Film

The story of the Battle of Red Cliffs (in A.D. 208–209) is well known in China. Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi), the emperor of the Northern Kingdom, has sent a massive army to crush his enemies in the south, who have entered into a tentative alliance. Their forces get trapped at Red Cliffs, a small slice of land on the shore of the Yangtze River. Cao Cao’s troops and navy settle across the river. The allies’ only hope is the incredible tactical thinking of a military strategist (Takeshi Kaneshiro).

Woo’s longer version of this story (released in Asia in two parts totaling nearly five hours) is probably deeply engaging for those familiar with the story. But Woo wanted a wider audience and always planned a shorter, single film for Western audiences. The result looks great but feels overpacked with plotlines that are rushed through rather than luxuriated in.

Woo is at his best in the smaller scenes; the action can’t help reminding us of epic battle sequences from better filmmakers (Kurosawa is clearly a source). It’s not unsatisfying, and some of the strategic moves are genuinely fascinating, but it lacks a distinctive artistic vision, something we never would have expected of Woo.