Hailed as one of the best stories in New Generation, EOD Elites－or the third unit－stars actor Shawn Dou as a young soldier, chronicling his transformation from a shy recruit to an experienced member of an elite team excelling in explosive removal missions.
"Aside from Dou and a few other major cast members, almost all of the cameo characters and extras are played by real soldiers and officers thanks to the support from the PLA," recalls Zhang.
For the director, it was an awe-inspiring experience to walk with local troops to trek into villages once struggling to earn a living in the mountainous areas, where millions of explosive munitions were laid down between 1970s and 1990s.
"In one village located deep in a mountainous area, all of its 187 locals have a total of 178 legs. Even most of the young children have lost one of their legs. Most of the soldiers recalled that they couldn't hold back their tears after first seeing the disabled locals and felt guilty for being incapable of protecting them," says Zhang.
Zhang still clearly remembers the first time he saw how the soldiers wrapped in protective suits, each weighing around 35 kilograms, to check the land inch by inch on mountains infested with snakes and mosquitoes in scorching summer heat with average temperatures exceeding 40 C.
"During the shooting, I believe most of the crew members were touched by the soldiers' noble spirit. Despite that we might not be able to re-create just one-tenth of the sufferings and hardship they experienced, I feel honored to tailor a TV story to tell of their devotion and dedication," says Zhang.
As the country's first such television story to unravel Chinese field army's EOD soldiers' military life, the tale has received widespread critical acclaim. Li Zhun, former vice-chairman of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, says the series has appealingly blended personal pursuit with the new demands of our country and the era to arouse resonance with young audience.
