It may be an action movie but it puts a rising China in the spotlight. It is also the first movie that has tasted success both in terms of earnings and promoting patriotism. And it is a rare effort in which the protagonist tries to win the audience's hearts by shedding sweat and blood rather than flaunting his good looks.

The film is Wolf Warriors II, directed by and starring Chinese martial artist Wu Jing. The film had earned nearly 3.4 billion yuan ($505.75 million) by Monday and set a record for domestic movies at the box office.

The film revolves around a rescue operation in Africa led by a former People's Liberation Army SWAT soldier Leng Feng (played by Wu Jing). Leng helps Chinese businessmen, workers and African locals to flee a war-torn and plague-ravaged country. Moviegoers have been touched by the film despite the controversy over individual heroism because the plot focuses on patriotism.