The new Chinese war epic Red Cliff is basically what you would get if you crossed Braveheart with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.  Perhaps more appropriately, it is what you would get if you crossed Braveheart with Hong Kong action icon John Woo, as Red Cliff marks the director’s first effort since 2003’s Paycheck and his first non-Hollywood film since 1992’s Hard Boiled.  The result is one of the most visually impressive war epics I’ve seen in a long time.

The action takes place in China circa 208 A.D. when power-hungry Prime Minister Cao Cao attempts to conquer the Southlands.  If for no other reason, he is doing so for the love of a woman he once saw, a woman who is now the wife of Southland Viceroy Zhou Yu.  For this purpose, the action feels familiar to the Trojan war, and during long sweeping shots of thousands of computer-generated ships carrying Cao Cao’s armies, one can’t help but hear the echoing refrain: “Was this the face that launched a thousand ships?”

Also reminiscent of the Trojan War and its iconic Trojan Horse are the impressive military tactics and formations used by the largely outnumbered forces of the southern armies.  In order to withstand the attack of Cao Cao’s ground forces, the southern generals use what is called the Ttortoise formation, in which they allow the attacking army into a circular trap that they then enclose on them.  The choreography employed in the battle tactics of the southern armies and making good use of their shields is enough to make musical directors envious.

While the attacking armies are encircled, the southern army’s generals use their incredible fighting talents—and some wire work—to dispose of their enemies.  The action involving the wire work walks a fine line between awe-inspiring and giggle-inducing.  I watched the film with a pretty involved audience and there were some definite gasps of amazement at some points, and some “that’s ridiculous” chuckles at others.  Either way you take it, though, it’s certainly entertaining.

Cao Cao is not without some tricks up his sleeves—including an inventive, early form of chemical warfare—but mostly what he has is numbers and sheer force.  Part of the fun of the film is seeing the creative ways in which the southern commanders will even the odds.

Woo films his epic with sweeping, Lord of the Rings-style shots of the vast armies, my favorite of which follows one of Woo’s trademark doves as it soars from the Southern camp over the northern army, giving the audience another of many reminders that the good guys are vastly outnumbered.  In addition to the sweeping shots, Woo also employs a lot of a quick-cuts and abrupt camera moves that really add to the energy of the action.

For the most part, the special effects are well done, but there are many times when the CGI effects become really obvious and it takes the audience out of the realism a little bit.  Still, since there are soldiers performing some feats that are humanly impossible without the assistance of stunt wires, I guess I can forgive the computer effects for taking me outside of reality for a second.

Red Cliff is not a great epic and there were many times when I felt the 150-minute running time was far too much, but if you go into the film looking for the somewhat over-the-top action film that Woo is famous for, you are not likely to be disappointed.

Red Cliff is rated R for “sequences of epic warfare.”  This movie packs everything you’d expect in a war epic and those going to see it should expect some blood.

Courtesy of a local publicist, Jeff attended a promotional screening of Red Cliff.