ZEE'S REVIEWS

7th July 2009
Red Cliff: I & II (2008-2009)

Red Cliff is a spectacular epic set in ancient China, from acclaimed director John Woo. Based on the Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, it depicts the ambitious Imperial Chancellor Cao Cao attempting to conquer all of China for his emperor, forcing the warlords of the south to form an alliance to defend their homelands.

Takeshi Kaneshiro is Zhuge Liang, the clever and persuasive advisor to the warlord Liu Bei. Tony Leung is Zhou Yu, the brilliant and artistic general to the warlord Sun Quan. Together with their allies, they face a seemingly unstoppable army of 800,000, with only courage, wit and luck to aid them. A series of dramatic clashes ensues, culminating in the legendary Battle of Red Cliffs.

It's hard to find enough adjectives to do justice to this movie. It was the most expensive ever filmed in China, costing US$80 million to make, and every cent looks like it ended up on screen. The lavish costumes, the atmospheric sets, and a cast of thousands engaging in stunningly choreographed battle sequences, and using strategems and ruses to outfox the enemy in a most fascinating way.

And this being John Woo, there is no shortage of way cool spectacle, aided by the fact that these are the legendary generals and heroic warriors of Chinese history. We are a few centuries too early for double gun action, but there is certainly double sword action, thrown spears being caught in midair, great leaps that defy gravity, and other martial feats that are completely improbable and gloriously magnificent.

But these characters are not just awesomely cool, they are also human and likeable, with distinctive personalities. In contrast to beautiful but cold movies like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon or House of Flying Daggers, Red Cliff is full of warmth and humour - exactly what I remember so affectionately from the wuxia dramas of my childhood.

Red Cliff was originally screened in two parts, with a total running time of 4 hours and 40 minutes. It was a massive hit, breaking box office records throughout Asia. It will soon be released in the west as a single movie, edited down to 2 hours and 28 minutes. It is an enthralling big screen experience not to be missed. John Woo and the cast and crew are to be commended for bringing to life once again these beloved characters and this classic story. It truly deserves the name epic.

Read Alaris' review of Red Cliff: I & II (2008-2009).