A fictionalised account of the real-life volunteer team who in the 90s patrolled China's huge and sparsely beautiful Kekexili nature reserve, fighting a running battle against armed poachers. Lu Chuan's sweeping shots of the bleak Tibetan plateau fill this movie with menace and endless, ice-frozen beauty; meanwhile the action is unrelenting. Zhang shines as wide-eyed journalist Ga Yu, but it’s the obsessed, morally-flawed patrol leader Ri Tai who is the heart of this movie; a fascinating character brought to life with electrifying verve by Duo. That performance, like this movie, is a marvel.
- David Mattin, BBCi Film.

Kekexili is a remarkable acievement. It is based on true events, which, once examined, stretch credulity to the limit. It was filmed on the Qinghai Tibetan plateau, which is so high breathing becomes difficult, in freezing conditions that exposed the cast and crew to barely tolerable hardship. This is a tough film in every respect. No quarter is given on either side. The harsh elements are matched by the extraordinary endurance of these men. It is not only the magnificence of the cinematography, the commitment of the actors and the intensity of this true story that ennobles Kekexili. It is the meaning of courage.
- Angus Wolfe Murray, Eye for Film.