Red Cliff is a Chinese epic war movie; this is all I know about it. My knowledge of rocket science is much better when compared to Chinese movies or actors. Except for Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Bruce Lee, all look alike to me [no offence] so don’t expect any mind blowing, critic review about the story or the characters.
As far as I heard and that too after watching the movie there are two perhaps three part of the movie. The first released in July 2008 and the second in January 2009. It looked like the first one to me, but then I read somewhere that for Hollywood they have released just one movie, a combination of the two; so am not sure which one it is. Nevertheless the movie is set after the fall of Han dynasty and how the war lords started fighting in order to gain power.
On one side is the evil Prime Minister with a huge army and on other our hero with a small alliance and will to overthrow the prime minister away from their lands. This is where my knowledge about the characters and the movie begins, and this is where it ends. It was just by chance that I happened to watch it, and you may call it serendipity only that I liked the movie.
In a Chinese movie you ought to expect choreographed action sequences, shot with part wires and part special effects; the movie boasts of some of the best such scenes. The movie is fast, action packed, high on energy, well shot, well directed and well presented with a hint of Troy [a woman, here as well is a secondary reason to go to war]. What else could you ask for?
On a personal note I like the big elaborate war sequences with Chinese war tactics and formations clubbed with the epic action. The way the abilities of the generals have been showed is also spectacular. In a nut shell a fast entertaining action movie, which is hard to find in the epic war genre; yes being a Chinese movie the action does go overboard more often than not. But then where does it not?
