RED CLIFF Grade: A
Enjoyable history lessons aren't easy to come by, except perhaps when they are directed by John Woo and depict a war in the Han dynasty of China in 208 C.E. "Red Cliff" is a thoroughly enjoyable two-and-a-half hour lesson in Chinese history, culture and 1800-year-old battle tactics.
Filmed in Chinese with English subtitles, "Red Cliff" tells the story of self-appointed Prime Minister Cao Cao's (Fengyi Zhang) attempt to conquer all of China, supposedly in the name of the emperor. Opposing him are two warlords, Sun Quan (Chen Chang) and Liu Bei (Yong Yu). Fully aware that the many generals, advisers and politicians can get confusing as the elaborate though captivating plot unfolds, the film does everything it can to keep the audience aware of what is going on and who the major players are.
At the core of the movie is a truly first rate ancient war flick that includes cavalry, infantry and an epic final naval battle of Red Cliff from which the film draws its name. Instead of large CGI armies crashing into each other with random depictions of swordplay, "Cliff" is an incredibly detailed exploration of war fighting and strategy, with elaborate and clever battle plans and formations. Even Woo's trademark doves play an important part of the subtleties of war, namely espionage.
While the film obviously takes liberties with history, it still manages an excellent appreciation of the time, place and people. Whether or not the battle tactics are historically accurate, they are always fresh, clever and full of a wondrous appeal that keeps the audience entranced as they wait for the next brilliant piece of maneuvering. The film is, in some ways, an incredibly elaborate version of the game "Risk" set in third century China that throws in great action and a history lesson to boot.
Fully aware of its audience, "Red Cliff" also provides a number of impossibly skilled badasses to root for. Pushing the limits of plausibility, these warriors nevertheless remain always compelling with excellent choreography.
One of the most remarkable aspects of "Cliff" is that it is a great deal more than a standard war movie. Added into the mix is a compelling love story and a great deal of insight into China's rich culture and history. Also included is an eyeful of beautiful scenery, establishing the grand scope and scale of where the world's most populous country comes from and giving a grand appreciation of what is at stake as the armies have at one another.
Despite being quite long, excellent pacing keeps the audience continually engaged with the plot. The battle scenes are long but thoroughly enjoyable and are separated by very personal scenes that have a poetic energy that is subtle, emotional and vivid without ever feeling overdone.
"Red Cliff" is, ultimately, a great movie about a beautiful country. It is a poetic and clever trip through time to a wondrous expanse. It fully manages to emphasize the importance and stakes of war, laying out events of incredible historical significance with energy to match.
You can reach this staff writer at bkoenig@theeagleonline.com.
