High Impact Reviews: The Warlords (2007)

2007, Media Asia Films/China Film Group Co./Beijing Jingyigma Movie & TV/Beijing Polybona Film Publishing Co./Stellar Megamedia Group Ltd./Morgan & Chan Films Ltd./TalentAid International Ltd.
Genre: Historical War Epic

Directed by:
Peter Chan
Yip Wai-Man
Produced by:
Andre E. Morgan
Wong Gin-San
Peter Chan
Jojo Hui
Written by:
Xu Lan
Chun Tim-Naam
Aubrey Lam
Wong Gin-San
Jojo Hui
Hoh Kei-Ping
Guo Jun-Li
James Yuen
Cinematography:
Arthur Wong
Peter Ngor
Lai Yiu-Fai
Tony Miu
Jimmy Wong
Editing:
Wenders Li
Action Choreography:
Tony Ching
Cast:
Jet Li (Pang Qingyun)
Andy Lau (Zhao Erhu)
Takeshi Kaneshiro (Jiang Wuyang)
Xu Jinglei (Lian)
Wei Zong-Wan (Lord Chen)
Gu Bao-Ming (Lord Jiang)
Wong Fooi-Wing (Lord Di)
Guo Xiaodong (Suzhou Castle Lord)
Zhou Bo (Lu Dashen)
Sun Jian (Xiao Wu)

Three of the biggest names in Chinese films, Jet Li, Andy Lau, and Takeshi Kaneshiro, star in this blistering historical tale of three warriors brought together by fate who rise to become the most prominent warriors in history only to collapse at the height of their success.

When Army General Pang Qingyun, played by Jet Li, arrives to a small town in somber and grief as his entire regime has been massacred. With nowhere to go, Pang faints but is nursed back to health by a young woman named Lian, played by Xu Jinglei. Pang soon meets bandit Jiang Wuyang, who at first intends to kill the general after recognizing him. However, as the two fight, Pang becomes the victor. This leads Wuyang to introduce Pang to his older “brother”, Zhao Erhu, played by the always talented Andy Lau.

Zhao has a plan to steal from a military convoy so the people of his town can survive. Pang joins the bandits and in the midst, kills the convoy leader. Gaining respect from the townfolk, Pang soon learns that the young woman who helped him, Lian, is the wife of Zhao. However, this does not stop Pang as he soon begins an affair with Lian. Meanwhile, the Qing Army learns of the attack and retaliates by attacking the village. With no option, Pang convinces Zhao and Jiang to join the Army and work side-by-side with him, with support by military lords Chen, Jiang, and Di.

This leads to a very well shot battle as Pang, Zhao, and Jiang lead a regime against a more quantiative Qing army. However, overcoming the odds, the trio are their troops ultimately win the battle and earn the respect by the lords, who promote Pang into a general once again. However, Pang feels it is not enough and his arrogance gets the best of him as he intends to take over both Suzhou and Nanjing. The lords agree to the bet but deny Pang and his men any valuable reinforcements and food. What should have been a turning point for Pang’s troops turns into a year-long siege with both sides suffering badly. Zhao enters Suzhou to make a truce with the other side. The Suzhou leader sacrifices himself on the condition that his troops are not to face any harm.

Zhao agrees to the terms, but Pang does not. Feeling that he cannot capture the entire Suzhou army because of a shortage of supplies, he has them all executed. This begins the downfall of Pang, Zhao, and Jiang as truths are soon revealed and egos gets the best out of them. What started as a blood pact between three brothers turns into dysfunction and ultimately, death.

This is perhaps one of the most powerful historical epic films to come from Asia in a long time. The impact the film has caused could have possibly came in the midst of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon had it been released in the United States around the time of its release in Hong Kong and China. Beautiful cinematography combined with realistic battle scenes, as opposed to computer generated battles as seen in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, shows why the film would win the Best Film at the 2008 Hong Kong Film Awards.

After proving that he can act in 2005′s Unleashed, Jet Li brings out perhaps one of his best performances in the role of the arrogant General Pang. Seen as a failure, Pang gets his shot at redemption and not only lives up to it, but abuses it at the same time. Some may even say that in a way, Pang is the antagonist of the film as he indulges himself in ruthlessness during battle, engages himself in an illicit affair with the wife of one of his “blood brothers”, and virtually shows no mercy when it comes to the opposition. However, Pang does have a conscience yet he doesn’t know how to show it. In the scene involving the execution of the Suzhou warriors, Pang is seen in a close up, shedding a tear as he feels bad for what he had done. Yet, he does not let anyone else see this but the viewer. This shows that he has no intention of having a conscience at least to his brothers and let his destiny await him.

Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro, last seen together playing rivals in Zhang Yimou’s House of Flying Daggers (2004), take on the roles of “blood brothers” Zhao Erhu and Jiang Wuyang. First seen as bandits who only do what they do to help their village, they look scruffy and dirty. However, upon joining the Army, they become more refined yet they still have the “killer instinct” of their previous life to help them overcome the obstacles that await them. Unlike the arrogant Pang, Zhao is more of a kindhearted fellow who has a conscience while Wuyang is seen as the “little brother”, nothing more than following orders, whether it is from Zhao or Pang. Yet, he has more loyalty to Zhao as not only has he followed Zhao longer, but Zhao returns respect unlike Pang, whose ego is more important to him.

In the genre of historical epics, or even the epic film, it is clearly safe to say that The Warlords matches or in terms of its battle scenes, fares even better than a film with the caliber of Lord of the Rings. It is clear why Jet Li won the Best Actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards for his role here as he is a borderline hero/villain with magnetic performances by Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro. If you have not had the chance to see it, The Warlords is definitely a must-see film.

Rating: 10/10

-Albert Valentin

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