Operation Red Sea

“Operation Red Sea 2” (2025) – Underwater Combat Meets High-Stakes Action

Operation Red Sea 2, also known by its alternate titles Operation Leviathan and Operation Hadal, is the long-awaited sequel to the 2018 Chinese military blockbuster Operation Red Sea. Directed once again by Dante Lam, the film trades desert warfare for deep-sea tension, pushing the boundaries of modern war cinema into new, uncharted waters—both literally and figuratively.

Set several years after the events of the first film, the story follows the elite Jiaolong Assault Team as they embark on a new and highly dangerous mission. This time, the threat is not on land, but beneath the waves. A rogue submarine armed with nuclear warheads has gone off the grid, and intelligence suggests it may be headed toward China's southeast coastline. The mission? Stop it—at any cost. Teaming up with the submarine Longjing's crew, the Jiaolong commandos must navigate hostile waters, engage in covert undersea operations, and prevent a potential nuclear catastrophe.

Dante Lam elevates the intensity with a fresh setting that adds layers of claustrophobia and suspense. The film trades blazing gunfights and desert raids for sonar pings, torpedo launches, and tense stealth maneuvers deep under the ocean. The result is a visually gripping and technically ambitious take on the action-war genre, filled with underwater sequences that are as stunning as they are terrifying.

Leading the cast is Huang Xuan as squad leader Meng Chuang, bringing both grit and humanity to a man caught between duty and impossible odds. Yu Shi, Zhang Hanyu, Du Jiang, and Jiang Luxia round out the main ensemble, some returning from the first film and others new additions. Together, they portray a crew forced to rely on both technology and trust as they face a threat lurking in the darkest parts of the sea.

From a production standpoint, the film is a major technical achievement. Large portions were filmed on an underwater sound stage in Qingdao, and the filmmakers made extensive use of IMAX cameras to capture the vastness of the deep ocean and the confined spaces of submarine interiors. The sound design, score, and visual effects all work in concert to create a sensory experience that immerses the viewer in the tension of underwater warfare.

However, while the visuals and action sequences have been widely praised, some critics and viewers have pointed to the film’s weaker elements—namely its plot and character development. The story can be uneven at times, with certain emotional beats feeling rushed or underdeveloped. The high-tech setting, while exciting, sometimes overshadows the human drama at the film’s core.

Despite these flaws, Operation Red Sea 2 remains a bold and thrilling addition to modern Chinese cinema. It takes risks by diving into a genre rarely explored in Chinese film and offers a fresh take on military action. Fans of the original film will appreciate the returning characters and heightened scale, while new viewers may be drawn in by the novelty of submarine-based combat.

In conclusion, Operation Red Sea 2 is an impressive spectacle that expands the franchise in new and daring directions. Though not without its shortcomings, it cements Dante Lam’s reputation for crafting high-octane, large-scale military thrillers with style and ambition.