The Entertained Enemy: Intercultural Communication and Visual Politics in the Anti-Japanese War Comedy Hands Up! (2003)

Anti-Japanese war comedies have become a visible strand of contemporary Chinese screen culture, blending patriotic memory with comedic ridicule of Japanese invaders. Yet it remains unclear how audiences interpret this mixture of entertainment and nationalist messaging. This study examines how Chinese viewers interpret the anti-Japanese war comedy Hands Up! (2003), focusing on their intercultural competence, humor appreciation, and nationalist orientation. Drawing on intercultural communication and humor theory, the research explores how these audience traits affect responses to the film’s satirical portrayal of Japanese soldiers. The methodology combines a survey (N=250) using structural equation modeling with in-depth qualitative interviews (N=15). Results indicate that viewers with higher intercultural competence report greater appreciation of the film’s humor and more nuanced interpretations, whereas strong nationalist orientation predicts stronger alignment with the film’s patriotic message. Humor appreciation partially mediates the relationship between intercultural competence and interpretation. Qualitative interviews reveal that audiences both laughed at and reflected on the film’s exaggerations, showing an interplay of entertainment and ideological resonance. These findings highlight the complex role of humor in politically charged media: while the comedic dehumanization of the “enemy” reinforces nationalist narratives, viewers’ cultural competence can temper simple ingroup/outgroup reading. The study contributes to theory by linking individual difference variables with audience reception of visual political discourse. It also provides practical insight into how war comedies function as cultural texts in contemporary China. The research underscores the importance of considering intercultural skill and ideology in understanding media effects in nationalist contexts.