Christian Bale has defended his new Nanjing film, 'The Flowers of War'. Christian Bale has suggested that the movie is more than just anti-Japanese propaganda.

In the film, Bale plays an American who protects a group of Chinese schoolgirls and prostitutes who are trying to escape the Japanese army's brutal sacking of China's wartime capital. The movie is filled with battle scenes between Chinese and Japanese soldiers, and the brutal rape and murder of Chinese women by Japanese troops. However Bale has defended the movie, telling The Guardian News Paper: 'It's far more of a movie about human beings and the nature of human beings' responses to crisis and how that can reduce people to the most animalistic behaviour and also raise them up to the most honourable behaviour.' Talking about the term 'propaganda', Bale said: 'That would be a bit of a knee jerk reaction. If anybody had that response, I don't think they're looking closely enough at the movie'. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences will now have to decide on whether China's submission for the Best Foreign Language Picture deserves an Oscar nomination or not, as no filmmaker from China has ever won an Oscar in a major category.

The film will be on limited release across cinemas in the UK this month. Christian Bale will feature for the last time as Batman in 'The Dark Knight Rises' scheduled for release next year.