⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4

I will be honest, I’m a huge George Michael and Wham! fan. Having seen the original version of this film years ago, I couldn’t miss the chance to catch this newly restored cut featuring extra footage and an updated narrative. It was a one-off event cinema screening at my local cinema, and it drew a surprisingly large turnout.

The original 1985 release was titled Wham! in China: Foreign Skies. Director Lindsay Anderson had initially shot footage intending to create a serious documentary called If You Were There. However, he was sacked for focusing too heavily on the realities of communist China rather than the band itself, leading to a re-edit that shifted the spotlight back to Wham!.

In many ways, this new version brings things full circle. It doesn’t shy away from showing 1980s China: the political repression, the intense cultural contrast, and the massive logistical hurdles the team faced. It’s also refreshingly honest about the motives behind the trip: while Wham! made history as the first major Western pop act to perform in China, the ultimate goal was to make global news and break the band in America. It worked brilliantly.

The film features reflective interviews with Chinese citizens who attended the original two concerts, alongside new footage and fresh insights from Andrew Ridgeley, Pepsi, and Shirlie. George and Andrew come across well in the archive footage, charismatic, natural, and full of the easy banter that defined their bond. That said, as a fan, I would have loved to see a bit more of Pepsi and Shirlie, given how vital they were to Wham!

While George of course features heavily, narration of him commenting retrieved from archive footage is limited. Though his interactions with Andrew are captured.

At 90 minutes, the film balances just a handful of live performances with a narrative that looks back on the tour four decades later. It’s a fascinating, candid recount of a grueling press and concert tour in an unfamiliar land, and it likely sits much closer to Lindsay Anderson’s original vision than the initial 1985 release ever did. If you are after a music/concert video, this is not the film for you.

As a bonus, the screening opened with a trailer for the George Michael: Freedom tour concert film, coming to cinemas this September, definitely one to mark in the diary and get my tickets early.

This special event film is currently playing in cinemas and is a must-watch for Wham fans or anyone interested in the story of the first western pop band to perform in China.

In April 1985, at the absolute height of their fame, WHAM! embarked on a groundbreaking 10-day tour across China, holding landmark concerts in Beijing and Guangzhou. Facing strict government oversight, deep cultural divides, and an audience largely unfamiliar with Western pop culture, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley stepped onto a stage that transformed both their career trajectory and global music history.

Built around newly restored and previously unseen archival footage, the film captures a rare, intimate snapshot of East meeting West at a pivotal crossroad in the 1980s. Beyond the live concert performances, the documentary follows the band through city streets, press encounters, and interactions with Chinese youth experiencing modern pop culture for the very first time. Featuring personal insights from Andrew Ridgeley, touring crew members, and fans, the film tells the story of two young superstars navigating politics, culture, and extreme media pressure on their way to global superstardom.

Official synopsis 

Film Rating

Music/Sound

3.5 out of 5

Story/plot

4 out of 5

Acting/Performances

n/a

Overall

4 out of 5

Certification: 12A
Running time: 90 minutes
Screening type: 2D