Fortress falls flat

Much anticipated sci-fi movie disappoints many Chinese fans, Xu Fan reports.

It was anticipated to be the top sci-fi film this summer, but Shanghai Fortress has flopped, triggering online debate about the future of Chinese sci-fi films.

Starring A-list actress Shu Qi and pop idol Lu Han, the movie opened on 33 percent of the country's nearly 65,000 screens on Friday, knocking down the phenomenal hit Ne Zha to 27 percent that day. But, a flood of negative reviews soon pulled Shanghai Fortress down from the top slot, with the screening rate shrinking to 14.4 percent by the next day.