Red Cliff review

02 Nov 2009 05:58p.m.

Sunny wrote:

I like Joo woo's brilliant action movies very much, especial this new released hot movie, a lot of Chinese traditional culture, history and heroes, this is an anti-war movie, and the best movie production in China and best selling film record in China, over US$200million boxing tickets in asian. Of course, I think western still like to see this fantastic hot film.

19 Oct 2009 03:15a.m.

Get on to it wrote:

The actual "Red Cliff" movie is 5 hours long, so to critic this 149min version is like judging a 3hour summery of the Lord of the Rings TRILOGY. Come on Kate.. it does have a story you know and it WILL rock your socks off

19 Oct 2009 12:58a.m.

Soma wrote:

Originally there were two movies released in Asia, but for western release they cut it down to one. The originals are a mess anyway. It has an ensemble cast (and at least two Asian superstars in Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro). Unless you've read the novel they were based on or know the history of that era, you will have a VERY hard time distinguishing one character from another. It is watching Lord of the Rings when you can't tell Aragorn from Eomer. Compared to Zhang Yimou's movies (e.g. Hero, Curse of the Golden Flower), there is not enough visual cue to separate the different characters. The only saving grace for the movie are the battle scenes. They are chaotic, intense and messy, like a Black Hawk Down in 3rd Century China. You actually see where the huge budget was sink into, it is like John Woo waving wads of hundies on screen during those scenes. So IMO 3 stars is a fair assessment.