Its uncut version is longer than any of the Lord of the Rings movies. Its spectacular battle scenes boast impressive combat shots, with CGI flyovers and lush scenery rivaling any of James Cameron’s films. Its rich plot is anchored by an exhilarating chess match between rival generals hailed by historians as military geniuses.
Red Cliff is an epic film that succeeds in its grand ambitions of bringing to screen one of the most complex battles of Imperial China. Director John Woo recreates the famous Battle of Red Cliffs of 208 to 209 A.D.—a David vs. Goliath affair that pits Chancellor Cao Cao’s (Zhang Fengyi) Imperial army against the allied forces of Zhou Yu (Tony Leung) and Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro). Interlaced between massive battle scenes on land and water are romantic subplots and the exploration of rapport between military generals. Earlier on in the film, Zhuge Liang approaches Zhou Yu in hopes of forming an alliance against Cao Cao, and the two perform a duet on the stringed zither-like qin instrument, which USC’s Asia Pacific Arts calls “one of the most bromantic scenes in recent cinematic history.” To top it off, they each deduce, merely through their duet, each other’s intentions to enter into war with the Northern army.
Despite this unfamiliar setting, film buffs and casual film watchers will still be able to find solace in the themes and tropes of Red Cliff that are similar to today’s epic films—men fighting over women, for instance. Cao Cao starts his all-consuming war in pursuit of Zhou Yu’s wife Xiao Qiao (Ling Chi-ling), similar to how Menelaus started the Trojan War to reclaim his wife Helen in Troy. In addition, the Southern alliance’s severe troop disadvantage is similar to King Leonidas’ predicament at the Battle of Thermopylae in 300, albeit without Gerard Butler’s chiseled cobblestone abs.
Yet, where Red Cliff marvels most is when it is least predictable. Drawing from Chinese historical texts, the movie is chock-full of “wow” moments, especially for those unfamiliar with either the battle or ancient Chinese culture. From the use of the ba gua battle formation, which resembles a tortoise’s shell, to the execution of melee combat scenes that would impress even a sober frat brother, Red Cliff has a full platter of enthralling eye and brain candy.
Unfortunately, the North American cut of Red Cliff runs only two and a half hours long (in comparison to the five hour original cut). Thus, while it has received praise, there has still been criticism of the film being action-heavy and lacking character development. While true, especially since the movie presupposes a shared cultural lore that American audiences lack, the shorter version is well paced after a descriptive opening narration that might confuse some and alienate others.
Instead of nitpicking, John Woo and Red Cliff should be commended for providing a different flavor to the war epic genre that consistently falls under the spell of Hollywood’s Eurocentrism. For that, it deserves emphatic praise.
