Red Cliff
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Metascore
73 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 29 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Fengyi Zhang, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu Wai
  • Summary: Red Cliff opens as power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General Cao Cao seeks permission from the Han dynasty Emperor to organize a southward-bound mission designed to crush the two troublesome warlords who stand in his way, Liu Bei and Sun Quan. As the expedition gets underway, Cao Cao's troops rain destruction on Liu Bei's army, forcing him into retreat. Liu Bei's military strategist Zhuge Liang knows that the rebels’ only hope for survival is to form an alliance with rival warlord Sun Quan, and reaches out to Sun Quan’s trusted advisor, war hero Zhou Yu. Vastly outnumbered by Cao Cao’s brutal, fast-approaching army, the warlords band together to mount a heroic campaign – unrivaled in history – that changes the face of China forever. A massive hit in Asia and the most expensive Asian film production of all time, Red Cliff is a breathtaking war epic that marks the triumphant return of John Woo. (Magnolia Pictures)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Amy Biancolli
    100
    Anyone who enjoys stylized hyper-violence should be enthralled by this long, sweeping, murderously vivid dramatization of ancient Chinese warfare, circa A.D. 208.
  2. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Andrew O'Hehir
    80
    It's a movie on the Hollywood scale that has so much of the Asian spirit. It has drawn the Asian audience back to the movie theater.
  3. Empire
    Reviewed by: Ian Nathan
    80
    Camp, over-the-top and entirely unbelievable: in short, the best thing John Woo has made in years.
  4. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    60
    Overlong but ambitious, Woo proves he's as good at tactical maneuvers as he is at close-quarters combat.

See all 22 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. LindaC
    10
    Bravo John Woo, cast and crew! War can never be made beautiful, romantic though many government and its leaders try to. However, the experience that human beings can have despite war can be beautiful, romantic; John, cast and crew achieve that in a mesmerizing way.… Expand
  2. TDKinDallas
    6
    Major disappointment after waiting for so long for it to come to Dallas! I still recommend seeing it, but it is really only for people who enjoy HK movies. I was expecting a new type of movie by Woo combining the techniques he learned in the US with his HK style. Another notch up in movie making like when he came to the US. Instead, it is as if he changed to someone else HK style devoid of his usual kinetic energy. There was not one moment in this movie that said "John Woo" has been here to me. For a HK movie it is pretty friggin' incredible and I have to admit that my score, instead of being weighted a little higher because it is a HK movie, is weighted a little lower because of my disappointment in the new Woo. Have a Merry Christmas!… Expand
  3. avatar16
    6
    Après son "séjour" hollywoodien (Broken Arrow, Volte/Face, Mission : Impossible 2, Paycheck), John Woo rentre enfin au pays en nous livrant un film chinois. Et ce que l'on peut lui reconnaître après ces années d'exil, c'est bien l'efficacité de chacun de ses films. Pour cause, Les 3 Royaumes est un film pour le moins spectaculaire et grand spectacle (le réalisateur, bien que sa mise en scène peu laisser à désirer par moment avec surdose de ralentis, donne ici un bon effet), avec les moyens du bord (costumes, effets spéciaux, accessoires...). Rajoutons à cela un casting honorable et le tour et jouer! Enfin presque... Un défaut vient pourtant assombrir le tout. Un défaut que l'on doit aux producteurs, qui ont voulu raccourcir le film (de 4h à 2h30). Résultat : un film charcuté (scénario sans âme, trop tourné vers l'action, montage brouillon...)! Bref, il est dommage de voir que le film aurait pu être bien mieux si, une fois de plus, on avait laissé le réalisateur s'amuser jusqu'au bout!… Expand
  4. RogerJ
    5
    Over exaggerated martial art. didn't stick to the history as we know from costume to item.

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