Review – Red Cliff

Woo hoo for John Woo! I am such a geek for Asian cinema and when I heard the legendary Woo’s first historical epic Red Cliff was finally getting a North American release I couldn’t wait to see it. A monster success in Asia the pared-down from 5-hour into two-hour version make its way into New York City theaters first on November 18th then Los Angeles and beyond on November 20th. The question is will an ancient tale of a bloody Chinese battle resonate with Western audiences?

Ambitious and power-drunk General Cao Cao (highly regarded actor Zhang Fengyi) has convinced the young, impressionable Han Emperor that two unruly warlords Liu Bei (You Young) and Sun Quan (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s thief Chang Chen) need to be brought under heel. And of course the addition of their land would be highly beneficial to the general. After dealing Liu Bei a crushing defeat Cao Cao turns his attention to the junior ruler, Sun Quan. Anticipating the coming attack, Liu Bei’s military strategist Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) travels to speak with Sun Quan about an alliance. But first he must convince Sun Quan’s trusted friend, the warrior Zhou Yu (international superstar Tony Leung) of the wisdom of uniting against seemingly insurmountable odds. Together they may just vanquish the tyrant and win freedom and peace for all China.

There is a timeless quality to Red Cliff. It’s Troy, it’s Braveheart, it’s the Battle of Agincourt, it’s any time the few fight with passion and intelligence against their oppressors. The fact that the setting is China shouldn’t be a deterrent for North American audiences. Having to read subtitles however may be an issue for those less adventurous folks. I know that there were subtexts and situations that were uniquely Chinese in nature, things that a Chinese person would readily identify as significant. Those things went blissfully over my head and did not interfere with my enjoyment or understanding of the broader story.

There are a couple iconic John Woo touches in the movie: flocks of doves and a “Mexican standoff” type moment, (see: The Killer). But generally Woo stands back and lets the characters and story be the focal point. The ever classy Tony Leung is perfect at the heroic and honorable Zhou Yu. Red Cliff is a long-overdue reuniting of this director and actor. Takeshi Kaneshiro plays the cagey Zhuge Liang with charm and deference. Model-turned-actress-for-the-first-time Chiling Lin is Xiao Qiao, Zhou Yu’s brave and loyal wife. Some historians say that Cao Cao’s true motivation for waging war on Sun Quan was to take the remarkable beauty, Xiao Qiao for himself. We all know how those endeavors tend to end.

Red Cliff is a martial arts film, though not a typical one. There is some wire work but it’s based very clearly in reality; not so much of that running up and down bamboo trees. This is also a war film. For those of you that like you action exciting and bloody, you’ll get your fill. Finally, Red Cliff is exciting and romantic. If you’re someone who is not afraid of reading subtitles you’re going to thoroughly enjoy this ride. Me? I can’t wait till the 5-hour version is available on DVD!

Red Cliff

From the official site – Legendary action-cinema master John Woo and international superstar Tony Leung reunite for the first time since the 1992 classic HARD BOILED in RED CLIFF, the epic historical drama based on a legendary 208 A.D. battle that heralded the end of the Han Dynasty. RED CLIFF opens as power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) seeks permission from the Han dynasty Emperor to organize a southward-bound mission designed to crush the two troublesome warlords who stand in his way, Liu Bei (You Yong) and Sun Quan (Chang Chen). As the expedition gets underway, Cao Cao’s troops rain destruction on Liu Bei’s army, forcing him into retreat. Liu Bei’s military strategist Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) knows that the rebels’ only hope for survival is to form an alliance with rival warlord Sun Quan, and reaches out to Sun Quan’s trusted advisor, war hero Zhou Yu (Tony Leung). Vastly outnumbered by Cao Cao’s brutal, fast-approaching army, the warlords band together to mount a heroic campaign – unrivaled in history – that changes the face of China forever. A massive hit in Asia and the most expensive Asian film production of all time, RED CLIFF is a breathtaking war epic that marks the triumphant return of John Woo.

Available now on VOD and in theaters November 18th (NYC) and November 20th

Official Site

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Check it out exclusively at NY Magazine’s Vulture Blog

Legendary action cinema master John Woo and international superstar Tony Leung reunite for the first time since the 1992 classic HARD BOILED with this epic historical drama set based on a legendary 208 A.D. battle that heralded the end of the Han Dynasty. RED CLIFF opens with power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) seeking permission from the Han dynasty Emperor to organize a southward-bound mission designed to crush two troublesome warlords that stand in his way, Liu Bei (You Yong) and Sun Quan (Chang Chen). As the expedition gets under way, Cao Cao’s troops rain destruction on Liu Bei’s army, forcing the latter to retreat. Liu Bei’s military strategist Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) knows that their only hope for survival is to form an alliance with rival warlord Sun Quan, and reaches out to Sun Quan’s trusted advisor, war hero Zhou Yu (Tony Leung). Vastly outnumbered by Cao Cao’s fast approaching, brutal army, the rebel warlords band together to mount a heroic campaign unrivalled in history that changes the face of China forever. A massive hit in Asia and the most expensive Asian film production of all time, RED CLIFF is a breathtaking war epic that marks the triumphant return of John Woo.

RED CLIFF will premiere on VOD, XBOX Live and Amazon Oct. 22nd and opens in theatres November 20th.

For more information, visit the official site.

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