalion and moves his men forward.

PVA soldiers thrown themselves onto a barbed wire fence so that their comrades can run over their backs to attack U.S. positions.

1st Marine Division commander Major general Oliver P. Smith is informed that that PVA are everywhere and coming in fast.

Peng orders the 7th Company to disengage from the fighting at Hagaru-ri to block the U.S. retreat at Water Gate Bridge.

The PVA troops rest and recuperate while the commanders meet and count their casualties, Qianli receives the identity tags of the 78 men who have been killed and then leaves a lit cigarette as an offering in the snow.

The scene shifts to The White House where President Harry S. Truman receives a telegram from MacArthur requesting use of atomic bombs to win the war.

North of the bridge Qianli launches a solo attack, when the Americans try to shoot him with a recoilless rifle they hit their headquarters bunker.

A U.S. tanks advances across the bridge, the PVA troops at the south end try to destroy it with a captured recoilless rifle.

Qianli launches a solo attack on the U.S. troops on and around the pump house, tackling a U.S. soldier on the roof and then falling inside.

Inside the pump house Ping He is attacked by a U.S. soldier who impales him on a metal beam; Qianli then garrots the American but is entangled in wreckage.

The PVA units advance on the bridge destroying the final U.S. positions, while Qianli is trapped in the pump house wreckage.

Renewed tank fire disintegrates a PVA soldier as the vanguard of the 1st Marine Division approaches the north end of the bridge and then proceed to bombard the area.

The PVA then put a captured U.S. M3 half-track back into service, while in a voiceover Qianli pledges to attack the bridge no matter how many times the U.S. repairs it.

In a voiceover Qianli orders Wanli to blow the whistle every three hours from either end of the bridge to distract the defenders.

Qianli tries to shoot an artillery shell he was carrying, but his pistol misfires, the Americans open fire, Qianli is hit numerous times and falls off the bridge but manages to shoot the shell's fuse causing a massive explosion that blows a hole in the bridge.

Smith crosses the bridge in a jeep and sees a red scarf in a tree which he takes as a sign that the U.S. doesn't have much time to pull out.

Captions state: "The Battle of the Water Gate Bridge was a typical penetrating attack into the depths of the U.S. defense.

The PVA are shown quick marching past the bridge towards Hungnam, Wanli fires his carbine to draw their attention and is recognised as being from the 7th Company.

At Hungnam demolition charges explode across the city as glum and wounded American troops look on from ships as they sail away.

The PVA, including Wanli, are shown triumphantly running into the ruins of Hungnam on 25 December, reaching the beach where they wave red flags and cheer.

[13] The film uses extensive special effects, including millions of RMB worth of white sand that was transported to Hengdian for use as fake snow.

[17][18] Yu Dong suggested in an interview that the production company might release a six-hour director's cut combining material from both The Battle at Lake Changjin and its sequel.

[25][1][17] Scott Mendelson of Forbes called the film a "'just action' flick" and said it was patriotic but "not quite nationalistic or terribly jingoistic".

[26] Rebecca Davis of Foreign Policy described the film as propaganda that "extol the virtues of sacrificing oneself for the Chinese Communist Party."