Review of The Red Cliff (1949) by Jason P — 25 May 2010

One thing to note: I am reviewing the full 5 hour experience that is Red Cliff, not the abridged American version. I don't know how they decided that they could essentially take a full movie, just rip out parts until you've cut it in half, and expect it to succeed, but that's what happened. For anyone who is considering this movie, I highly recommend getting the Chinese version with English subtitles. It comes in 2 parts, each half being around 140 minutes.

This movie is beautiful. I've seen people compare it to Lord of the Rings, but it is nothing of the sort. If I HAD to choose a movie to compare it to, I'd say it's a mish-mash of Troy and 300, but with a big difference. While I would equate Troy and 300 (both movies I love, by the way) to porn, Red Cliff would be poetry or a masterful painting.

Story: It is based on a war that happened back in China's history during its unification. Very similar to the Battle of Thermopylae from 300, forces that are vastly outnumbered need to find ways to protect their homeland. As such, plot isn't a huge factor for the movie. Instead of focusing on something they don't really need to, the movie focuses on character development and epic war scenes -- great combination.

Characters: What I found to be a strength in this movie. By the end of the five hours, you know everything you need to about each main character, and some about everyone else who "doesn't matter." There's just this beauty about how they go about it; nobody in this film is evil. Some may be overly ambitious, but all have good intentions. I loved the tea scenes and how each one led us deeper and deeper into who the "bad guy" really was. I noticed how some other reviewers were saying that there were random "jam sessions" that instantly made friends; on the contrary, music shows us what the characters are really feeling without words and these sessions confirmed the camaraderie between the two. I'm not going to go on any further because I'm scared of spoiling you once I lose control :P That and I really don't think I'm doing the movie justice.

Everything else: The music was beautiful, and of obvious Asian influence. The action scenes were great. Some didn't like it because they were "slow," but the focus was on strategy and not on explosions (although you do get your fair share of those too). The choreography was done by Cory Yuen, the mastermind behind the fight scenes in The Transporter. You can instantly see the results of his participation, as you watch the effective and resourceful fighting styles of the generals.

Red Cliff is a true epic war film and was a very refreshing break from the American blockbuster movies as of late, which target our country's increasingly short attention span. As such, it might be like jumping off a moving train in terms of its pacing, but if you can do it, you're in for a treat.