Friday, November 27, 2009

Red Cliff


Director John Woo returns to his Chinese roots with this epic tale of medieval China. Fans of "Braveheart" and "300", will appreciate the fine art of war as an outmanned rebel army makes it's stand against thousands of invading soldiers.

Featuring a real cast of thousands, arrows fly and swords clash in the epic battle at Red Cliff. Mr. Woo directs like an general, leading his cast through battle after battle until the final fiery climax. The cinematography is breathtaking with sweeping panoramas and vivid close-ups. The battle scenes have striking realism, on foot, horseback or at sea, everything is authentic.

Chinese superstar, Tony Leung is in fine form as the leader of the rebel army. He is probably the most recognizable name to an American audience. Lin Chi-Ling co-stars as his wife and plays a pivotal role in the outcome of the battle. The rest of the cast all do admirable work but the real stars of the film are the action sequences, which are spectacular.

The film is in Chinese with sub-titles but once the action starts, it's just good vs. bad and their weapons do the talking. If you are a fan of this genre, don't miss it on the big screen.

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