Red Cliff is an epic historical drama based on a legendary 208 A.D battle that heralded the end of the Han Dynasty. Power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General Cao Cao is 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 and Sun Quan. 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 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. The newly formed alliance make their last stand, where Cao Cao and his massive forces advance, seeking to crush all resistance in their path.
Outstanding war movie which is unlike most you may have watched in this genre. This is the largest movie ever made in China which had a budget of $80 million dollars. It went over budget and over schedule. Red Cliff was not scripted to just excite you with a war-mongering gorefest, it mesmerises you with military strategy too. The story develops to much more than just a battle of two dynasties, it engrosses you and you will enjoy it if you already love the genre. A compelling historical story by director John Woo with the highlight being the battle sequences which are absolutely amazing. He understands what it takes to make an epic movie and in Red Cliff he clicks all the right buttons. If you thought Hollywood did impressive battle scenes then you’ve aint seen nothing yet. They’re so intense with arrows, spears and swords flying here, there and everywhere. There’s tons of blood but it’s not shown just for gore’s sake.
The acting is flawless by all the cast led by Takeshi Kaneshiro, the cinematography is out of this world, the soundtrack is equisite, the costumes are beautiful to look at and the movie as a whole is just so damn good. This movie serves as a perfect introduction to all the characters and the conflict of the story. It sets everyone to be ready for the real Battle of Red Cliff in the sequel. As a movie that balances both action and character development, Red Cliff is definitely one of the best Asian war movie of all times. I didn’t want this movie to end – that’s how much I enjoyed it. Red Cliff Part 2 will be reviewed soon.
Sadako’s Rating: 5 stars out of 5
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