Review of Red Cliff (2008) by Devin R — 01 Dec 2009

After spending seventeen years in Hollywood making more misses (Windtalkers, Paycheck, Mission: Impossible 2) than hits (Broken Arrow, Face/Off), action auteur John Woo returns to his native China to direct a long-gestating pet project about the Legendary Third Century battle of Red Cliff, in which a small army, led by Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and Zhou Yu (Tony Leung - who co-starred in Woo's Hong Kong action masterpiece Hard Boiled) fended off the superior-in-numbers advance of the power-hungry Prime Minister General Cao Cao (Zheng Fengyi).

All of Woo's action film trademarks are at play (this film actually is a true return to form for Woo, who got his start directing terrific martial arts/swordplay films for Golden Harvest Studios, such as Last Hurrah for Chivalry and Hand of Death); the strong male bond, heroic sacrifice, beautifully choreographed slow-motion action (which owes just as much to old Hollywood musicals as it does to the action of a Sam Peckinpah film), and, of course, two characters pointing swords at one another, close contact.

But all that would just be for useless show were it not for Woo caring about his characters and taking the time to show the audience their quiet moments and who they are as people. That is what separates Woo from run-of-the-mill no-talent hack action directors who think it's all about someone flying through the air firing two pistols in either hand.

Also note that the American cut of the film is two-and-a-half hours, compared to the nearly five hour Asian cut that was released in two parts. And while the American version may be a rather heftily trimmed sum of two parts, it is still a damn good film. Neither the human nor the action aspects of the story suffer in any way; another testament to Woo's strength as a filmmaker.

While the full cut will be hitting home video in March, I strongly urge anyone reading, if they have the means, to experience this film in a theatre. It is a breathtaking piece of work.