Review of Red Cliff (2008) by Heath H — 26 Mar 2010

What an absolutely flooring epic from John Woo! I admit I don't personally know much about the history behind the events of the film (s) outside of what I've played in various Dynasty Warriors games and read on Wikipedia, but this film (combined with it's second part) left me breathless.

The acting is unanimously terrific. The directing is absolutely incredible, with John Woo recreating everything from epic battle sequences to more personal character moments with stunning detail and passion.

John Woo has always been a talent behind the camera. Even when the material on the page didn't quite measure up to anything substantial, he's always given his films a distinctive presentation.

Here, the script is terrific and Woo has all the tools at his disposal that he could possibly want. He puts them to work in full force. Although it's a little late in the game for me to be altering my Favorites of 2009 list, I have to make an exception for the Red Cliff experience.

It's bold, beautiful, and mesmerizing! I recommend seeking out the International Version of the films to the highest degree!