Woo’s well-rounded film will impress audiences

When I sat down to watch the two-and-a-half- hour screener of “Red Cliff” with reporter Candice Baker and her husband, I figured I’d get about an hour into it before deciding to go home. But director John Woo kept me on the edge of the couch, wondering what would happen between Prime Minister-General Cao Cao and his adversaries, Liu Bei and Sun Quan.

Based on an actual battle in 208 A.D., Cao Cao (Fengyi Zhang) convinces Emperor Han (Wang Ning) that he wants to unify China by invading the peaceful southern lands controlled by Liu Bei (You Yong) and Sun Quan (Change Chen).

Cao Cao first trounces Liu Bei’s outnumbered forces. Liu Bei then entrusts one of his generals to rescue his wife and child. In doing so, Zhao Yun (Hu Jun) has some spectacular battle scenes where he must hold and protect an infant from what seems like an entire regiment of soldiers.

This is one of many dramatic battle scenes that will cause you to hold your breath until you know who lives and dies, who wins and loses.

Liu Bei realizes he must seek Sun Quan’s help to survive the assault. He sends Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) as his ambassador. To facilitate winning over Sun Quan, Zhuge Liang makes friends with his viceroy, Zhou Yu (Tony Leung).

In a scene that shows the film is more than just blood spurting, Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu play qin together to determine if their forces can work in harmony. It works and the two are a force to be reckoned with.

Here we meet Xiao Qiao, Zhou Yu’s wife and the most beautiful woman in China.

In a Helen of Troy-esque move, Cao Cao has really mobilized his troops for his love of her.

He explains while looking at a painting of her that he saw her once when they were young. Unfortunately for Cao Cao, she deeply loves Zhou Yu.

During one stunning scene that sheds some light on their relationship and really shows off the visuals of the movie, Zhou Yu is practicing and preparing for battle while Xiao Qioa performs a tea ceremony and recites parts from Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” to complement her husband’s moves.

All seems lost as Cao Cao’s army strikes at all sides, but Zhuge Liang pulls a few tricks out of his sleeves, once or twice in the form of a fan, and another time with a tortoise.

As they are equally matched, Zhou Yu’s military knowledge is expansive and he greatly contributes to the efforts to win a hopeless battle.

Even Xiao Qioa does her part, performing an elaborate tea ceremony on Cao Cao’s boat, which was beautiful and slightly heart-wrenching because as she explains why making tea is difficult, you don’t know if she will make it back to her husband.

The scenery is absolutely breathtaking. Shots of lush mountains and a sparkling river set a tone of wonder and beauty.

“Red Cliff” is worth every penny and minute to experience an amazing piece of Chinese history.

JAMIE ROWE is a copy editor for the Daily Pilot. She lives with her cat, Squee, in Santa Ana.