| Red Cliff | |
 People familiar with John Woo's Hollywood films might justifiably wonder what all the fuss is about. The director might have shown glimpses of past glories with Face Off and his BMW short film The Hostage, but these really are outweighed by the showboating nonsense which has become his calling card. Even those films which have been warmly received still had excess and style over substance so it's interesting to see Woo return to his native China and present us with Red Cliff, based on the battle of The Three Kingdoms. Interesting and rewarding, as this not only betters recent John Woo films, but also matches and surpasses his earlier outings... Red Cliff is a monumental and epic success.Set in China, 208 AD during the Han Dynasty we are plunged into a world of divided states and warring factions. When an ambitious and ruthless ruler Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) sets out to destroy his enemies, a wise military advisor (Takeshi Kaneshiro) is sent on a desperate mission to stir the Wu Kingdom into action. Although the leaders of the stronghold are initially reluctant, Zhuge Liand finds an ally in feared warrior Zhou Yu who realises this is a threat that must be stopped. With huge armies massing on the seas and land, the outnumbered Wu allies must use their wits to outmaneuver the experienced Cao Cao and turn the tide of Chinese history. The battle itself has gained legendary status and been immortalized in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, indeed there is an upcoming DVD release based on the same story as well as countless other films and video games. John Woo however has wisely opted out of the fantastical and mystical elements of the story and based his film on the more factual retelling Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms. this is a battle of wits and knowledge played out on a sumptuous canvas which arguably tops any war film before it. The Naval scenes in particular are breathtaking and the sheer scale of the film is immense. Although i am sure CGI was used to exaggerate some of the ships and soldiers seen on screen, you really can't tell. The only clue is the impracticality of putting together such a huge sequence for 'real'.  The characters also avoid being clichéd good guys and bad guys (despite a late crisis of confidence from the director) and we get well-rounded and believable protagonists on both sides. It's refreshing to see a war film which has such a balance, and this is especially pleasing given recent Asian films like Crouching Tiger and House of Flying Daggers which have opted for the magical and mystical Heroes and Villains. **** Starring: Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chenand Chinglin Lin |
