5 comments about Kill Bill - Volume One [Blu-ray].

1. We see after-effects of gunfire at a chapel and the start of a crusade of revenge by the Bride after she awakens from a coma. Her first victim being a pimping nurse attendant. After doing self-physical therapy to regain her walking skills, the Bride begins her revenge.



2. I bought this Blu-ray version of Kill Bill after I discovered my standard definition version was defective. I'm not a big movie collector, I probably own only about a dozen movies on disc. I'm very happy with this purchase. If you like watching movies to be entertained with almost non-stop action, it does'nt get any better than this. The Blu-ray makes the picture crisp and clean, and the soundtrack is top-notch! This is an ideal disc for showing off your home theater set-up!



3. This Blu-Ray blew me away. I won't go into the details of the movie because it's the best action movie of my generation.
   
   The video and audio quality is amazing! No other way to put it. This is a MUST buy for Blu-Ray fans!



4. Not much can be said about this movie classic.
   
   It looks great in Blu Ray. Very vivid on my 52 inch LCD



5. Just as I thought,the outcome was what every man/women would want.Great action,you can feel it,really...Watch it.

5 comments about Red Cliff International Version - Part I & Part II.

1. i seriously don't know why the initial reviews for this movie is so positive here at amazon (and mirrored by major review sites all around the country). alright, perhaps the 'ancient Chinese' 'based on historical facts' and 'made by john woo' tags can hook a few people, but seriously, calling this the 'best movie' or 'most magnificent recent film' etc just shows lack of taste. Perhaps its because people are afraid of saying anything bad made by the Chinese? Or perhaps it has to do with their lack of understanding of the original material? Still, something as inane as Twilight can and did make some serious coins in the box office, so go figure.
   
   in the tradition of recent Chinese cinema 'blockbusters', Red Cliff is an ultra shallow film that should be avoided. the acting here is uniformly cringe-inducing bad. And before you say it, no, its not some crazy language / cultural gap - the acting doesn't get any better even if you speak Chinese. The exception is Tony Leung, who is one of the best character actor out of Hong Kong, but he is totally wasted here in his role. For someone who has been in the business for as long as he is, he (and his agent) really should've walked away from this project the first time around (he walked away from the initial roll offered to him). The remainder group of... celebrity cast involved can't act their way out of a box, much less carry a 'epic' 'blockbuster'.
   
   As the movie's plot is based on a 600 years old historical novel that itself is based on 1900 years old history, you figure it won't be so hard to make a compelling story. No luck here. There are so much 'inventive' rewrites and character 'modernizing', one wonders why they even bothered keeping the character names at all (incidentally, same atrocity happened with the recent 2010 Sherlock Holmes flick). Graphically, the set design ranges from poor to ridiculous (one wonders if the cinematographer and Woo has ever been to the real Red Cliff location). The over used CGI models are so poor, that if it were a video game, kids today would never touch it. The costume design, handled by Tim Yip, is competent, but nothing memorable. The music, while again competent, is at odds thematically with the rest of the movie.
   
   The saddest thing about this whole fiasco of a movie is that the source material, 'romance of three kingdoms' is a great novel that deserves a good movie and a competent director. Unfortunately John Woo has no idea how to handle anything more than a slow-mo guy and two pistols - anything that's even remotely out of his usual range will and do suck (WW2 / Windtalkers, Fantasy / bulletproof Monk, SciFi / Paycheck, for example). how he got the funding and the go ahead for this project is beyond me.
   
   unless you wanna play a drinking game along with this (a shot ever time you cringe), avoid this movie at all cost.



2. This 'international version' of John Woo's RED CLIFF is the preferred edition over the previously released (and shorter) US theatrical version. Woo worked hard to shoot this epic adaption of a famous Chinese historical novel, and the final version of the movie was so long (closer to 5 hours than 4) that in Asian markets the film was released in two parts, each playing in cinemas at opposite ends of a near 12 month period. In the US, the UK and Australia, Woo tentatively gave approval for a cut-down version to play in cinemas, with both parts condensed by 50% down to a single movie. Australian critic David Stratton (a frequent reviewer for VARIETY) gave the condensed version a good, not great review, but then noted that he felt the full, uncut edition of RED CLIFF was one of the great cinema epics. And so it is.
   
   Woo's career seemed to take a gradual downturn in the US after the peak of FACE/OFF, and it would be hard for fans of the director's earlier HARD-BOILED or BULLET IN THE HEAD (both great films) to share the same sense of enthusiasm for works like MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 or the aptly titled PAYCHECK. Woo reportedly wasn't that happy with things either, so when he announced he would return to Asia to shoot the biggest historical epic in Chinese film history, it was welcome news. (RED CLIFF is based on the same story that was adapted for THREE KINGDOMS, filmed not too long ago with Andy Lau and the lithe, hypnotically sexy Maggie Q). Woo regular Chow Yun Fat was in RED CLIFF, then out. Another Woo regular, Tony Leung, was in, then out, then back in (long story). Once the casting issues were resolved, Woo took his good time to shoot the movie that had apparently tantalized him for decades. The result is a real return to form and a consummate display of confidence from a director clearly passionate about the subject matter, and the movie.
   
   RED CLIFF is epic from the get-go. In the first few minutes (of the long cut - this review deals with the 2-part extended cut listed here and will hereafter ignore the shorter version) the narrative puts events in motion for an army of thousands to commence a destructive attack across the kingdoms of China. We see thousands of soldiers (some realized digitally, others through enormous crowds of extras) and soon see a smaller band of heroes putting up a spirited defense. Characters escape the melee, seek shelter, join forces with others and prepare to make a stand against the attackers in a series of battles that escalate in size and complexity throughout the two movies. Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro are two of the main heroes. There are several other key characters fighting alongside them, and a villain of imposing stature fighting against them, determined to wipe out the heroes and consolidate his rule. Each side possesses an army, but the forces of good are outnumbered by their enemies. Interpersonal intrigue, moments of heroism and bravery, lyrical interludes where the characters philosophically ponder their situation and careful scenes where each side pragmatically plots their next movie against their opponent - these all flow forward in scenes of great beauty, warmth and power, preparing the ground for each skirmish, battle or stand-off. The opposing sides gather in numbers until, at the end of part 2, we witness a ferocious, climactic attack taking place on sea and land, with thousands determined to battle to the death.
   
   I've generalized the story above, partly for my own sake but more specifically as I suggest you catch the various incidents of the movie fresh. The story as presented by Woo is elegant and satisfying. The devil is in the details, though, and its Woo's marshalling of texture and sound, his characteristically kinetic and mobile camerawork, and the sheer bravura of the films spectacle that make this a must-see movie. Scenes in RED CLIFF, particularly the epic destructive battles comprising much of the spectacular second part, match Jackson's LORD OF THE RINGS for effects, grandiose scale and visceral impact. (Actually, I'd clarify that statement by suggesting that the RED CLIFF films match those earlier movies visually, but surpass them viscerally, as Woo's staging of the action is more physically impactful than Jacksons). The US effects house The Orphanage provided the visual effects, and the enormous budget complements those with countless eye-opening scenes staged for real with crowds, stunt men and gargantuan sets. Woo (and his producer Terence Chang) have really pulled out all the stops. I viewed RED CLIFF on DVD but if you have the equipment and the interest, the Blu-Ray edition of this extended cut should be even more enticing. (The HK Blu-Ray of these movies received top marks for AV quality and I'd imagine the US release replicates those standards).
   
   RED CLIFF - the full, uncensored, no-holds-barred two-part version - didn't really get the attention it deserved upon release, (at least here in the West), nor has it since. (Another fine film, Kim Je-Woon's big-budget, visionary Korean western THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE WEIRD, suffered a similar fate). Even so, a few astute critics such as Glenn Kenny put the full RED CLIFF high in their top 10 for the year. I'd argue the same (it'd be in my top 5), and months after I originally acquired the DVD's of this movie, I still return to it in admiration, luxuriating in its many moments of grace, beauty and power.
   
   As Amazon occasionally conflates its reviews of variant products into the same listing, let me repeat that the edition of this film you should purchase is the RED CLIFF INTERNATIONAL VERSION - PART I & PART II, on either Blu-Ray or DVD. The editions labeled as featuring the `theatrical' version are shorter, inferior, and not worth pursuing over this longer, more satisfying cut.



3. If you have read San Guo (Three Kingdoms) you probably will be very disappointed in this movie. It strays from some very important storylines. For example in the Novel, Zhou Yu feared Zhuge Liang (Kongming) and tried to have him killed for negligence of duty. He did this by assigning him the task of making 100,000 arrows and then failed to supply him the materials. In the movie, this is entirely left out because they create a "bromance" between Kongming and Zhou. The arrow incident becomes comedy relief in the movie. In the Novel, Cao's only tie to Zhou Yu's wife is a boast that he has built two towers for Sun Quan and Zhou Yu's wives to live in. (They were sisters) The movie has some sort of childhood tie between Cao and Qiao which is stupid. It would have been nice to see Cao's flight from Chi Bi, where he shed his general's clothes, cut off his hair and beard to avoid recognition and capture, but that is left out as well and the victors just yell at him to leave, how lame!
   The casting was terrible as well. The characters should have been in their mid thrities at the time of Chi Bi and these Characters are all too old. Guan Yu was cast entirely wrong, instead of a tall, strong man capable of yielding a 100lbs blade, he was a shrimp! Zhang Fei was also very unimpressive and Liu Bei a bit role.
   
   Having said all that, if you have never read the novel, and never dreamed all the scenes while reading it, you might like this visually riveting fun movie.



4. My wife and I get tired of subtitles
   you can get so busy reading them that you miss too much of a movie
   
   if they're going to sell their movies over here in the U.S.A.
   then the least they can do is get it done well in english
   
   I've passed on at least 30 movies that look good simply because of the subtitles
   which should still be included on the DVD, but be limited to it
   because once you watched one with English
   then you might want to watch it again later with the subtitles to pick up on nuances



5. I first saw this movie on cable and was Mesmerized. If you are a fan of ancient warfare, sun-tsu (art of war), Miyamoto Musashi (book of five rings) and the like then this movie is for you. The art of deception, decoy, knowing when to attack your enemy, using the environment to your advantage are all utilized in the movie. Well written and directed. The scenery and special effects are on point. I love this movie and once you start watching you will not even want to pause. I recommend it to those that are into military warfare and strategy.

5 comments about Ong Bak 2: The Beginning [Blu-ray].

1. Yo i dont know what movie Karen Shaub was watching cause the flow in the fights were flawless. form tony switching between Muay Thai (which by the way Karen how would u know how how many actuall Muay Thai moves he did in the movie since Tony studied and ancient form of Muay Thai for a year, that most people will never see in their lives.)to tiger claw to fihting with a dagger to a three sectional staff. C'om on he even throws hes own spin on druken master! The story is good it has a way of pulling u in. the only thing i didnt like was the random elephent sence that had nothing to do with the story of the movie. other than that it was awesome. cant wait for Ong Bak 3 2010!! and the new boneless fighting style that Tony is going to do in it.



2. The first Ong Bak rocked, and this movie rocks ever harder. I've seen tons of Awesome Martial Arts flicks in my years and this is one of the best movies I have ever seen. The story line has almost no link to the first Ong Bak. Even the feel of this movie is different. We only see the the Statue of Ong Bak in this movie a couple of times, but as a movie set 400 years or so before the time of the first movie, the plot makes sense. From a marketing perspective, the title Ong Bak 2 makes some ense also.
   In this century, Tony Jaa has become the most talented and athletic onscreen martial artists of our day. His movies keep getting better film after film. After Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong, his third film improves 10 times over those first two. The historical setting of ancient Thailand is refreshing. The storyline is very well handled, I wasn't bored waiting for an action scene as many action movies do. When the action starts, the action never really lets up unless you reach a natural plot developement. Even the best of Jackie Chan movies just suddenly switch to fight scenes when you have no idea what the heck happened with the plot.
   
   Jaa uses a wide variety of Martial Arts Styles, techniques and weapons. From various forms of Kung Fu, to various Forms of Thai Martial Arts, as well as his uses of a variety of weapons including Ancient Thai swords, Japanese Katana Swords, and even a 3 section staff.
   
   Yes the movie ends in a Cliff Hanger, but so did Star Wars with the Empire Strikes back. I'm anxious to see how much Ong Bak 3 will improve over this spectacular movie.



3. This was an awesome movie. Can't wait to see the next instalment when it is released.



4. As Brutal as martial arts a must get for any true fan of martial arts



5. This movie sucked so bad. I wasted my $19.95 on this movie. Tony Jaa just can't act. The fight scenes were bad too.

5 comments about Kung Fu Panda (Widescreen Edition).

1. I enjoyed the movie and all of its cute one liners as well as found the moral of the story very good for my children.. they love watching this movie.. so much so im forced to have a kung fu panda background lol. SO yes an obvious buy.



2. This is truly one of the best productions to date - Video and Sound are excellent - reference quality. Kung fu Panda will really give your Theater a work out and trust me you'll be smiling the whole time !!!



3. An entertaining, Kung Fu Fun movie for the whole family. Love Jack Black as a big lovable Panda, a really fun movie for Kids and adults alike.



4. kung fu panda is awesome. it's funny and actioned pack. this movie is for everyone.



5. Great movie, came in excellent time and condition , exactly as described! thank you so much

5 comments about The Matrix (10th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray].

1. I love how this movie reinforces the fact that you're in charge of your own destiny - it's one of the main points of my new favorite book - Live Like A Fruit Fly - (the matrix is quoted in it a few times..along with star wars)



2. Unfortunately noone can be told what the Matrix is... You have to see it for yourself.. Dont even think twice.. Its a must have... go get it pal



3. I must say I'd expect more video quality for this movie's BD. Audio is excellent, but the image quality doesn't match many other less expressive titles.



4. Has it really been 10 years since the matrix brought new meaning to my life? Even without the blu-ray and special features, any serious movie collector should have a copy, the current format makes it all the more worthwhile.
   
   Everything is crisper and fresher than you could possibly hope: help erase your horrible memories of 2 and 3 by returning to "the one" that started it all.



5. The Matrix is basically the Star Wars of this generation, a science fiction movie so profound and visually appealing that even a decade later nothing else has come close (Avatar looked great, but even its fans agree that it had a fairly unoriginal story). It's telling of our society that it took 20 years for the Star Wars trilogy to be tarnished by its sequels, yet The Matrix sequels came only 4 years later (along with plenty of games and tie-ins). In any case, it was a real treat to see the movie again; even though I'd watched it a couple dozen times before, the last time was a while back and via the original DVD release (which came out in 1999 and still holds up pretty well).
   
   I have to admit that the negative reviews regarding the Blu-Ray's picture worried me, but there has to be something else in play there, as I thought the transfer was FANTASTIC. The layers in the foreground and background looked fine to me (and almost 3-dimensional at times). There isn't one second of the movie that isn't razor sharp and crystal clear, and every little detail can be made out, right down to the pores on the actors' faces!
   
   Having said that, two scenes did lack perfection to my eye:
   1 - You've probably heard that the movie was recolored to match the sequels (ie, the scenes in the Matrix have been tinted green). For the most part, this has been integrated well, but in the scene where Mr. Anderson is being chewed out by his boss, I found the sickly green tint on Keanu's face to be overdone and distracting. Thankfully, the rest of the movie didn't suffer from this effect.
   
   2 - When Trinity first talks to Neo in the club, her face, shoulders and upper chest (she wears a strapless dress) show some strange image noise, possibly because of the way the scene was lit. This goes away as she approaches Neo to whisper in his ear.
   
   This package comes with tons of great extras. My favorite is still the music-only audio track (something I wish more dvds had), as you only really get to hear the subtleties in Davis' score when the dialogue and gunfire is removed. I doubt most people will go through all the commentaries and documentaries, but it's nice to have them there. Collectors will get a lot out of this release.

5 comments about Black Dynamite.

1. The first time you see Black Dynamite (the character) in "Black Dynamite" was, for me, where I told myself "This is going to be THAT kind of movie". THAT kind of movie being one a reference to "Airplane" or "Blazing Saddles" where you can expect only over the top stupidity or jokes that is done so intelligently that you know it was intended. From there the movie only gets funnier. As a homage to the Blaxploitation films of the '70's it is on point. For me this was much funnier than "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka", which was a comedy that openly played it for laughs. "Dynamite" plays it straight. It is parody at it's finest. If you have seen any of the 'target' movies, you will get the joke and just laugh your butt off. If you haven't you will still get many of them since you should be able to see that they couldn't possibly have made a movie THIS bad, unintentionally! From the boom mike that hits the lead in the head to the bad edit where you can see the obvious stunt double (I don't want to give the more complex gags away) it is played straight. "Sucka" has the many of the same gags but played it for laughs. "Dynamite" is so well done that you forget that it was shot in 2008 or '0. They even used old cameras! I still laugh with others over many parts of this movie.
   Just get it and enjoy!!!!



2. This is a great movie ... hasn't even been shown in theatres here in Australia, and it was my first attempt at importing a blu-ray disc.
   
   On that, be warned that this is a Region A title, and even if your blu-ray player is dezoned for DVDs it might not play blu-rays from other regions. I got around this by buying a cheap ($159) blu-ray player from Dick Smith that I knew could be switched between regions using codes I found on the internet. So it can be done, but do your research first.
   
   It is all very much within the times, although I did notice one slip-up when Gloria said something about getting the kids off crack, when it should have been smack (to be consistent with the rest of the movie, and the fact that crack didn't appear until after microwave ovens became commonplace in the '80s), but it was perhaps left in on purpose, in the spirit of blaxploitation movies often retaining all kinds of bad takes just because the cash wasn't there to do it again.
   
   In the trailers you really only get a good sense of the main character, but the supporting characters are awesome as well. Bullhorn was my favourite, but Cream Corn was great as well, and O'Leary was your classic honkey CIA agent. The bald sidekick of Wu with the bad expression on his face cracks me up every time.
   
   Fair bit of female nudity in the film, in keeping with the genre. Too bad we didn't get to see more of that nurse ...



3. If you've ever even heard of the blaxploitation film genre, you have got to see this movie. This timeless parody will have you rolling with laughter. Every scene is a riot, and the camera "mistakes" and the bad lines are all very intentional and hilarious. If you only ever see this movie once, you will never forget it.



4. Incredibly funny.
   
   After seeing clips of this movie on a couple TV shows, I just had to see it. As other reviewers have mentioned, it is an incredibly on-target homage to the blaxploitation films of the 70s. Everything in it... the music, the acting, the camerawork, the lighting, the look of the film stock, etc. transports you back to the 70s. And I can't believe that this film didn't get nominated for best costumes or set design! There are times when you can easily believe you're watching a film made 35-40 years ago.
   
   The only drawback to this film is that it seems to lose its way about 2/3 of the way through, as the plot takes us out of the 'hood and to an uncharted island run by a sinister Chinese mad scientist. There is a definate change of feel at that juncture, and the laughs become a little more sparse.



5. One of the funniest films of the year! Maybe all time! More catch phrases then you can shake a stick at!

5 comments about Black Dynamite [Blu-ray].

1. The first time you see Black Dynamite (the character) in "Black Dynamite" was, for me, where I told myself "This is going to be THAT kind of movie". THAT kind of movie being one a reference to "Airplane" or "Blazing Saddles" where you can expect only over the top stupidity or jokes that is done so intelligently that you know it was intended. From there the movie only gets funnier. As a homage to the Blaxploitation films of the '70's it is on point. For me this was much funnier than "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka", which was a comedy that openly played it for laughs. "Dynamite" plays it straight. It is parody at it's finest. If you have seen any of the 'target' movies, you will get the joke and just laugh your butt off. If you haven't you will still get many of them since you should be able to see that they couldn't possibly have made a movie THIS bad, unintentionally! From the boom mike that hits the lead in the head to the bad edit where you can see the obvious stunt double (I don't want to give the more complex gags away) it is played straight. "Sucka" has the many of the same gags but played it for laughs. "Dynamite" is so well done that you forget that it was shot in 2008 or '0. They even used old cameras! I still laugh with others over many parts of this movie.
   Just get it and enjoy!!!!



2. This is a great movie ... hasn't even been shown in theatres here in Australia, and it was my first attempt at importing a blu-ray disc.
   
   On that, be warned that this is a Region A title, and even if your blu-ray player is dezoned for DVDs it might not play blu-rays from other regions. I got around this by buying a cheap ($159) blu-ray player from Dick Smith that I knew could be switched between regions using codes I found on the internet. So it can be done, but do your research first.
   
   It is all very much within the times, although I did notice one slip-up when Gloria said something about getting the kids off crack, when it should have been smack (to be consistent with the rest of the movie, and the fact that crack didn't appear until after microwave ovens became commonplace in the '80s), but it was perhaps left in on purpose, in the spirit of blaxploitation movies often retaining all kinds of bad takes just because the cash wasn't there to do it again.
   
   In the trailers you really only get a good sense of the main character, but the supporting characters are awesome as well. Bullhorn was my favourite, but Cream Corn was great as well, and O'Leary was your classic honkey CIA agent. The bald sidekick of Wu with the bad expression on his face cracks me up every time.
   
   Fair bit of female nudity in the film, in keeping with the genre. Too bad we didn't get to see more of that nurse ...



3. If you've ever even heard of the blaxploitation film genre, you have got to see this movie. This timeless parody will have you rolling with laughter. Every scene is a riot, and the camera "mistakes" and the bad lines are all very intentional and hilarious. If you only ever see this movie once, you will never forget it.



4. Incredibly funny.
   
   After seeing clips of this movie on a couple TV shows, I just had to see it. As other reviewers have mentioned, it is an incredibly on-target homage to the blaxploitation films of the 70s. Everything in it... the music, the acting, the camerawork, the lighting, the look of the film stock, etc. transports you back to the 70s. And I can't believe that this film didn't get nominated for best costumes or set design! There are times when you can easily believe you're watching a film made 35-40 years ago.
   
   The only drawback to this film is that it seems to lose its way about 2/3 of the way through, as the plot takes us out of the 'hood and to an uncharted island run by a sinister Chinese mad scientist. There is a definate change of feel at that juncture, and the laughs become a little more sparse.



5. One of the funniest films of the year! Maybe all time! More catch phrases then you can shake a stick at!

5 comments about Red Cliff International Version - Part I & Part II [Blu-ray].

1. i seriously don't know why the initial reviews for this movie is so positive here at amazon (and mirrored by major review sites all around the country). alright, perhaps the 'ancient Chinese' 'based on historical facts' and 'made by john woo' tags can hook a few people, but seriously, calling this the 'best movie' or 'most magnificent recent film' etc just shows lack of taste. Perhaps its because people are afraid of saying anything bad made by the Chinese? Or perhaps it has to do with their lack of understanding of the original material? Still, something as inane as Twilight can and did make some serious coins in the box office, so go figure.
   
   in the tradition of recent Chinese cinema 'blockbusters', Red Cliff is an ultra shallow film that should be avoided. the acting here is uniformly cringe-inducing bad. And before you say it, no, its not some crazy language / cultural gap - the acting doesn't get any better even if you speak Chinese. The exception is Tony Leung, who is one of the best character actor out of Hong Kong, but he is totally wasted here in his role. For someone who has been in the business for as long as he is, he (and his agent) really should've walked away from this project the first time around (he walked away from the initial roll offered to him). The remainder group of... celebrity cast involved can't act their way out of a box, much less carry a 'epic' 'blockbuster'.
   
   As the movie's plot is based on a 600 years old historical novel that itself is based on 1900 years old history, you figure it won't be so hard to make a compelling story. No luck here. There are so much 'inventive' rewrites and character 'modernizing', one wonders why they even bothered keeping the character names at all (incidentally, same atrocity happened with the recent 2010 Sherlock Holmes flick). Graphically, the set design ranges from poor to ridiculous (one wonders if the cinematographer and Woo has ever been to the real Red Cliff location). The over used CGI models are so poor, that if it were a video game, kids today would never touch it. The costume design, handled by Tim Yip, is competent, but nothing memorable. The music, while again competent, is at odds thematically with the rest of the movie.
   
   The saddest thing about this whole fiasco of a movie is that the source material, 'romance of three kingdoms' is a great novel that deserves a good movie and a competent director. Unfortunately John Woo has no idea how to handle anything more than a slow-mo guy and two pistols - anything that's even remotely out of his usual range will and do suck (WW2 / Windtalkers, Fantasy / bulletproof Monk, SciFi / Paycheck, for example). how he got the funding and the go ahead for this project is beyond me.
   
   unless you wanna play a drinking game along with this (a shot ever time you cringe), avoid this movie at all cost.



2. This 'international version' of John Woo's RED CLIFF is the preferred edition over the previously released (and shorter) US theatrical version. Woo worked hard to shoot this epic adaption of a famous Chinese historical novel, and the final version of the movie was so long (closer to 5 hours than 4) that in Asian markets the film was released in two parts, each playing in cinemas at opposite ends of a near 12 month period. In the US, the UK and Australia, Woo tentatively gave approval for a cut-down version to play in cinemas, with both parts condensed by 50% down to a single movie. Australian critic David Stratton (a frequent reviewer for VARIETY) gave the condensed version a good, not great review, but then noted that he felt the full, uncut edition of RED CLIFF was one of the great cinema epics. And so it is.
   
   Woo's career seemed to take a gradual downturn in the US after the peak of FACE/OFF, and it would be hard for fans of the director's earlier HARD-BOILED or BULLET IN THE HEAD (both great films) to share the same sense of enthusiasm for works like MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 or the aptly titled PAYCHECK. Woo reportedly wasn't that happy with things either, so when he announced he would return to Asia to shoot the biggest historical epic in Chinese film history, it was welcome news. (RED CLIFF is based on the same story that was adapted for THREE KINGDOMS, filmed not too long ago with Andy Lau and the lithe, hypnotically sexy Maggie Q). Woo regular Chow Yun Fat was in RED CLIFF, then out. Another Woo regular, Tony Leung, was in, then out, then back in (long story). Once the casting issues were resolved, Woo took his good time to shoot the movie that had apparently tantalized him for decades. The result is a real return to form and a consummate display of confidence from a director clearly passionate about the subject matter, and the movie.
   
   RED CLIFF is epic from the get-go. In the first few minutes (of the long cut - this review deals with the 2-part extended cut listed here and will hereafter ignore the shorter version) the narrative puts events in motion for an army of thousands to commence a destructive attack across the kingdoms of China. We see thousands of soldiers (some realized digitally, others through enormous crowds of extras) and soon see a smaller band of heroes putting up a spirited defense. Characters escape the melee, seek shelter, join forces with others and prepare to make a stand against the attackers in a series of battles that escalate in size and complexity throughout the two movies. Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro are two of the main heroes. There are several other key characters fighting alongside them, and a villain of imposing stature fighting against them, determined to wipe out the heroes and consolidate his rule. Each side possesses an army, but the forces of good are outnumbered by their enemies. Interpersonal intrigue, moments of heroism and bravery, lyrical interludes where the characters philosophically ponder their situation and careful scenes where each side pragmatically plots their next movie against their opponent - these all flow forward in scenes of great beauty, warmth and power, preparing the ground for each skirmish, battle or stand-off. The opposing sides gather in numbers until, at the end of part 2, we witness a ferocious, climactic attack taking place on sea and land, with thousands determined to battle to the death.
   
   I've generalized the story above, partly for my own sake but more specifically as I suggest you catch the various incidents of the movie fresh. The story as presented by Woo is elegant and satisfying. The devil is in the details, though, and its Woo's marshalling of texture and sound, his characteristically kinetic and mobile camerawork, and the sheer bravura of the films spectacle that make this a must-see movie. Scenes in RED CLIFF, particularly the epic destructive battles comprising much of the spectacular second part, match Jackson's LORD OF THE RINGS for effects, grandiose scale and visceral impact. (Actually, I'd clarify that statement by suggesting that the RED CLIFF films match those earlier movies visually, but surpass them viscerally, as Woo's staging of the action is more physically impactful than Jacksons). The US effects house The Orphanage provided the visual effects, and the enormous budget complements those with countless eye-opening scenes staged for real with crowds, stunt men and gargantuan sets. Woo (and his producer Terence Chang) have really pulled out all the stops. I viewed RED CLIFF on DVD but if you have the equipment and the interest, the Blu-Ray edition of this extended cut should be even more enticing. (The HK Blu-Ray of these movies received top marks for AV quality and I'd imagine the US release replicates those standards).
   
   RED CLIFF - the full, uncensored, no-holds-barred two-part version - didn't really get the attention it deserved upon release, (at least here in the West), nor has it since. (Another fine film, Kim Je-Woon's big-budget, visionary Korean western THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE WEIRD, suffered a similar fate). Even so, a few astute critics such as Glenn Kenny put the full RED CLIFF high in their top 10 for the year. I'd argue the same (it'd be in my top 5), and months after I originally acquired the DVD's of this movie, I still return to it in admiration, luxuriating in its many moments of grace, beauty and power.
   
   As Amazon occasionally conflates its reviews of variant products into the same listing, let me repeat that the edition of this film you should purchase is the RED CLIFF INTERNATIONAL VERSION - PART I & PART II, on either Blu-Ray or DVD. The editions labeled as featuring the `theatrical' version are shorter, inferior, and not worth pursuing over this longer, more satisfying cut.



3. If you have read San Guo (Three Kingdoms) you probably will be very disappointed in this movie. It strays from some very important storylines. For example in the Novel, Zhou Yu feared Zhuge Liang (Kongming) and tried to have him killed for negligence of duty. He did this by assigning him the task of making 100,000 arrows and then failed to supply him the materials. In the movie, this is entirely left out because they create a "bromance" between Kongming and Zhou. The arrow incident becomes comedy relief in the movie. In the Novel, Cao's only tie to Zhou Yu's wife is a boast that he has built two towers for Sun Quan and Zhou Yu's wives to live in. (They were sisters) The movie has some sort of childhood tie between Cao and Qiao which is stupid. It would have been nice to see Cao's flight from Chi Bi, where he shed his general's clothes, cut off his hair and beard to avoid recognition and capture, but that is left out as well and the victors just yell at him to leave, how lame!
   The casting was terrible as well. The characters should have been in their mid thrities at the time of Chi Bi and these Characters are all too old. Guan Yu was cast entirely wrong, instead of a tall, strong man capable of yielding a 100lbs blade, he was a shrimp! Zhang Fei was also very unimpressive and Liu Bei a bit role.
   
   Having said all that, if you have never read the novel, and never dreamed all the scenes while reading it, you might like this visually riveting fun movie.



4. My wife and I get tired of subtitles
   you can get so busy reading them that you miss too much of a movie
   
   if they're going to sell their movies over here in the U.S.A.
   then the least they can do is get it done well in english
   
   I've passed on at least 30 movies that look good simply because of the subtitles
   which should still be included on the DVD, but be limited to it
   because once you watched one with English
   then you might want to watch it again later with the subtitles to pick up on nuances



5. I first saw this movie on cable and was Mesmerized. If you are a fan of ancient warfare, sun-tsu (art of war), Miyamoto Musashi (book of five rings) and the like then this movie is for you. The art of deception, decoy, knowing when to attack your enemy, using the environment to your advantage are all utilized in the movie. Well written and directed. The scenery and special effects are on point. I love this movie and once you start watching you will not even want to pause. I recommend it to those that are into military warfare and strategy.

5 comments about Ninja Assassin.

1. This movie is ok. The acting BAH-LOWS, and the CGI blood is a bit on the cheesey side. The action scenes, however are really good, especially if you're a fan of the martial arts film genre. Worth a rental but I probably wouldn't buy it.



2. This movie was beyond excellent. Best ninja movie I`ve ever seen. And Sho Kosugi best actor & movie ever, better than all the other`s. And Rain excellent job.



3. I love Martial arts movies. I love over the top violence. A movie doesn't have to be realistic to be good. Especially a Ninja movie. I don't expect the plot to be deep either, I mean it is called "Ninja Assassin". But it does need to be internally consistent and the action scenes can't all be done in CGI.
   *****Spoiler Alert*****
   1.Explain to me how ninja can obliterate swat team in one scene, and then become cannon fodder for them in another.
   2.The same ninja / cannon fodder decapitate and dismember swat team but the head-grand-master of the clan can do no more but inflict surface wounds on the main character. Really?!
   
   If you are going to do CGI based movie, atleast give me the behind the scenes features showing the hard work of the special effect technicians and stunt men.
   Crappy movie, with crappy fight scenes. 1 Star for cool Cover Art, 1 star because the movie has Ninjas in it.
   



4. I've seen a bunch of ninja movies from the 80's on and so far, this is THE best ninja movie ever. Awesome fight scenes and sequences, great sound quality and Sho Kosugi is in it. If you haven't heard of him imdb him and you'll know why he's famous. I give the storyline 4 out of 5 but the overall movie action sequence puts this in the 5 scale. I love ancient martial arts being brought back in the modern world. If you love ninja action movies, this is a must see.



5. A skilled assassin who was trained by a mythical secret society, and patiently awaits the day he will avenge the death of his best friend. Swept off the streets as a young boy, Raizo is transformed into an unstoppable killing machine by a secret society known as the Ozunu Clan. The Ozunu Clan is so proficient at keeping their existence a secret that most people think they are only a myth, but the moment Ozuno assassins kill Raizo's friend, their days in the shadows are numbered. In the aftermath of that killing, Raizo stages a daring escape, subsequently biding his time until the day he can take the entire Ozunu Clan down. Visually this movie is incredible. It's unlike anything you've ever seen. The fighting is quick, furious and the story although not completely involving is involving enough so that you kinda like the characters. What this movie does explosively well is decapitate, disembowel and explode it's victims across it's blood soaked screen. It's an exciting piece of cinematic brilliance. It delivers on its title, wicked weapons, killer moves and bloody battles at its all-time best.

5 comments about Ninja Assasin (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy).

1. This movie is ok. The acting BAH-LOWS, and the CGI blood is a bit on the cheesey side. The action scenes, however are really good, especially if you're a fan of the martial arts film genre. Worth a rental but I probably wouldn't buy it.



2. This movie was beyond excellent. Best ninja movie I`ve ever seen. And Sho Kosugi best actor & movie ever, better than all the other`s. And Rain excellent job.



3. I love Martial arts movies. I love over the top violence. A movie doesn't have to be realistic to be good. Especially a Ninja movie. I don't expect the plot to be deep either, I mean it is called "Ninja Assassin". But it does need to be internally consistent and the action scenes can't all be done in CGI.
   *****Spoiler Alert*****
   1.Explain to me how ninja can obliterate swat team in one scene, and then become cannon fodder for them in another.
   2.The same ninja / cannon fodder decapitate and dismember swat team but the head-grand-master of the clan can do no more but inflict surface wounds on the main character. Really?!
   
   If you are going to do CGI based movie, atleast give me the behind the scenes features showing the hard work of the special effect technicians and stunt men.
   Crappy movie, with crappy fight scenes. 1 Star for cool Cover Art, 1 star because the movie has Ninjas in it.
   



4. I've seen a bunch of ninja movies from the 80's on and so far, this is THE best ninja movie ever. Awesome fight scenes and sequences, great sound quality and Sho Kosugi is in it. If you haven't heard of him imdb him and you'll know why he's famous. I give the storyline 4 out of 5 but the overall movie action sequence puts this in the 5 scale. I love ancient martial arts being brought back in the modern world. If you love ninja action movies, this is a must see.



5. A skilled assassin who was trained by a mythical secret society, and patiently awaits the day he will avenge the death of his best friend. Swept off the streets as a young boy, Raizo is transformed into an unstoppable killing machine by a secret society known as the Ozunu Clan. The Ozunu Clan is so proficient at keeping their existence a secret that most people think they are only a myth, but the moment Ozuno assassins kill Raizo's friend, their days in the shadows are numbered. In the aftermath of that killing, Raizo stages a daring escape, subsequently biding his time until the day he can take the entire Ozunu Clan down. Visually this movie is incredible. It's unlike anything you've ever seen. The fighting is quick, furious and the story although not completely involving is involving enough so that you kinda like the characters. What this movie does explosively well is decapitate, disembowel and explode it's victims across it's blood soaked screen. It's an exciting piece of cinematic brilliance. It delivers on its title, wicked weapons, killer moves and bloody battles at its all-time best.