Black Sun: The Nanking Massacre, is also known as Men Behind the Sun 4, but it really has nothing to do with the other movies. In fact, even the three other films have little to do with each other depending on which perspective you chose to see it from. It is, however, also based on true events and Japanese war crimes, just like in Men Behind the Sun.
In the Case of Black Sun it isn’t about cruel experimentation and searching for ways to strengthen the Japanese fighting abilities though. It might be a controversial thought, but there was a point with Unit 731. It was to better the Japanese fighting force and to more effectively use the resources of the army. Hence making progress into war faster and more efficient.
Instead there is a plethora of cruelty and sadistic behavior from the Japanese soldiers and officers while taking over the Nanking area. I would be lying if I said that I was very well informed of the conflict and all the details in the real case. But I have read up a bit on it and can conclude that all the atrocities that allegedly happened would be impossible to capture on film. It would be impossible to get even a fraction of the cruelty in there.
There are however some key moments that according to historians happened for real. Including killing all the men, raping the women and murdering infant in front of their mothers. Perhaps even while they were raped. It sounds like something Markis de Sade would come up with doesn’t it? I have read about young women getting raped and they had their genitals mutilated before being put to death. Looking them together in buildings and reading them multiple times all night, just to kill them in the morning and burn down the house in case there were any survivors after all.
There is also some debate about if the killing contest really happened or not. Some say it’s an urban legend but apparently there was a contest of who could kill most by using only a sword. First till a hundred kills would win. Many of these cruelties are captured in the film in explicit detail. For example, there is a scene where a pregnant woman gets cut open by a bayonet and the unborn child is then impaled by that same bayonet. And an infant being thrown into a boiling pot with soup. A total of something between 100-450k people were killed. The figure is debated.
There are also inserts of both genuine Japanese propaganda films from the time and real photos. At least that’s what it appears like. If it’s manufactured for the purpose to be included in Black Sun, they did a very nice job. Of course, as with Unit 731, the Japanese forces destroyed much of the evidence during Japan’s unconditional surrender.
To be frank, this was an attempted genocide. And even if I don’t want to start a political rant here. It is not my place, I must point out that there are certain events even now, in 2025-2026 where similarities to such cruelties can be drawn. But you’ll have to make your own conclusion about that.
But neither in reality nor in the film were the Japanese completely free to do what they wanted. There were foreign residents that were untouched. People from countries that Japan had no conflict with. These people set up a community and created some sort of safe haven for the refugees. And, how strange as it may sound, a member of the nazi party – John Rabe may have saved the lives of 200-250k chinese people during this time. Our western history has been forgotten, but I would say that he was the Oscar Schindler of this area! His tombstone has received a place of honour at the massacre memorial site and his home in Nanking has been restored and houses the International Safety Zone Memorial Hall.
So, what do I think about this movie? I did find an old review I wrote years ago where I didn’t like it at all. But opinions and ratings are time sensitive and I must reverse my former opinion. This is an important movie. It might not be easy to watch, but that’s the entire point. This is the kind of history that we must never forget. This time it hit me like a ton of bricks in the gut and is highly recommended as a reminder of humanity’s darkest history.
