Chi Bi
Red Cliff
(international version: China/Japan/South Korea/Hong Kong, 2009, 146 minutes)
During the Han Dynasty, struggling general Liu Bei and Sun Quan, the lord of the Southlands, rise up together against the Emperor's power-hungry, ruthless general Cao Cao. Impressive war epic that bridges Eastern traditions and sensibilities and Western-style epic filmmaking with a strong, steady, kinetic hand very typical of its director; a little more substance in between the battle scenes wouldn't come amiss, though. The version reviewed is the 146-minute international cut, edited by Woo himself from the original Chinese version, released as two 150-minute parts.
China Film Group Corporation, Avex Entertainment, Chengtian Entertainment, CMC, Showbox, John Woo present a Lion Rock production. Starring Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Zhao Wei, Hu Jun; special appearance, Shidou Nakamura; introducing Chiling Lin. Directed by John Woo; produced by Terence Chang and John Woo; written by John Woo, Chan Khan, Kuo Cheng, Sheng Heyu; music by Taro Iwashiro; directors of photography (Cinelabs/Technicolor Beijing, widescreen), Lu Yue, Zhang Li; production and costume designer, Tim Yip; film editors, David Wu, Angie Lam, Yang Hong Yu; visual effects supervisor, Craig Hayes.
(international version: China/Japan/South Korea/Hong Kong, 2009, 146 minutes)
During the Han Dynasty, struggling general Liu Bei and Sun Quan, the lord of the Southlands, rise up together against the Emperor's power-hungry, ruthless general Cao Cao. Impressive war epic that bridges Eastern traditions and sensibilities and Western-style epic filmmaking with a strong, steady, kinetic hand very typical of its director; a little more substance in between the battle scenes wouldn't come amiss, though. The version reviewed is the 146-minute international cut, edited by Woo himself from the original Chinese version, released as two 150-minute parts.
China Film Group Corporation, Avex Entertainment, Chengtian Entertainment, CMC, Showbox, John Woo present a Lion Rock production. Starring Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Zhao Wei, Hu Jun; special appearance, Shidou Nakamura; introducing Chiling Lin. Directed by John Woo; produced by Terence Chang and John Woo; written by John Woo, Chan Khan, Kuo Cheng, Sheng Heyu; music by Taro Iwashiro; directors of photography (Cinelabs/Technicolor Beijing, widescreen), Lu Yue, Zhang Li; production and costume designer, Tim Yip; film editors, David Wu, Angie Lam, Yang Hong Yu; visual effects supervisor, Craig Hayes.
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