RED CLIFF
August 21st 2009 07:21
THE word ‘epic’ gets thrown around a lot, but it certainly applies to John Woo’s spectacular Red Cliff. Set in China in 208AD, the movie is based on historical events that led up to the pivotal Battle of Red Cliffs and the eventual demise of the Han Dynasty.
After naming himself Prime Minister, a ruthless warlord named Cao Cao (Fengyi Zhang) convinces the meek Emperor Han to allow him to invade the kingdoms of Xu in the west and East Wu in the south. Fearing annihilation by Cao Cao’s army of nearly one million, the rulers of the threatened territories form an alliance and decide to fight. Two figures soon rise to prominence in the struggle – Zhou Yu (Tony Leung), East Wu’s talented commander, and Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro), Xu’s brilliant military adviser.
Red Cliff opens with an impressive action sequence, and Woo never lets the tempo drop. It took more than a year to plan the final battle scene, and the results are jaw-dropping. Add to that excellent acting, fantastic costumes and beautiful scenery, and you’ve got one helluva cinematic experience.
After naming himself Prime Minister, a ruthless warlord named Cao Cao (Fengyi Zhang) convinces the meek Emperor Han to allow him to invade the kingdoms of Xu in the west and East Wu in the south. Fearing annihilation by Cao Cao’s army of nearly one million, the rulers of the threatened territories form an alliance and decide to fight. Two figures soon rise to prominence in the struggle – Zhou Yu (Tony Leung), East Wu’s talented commander, and Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro), Xu’s brilliant military adviser.
Red Cliff opens with an impressive action sequence, and Woo never lets the tempo drop. It took more than a year to plan the final battle scene, and the results are jaw-dropping. Add to that excellent acting, fantastic costumes and beautiful scenery, and you’ve got one helluva cinematic experience.
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