Not many people, only Edwin, Benja, Jia Yun and myself. Why leh? You have to ask "Mr Aeroplane Flyer Yao Peng".
This is going to be long, so pardon me. I have a lot to say about this movie.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tada! One of my most anticipated movies...
but turn out to be a disappointment. It's not bad, but maybe my expectations were too high.
I'm a real hardcore 3 kingdoms fan; I watch documentaries on it, I read articles about it, I have 2 sets of comic collection on it and I've played at least a dozen different games based on it. I can almost say I know the "Romance" (the novel) and the "Records" (actual history) extremely well, so I held really really high expectations for this one.
...
But alas! It turned out to be quite a joke. Not totally, but almost.
The Beginning
Awesome opening sequence. I like how they took quotes from the actual history, like when the Emperor tries to stop Cao Cao from attacking Liu Bei, Cao Cao said refuted:
"使天下无有孤,不知当几人称帝,几人称王!"
"If I'm not here, there would be countless self-proclaimed kings and emperors!"
It meant that Cao Cao is the one that is keeping the Han Dynasty alive due to all of the warlords being afraid of him. I love the power and impact of such words.
Everything at the beginning was near-perfect...
but good thing doesn't last...
Battle at Changban
This battle features 2 major events: Zhao Yun rescuing A Dou, and Zhang Fei stopping the Cao Cao army at the Changban bridge. They screwed up a bit, but it's nothing too serious.
Zhao Yun's part was alright, but they replaced Zhang Fei "roar striking fear into enemies" portion with a full fledge, drawn out battle, which is OK.
I like the part where they turned their shields around to use the reflecting rays, but it went on for a bit too long. I think they don't know how to gauge... there are numerous battles I can think of that went on for way longer than needed.
...
And what's up with the "Guan Yu Opera Pose"? I know they want to introduce Guan Yu and make him show his superhuman powers, but HE IS NOT INVOLVED in this battle. What's with the Guan Yu single-handedly fighting off Cao Cao army part at the end? This portion is totally unneeded. This is not a dynasty warrior game.
Zhuge Liang Visit Wu
I had huge expectations for this part. In Romance 3, there's this portion where Zhuge Liang meets the scholars and had an spectacular debate (known as 舌战群儒), but they toned it down so much here. It isn't bad, but this portion could have been so much better.
And then, Zhuge Liang meets Zhou Yu. OK, this scene dragged on for way too long. Liang visits the training camp, then it shows some kid blowing a flute, and the music just went on... and on... and on... I really don't see the need. At least the water buffalo part is still alright, as it potrays how Zhou Yu enforce discipline in his army.
There are some humor elements here that actually surprises me. Zhuge Liang's "我需要保持冷静" and his "略懂" to everything are nice additions.
And then, Xiao Qiao (Miss Lin Zhi Ling) gets introduce for the first time in a really... really no link scene. In fact, judging from the entire movie, EVERY SINGLE SCENE that involves Xiao Qiao IS UNNCESSARY. Don't believe me? Read on.
So, they had this horse giving birth scene, and Zhuge Liang came along to help deliver. WTF? Someone tell me what is this scene doing in here? And the next one, Zhuge Liang playing music with Zhou Yu, and Xiao Qiao brewing tea (I think). Again un-needed.
In this movie, Zhou Yu is portrayed as a upright and righteous man, unlike in Romance 3 where is he a cunning and unscrupulous person. So, I can understand why they omitted the part where Zhuge Liang provokes Zhou Yu into battle using Xiao Qiao...
But I still think the music scene went on for way too long. On the other hand, they decide to cut the "oh so important" sex scene between Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao. At near the end of the movie (after 8 Tiagrams Battle), they had another Xiao Qiao intimate scene with Zhou Yu (helping him dress his wounds).
Tell me, is this Xiao Qiao character and all the scenes really needed? Do they add even anything remotely useful to the story? Do they even add anything to Zhou Yu character? NO, just no. Xiao Qiao is just there to increase the box office.
The 8 Tiagrams Formation Battle
This Sun Quan "hunts for tiger" part concept is ok, but it took WAY WAY TOO LONG. This is the most OVER-EMPHASIZED portion of the movie. And then there's this Cao Cao mesmerize with a girl (fantasizing her as Xiao Qiao) portion, which is really stupid in my opinion.
Anyway, the battle is... what can I say. IT'S GOOD. I like the massive scale of the battle. I like how they show the formation move and shift about. Everything is just pure magnificence... pure greatness... until...
Guan Yu appears ALONE and starts fighting the enemy single-handedly. Then Zhao Yun appears and fight them in the formation single-handedly. Then Zhang Fei. Then Zhou Yu...
WHAT...
THE...
...
I repeat, THIS IS NOT A DYNASTY WARRIOR GAME. Why must they fight alone? It just ruins the whole thing. So, Zhuge Liang set up this massive formation and trap the Cao Cao armies inside, so that they can send 1 GENERAL down into the formation to kill them? WHAT'S THE LINK?
Some people may like this, but I don't. I just can't accept this. It's like,
"OK, we'll trap the Cao Cao army inside the formation using 1000 troops. After that, We'll send in Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun to eliminate them all."
It ruins the epic feel. They did try to compensate a little at the end and actually make the alliance troops fight, but still... :(
Once again, no Dynasty Warriors please. No one general killing 100,000 troops by himself.
The End
So... the story continues in the next episode. We haven't even got to the meat yet.
I understand they had to modify the plot from Romance 3 (to make Zhao Wei and Lin Zhi Ling play bigger roles), but they need to focus on the right things. They drag some unneeded, and possibly boring scenes for way too long.
In the US, The Red Cliff is actually just a single movie, but in Asia they released it as 2 seperate portions. This shows how much "crap" they manage to stuff inside.
Rating: 3 / 5
(It's good, but my expectations were too high)
but turn out to be a disappointment. It's not bad, but maybe my expectations were too high.
I'm a real hardcore 3 kingdoms fan; I watch documentaries on it, I read articles about it, I have 2 sets of comic collection on it and I've played at least a dozen different games based on it. I can almost say I know the "Romance" (the novel) and the "Records" (actual history) extremely well, so I held really really high expectations for this one.
...
But alas! It turned out to be quite a joke. Not totally, but almost.
The Beginning
Awesome opening sequence. I like how they took quotes from the actual history, like when the Emperor tries to stop Cao Cao from attacking Liu Bei, Cao Cao said refuted:
"使天下无有孤,不知当几人称帝,几人称王!"
"If I'm not here, there would be countless self-proclaimed kings and emperors!"
It meant that Cao Cao is the one that is keeping the Han Dynasty alive due to all of the warlords being afraid of him. I love the power and impact of such words.
Everything at the beginning was near-perfect...
but good thing doesn't last...
Battle at Changban
This battle features 2 major events: Zhao Yun rescuing A Dou, and Zhang Fei stopping the Cao Cao army at the Changban bridge. They screwed up a bit, but it's nothing too serious.
Zhao Yun's part was alright, but they replaced Zhang Fei "roar striking fear into enemies" portion with a full fledge, drawn out battle, which is OK.
I like the part where they turned their shields around to use the reflecting rays, but it went on for a bit too long. I think they don't know how to gauge... there are numerous battles I can think of that went on for way longer than needed.
...
And what's up with the "Guan Yu Opera Pose"? I know they want to introduce Guan Yu and make him show his superhuman powers, but HE IS NOT INVOLVED in this battle. What's with the Guan Yu single-handedly fighting off Cao Cao army part at the end? This portion is totally unneeded. This is not a dynasty warrior game.
Zhuge Liang Visit Wu
I had huge expectations for this part. In Romance 3, there's this portion where Zhuge Liang meets the scholars and had an spectacular debate (known as 舌战群儒), but they toned it down so much here. It isn't bad, but this portion could have been so much better.
And then, Zhuge Liang meets Zhou Yu. OK, this scene dragged on for way too long. Liang visits the training camp, then it shows some kid blowing a flute, and the music just went on... and on... and on... I really don't see the need. At least the water buffalo part is still alright, as it potrays how Zhou Yu enforce discipline in his army.
There are some humor elements here that actually surprises me. Zhuge Liang's "我需要保持冷静" and his "略懂" to everything are nice additions.
And then, Xiao Qiao (Miss Lin Zhi Ling) gets introduce for the first time in a really... really no link scene. In fact, judging from the entire movie, EVERY SINGLE SCENE that involves Xiao Qiao IS UNNCESSARY. Don't believe me? Read on.
So, they had this horse giving birth scene, and Zhuge Liang came along to help deliver. WTF? Someone tell me what is this scene doing in here? And the next one, Zhuge Liang playing music with Zhou Yu, and Xiao Qiao brewing tea (I think). Again un-needed.
In this movie, Zhou Yu is portrayed as a upright and righteous man, unlike in Romance 3 where is he a cunning and unscrupulous person. So, I can understand why they omitted the part where Zhuge Liang provokes Zhou Yu into battle using Xiao Qiao...
But I still think the music scene went on for way too long. On the other hand, they decide to cut the "oh so important" sex scene between Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao. At near the end of the movie (after 8 Tiagrams Battle), they had another Xiao Qiao intimate scene with Zhou Yu (helping him dress his wounds).
Tell me, is this Xiao Qiao character and all the scenes really needed? Do they add even anything remotely useful to the story? Do they even add anything to Zhou Yu character? NO, just no. Xiao Qiao is just there to increase the box office.
The 8 Tiagrams Formation Battle
This Sun Quan "hunts for tiger" part concept is ok, but it took WAY WAY TOO LONG. This is the most OVER-EMPHASIZED portion of the movie. And then there's this Cao Cao mesmerize with a girl (fantasizing her as Xiao Qiao) portion, which is really stupid in my opinion.
Anyway, the battle is... what can I say. IT'S GOOD. I like the massive scale of the battle. I like how they show the formation move and shift about. Everything is just pure magnificence... pure greatness... until...
Guan Yu appears ALONE and starts fighting the enemy single-handedly. Then Zhao Yun appears and fight them in the formation single-handedly. Then Zhang Fei. Then Zhou Yu...
WHAT...
THE...
...
I repeat, THIS IS NOT A DYNASTY WARRIOR GAME. Why must they fight alone? It just ruins the whole thing. So, Zhuge Liang set up this massive formation and trap the Cao Cao armies inside, so that they can send 1 GENERAL down into the formation to kill them? WHAT'S THE LINK?
Some people may like this, but I don't. I just can't accept this. It's like,
"OK, we'll trap the Cao Cao army inside the formation using 1000 troops. After that, We'll send in Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun to eliminate them all."
It ruins the epic feel. They did try to compensate a little at the end and actually make the alliance troops fight, but still... :(
Once again, no Dynasty Warriors please. No one general killing 100,000 troops by himself.
The End
So... the story continues in the next episode. We haven't even got to the meat yet.
I understand they had to modify the plot from Romance 3 (to make Zhao Wei and Lin Zhi Ling play bigger roles), but they need to focus on the right things. They drag some unneeded, and possibly boring scenes for way too long.
In the US, The Red Cliff is actually just a single movie, but in Asia they released it as 2 seperate portions. This shows how much "crap" they manage to stuff inside.
Rating: 3 / 5
(It's good, but my expectations were too high)
No comments:
Post a Comment