At the end of Red Cliff Part I, John Woo’s signature pigeon flies into the Wei camp, where Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) spurrs soldiers into cu ju, Chinese soccer. The pigeon lands on Sun Shangxiang (Vicky Zhao Wei), revealing Sun Quan’s sister as a disguised male spy in the Wei camp.
John Woo’s Red Cliff, or Chi Bi in Mandarin, is a Chinese epic movie about the battle between Cao Cao’s Wei troops, and allied forces of Liu Bei (Yong You) and Sun Quan (Chang Chen). The battle is a dramatic showdown that leads to the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms period. Loosely based on novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, John Woo’s film has been criticized by many as an inaccurate retelling of China history.
Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang Outdo each Other
Red Cliff Part II celebrates the art of war, layering war strategy upon strategy. Cao Cao’s Wei troops develop typhoid, and Cao Cao slyly sends them to his enemy camp to infect them. This results in Liu Bei (Yong You) beating another tail-between-the-legs retreat, stranding Zhou Yu (Tony Leung) at Red Cliff. Luckily, Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) stays behind to help.
Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang vow that either party who fails to deliver will be beheaded. Zhou Yu promises to have Cao Cao’s naval officers killed, and Zhuge Liang promises to have 100,000 arrows in ten days.
Zhuge Liang’s Famous Arrow Strategy
Zhuge Liang sets off on 20 large straw boats filled with straw men, knowing that a fog is imminent. Cao Cao’s naval officers see what looks like an attack and fires thousands of arrows. They stick beautifully on straw. In Red Cliff Part II, Cao Cao sees through this plan, but in a fit of anger, executes the naval officers. This comes as a victory for Zhou Yu, who had set a trap to frame both naval officers for treason.
Zhuge Liang also contributes by modifying the repeating crossbow. It is named Zhuge Nu, after him. Takeshi Kaneshiro brings a light touch to his performance, and supports Tony Leung's earthy persona.
Fire Ship Strategy in Red Cliff Part II
Cao Cao’s naval officers had chained the ships together, to protect the Northern soldiers from seasickness. The climax of Red Cliff Part II is the fire ship strategy that both Cao Cao and Zhou Yu use. John Woo has Zhuge Liang divine a changing wind that turns Cao Cao’s fire ships upon his own. With his trusted naval officers gone, Cao Cao misreads the changing wind and carries out his plan, which backfires.
Lin Chiling & Vicky Zhao Wei
Taiwanese actress Lin Chiling plays Xiao Qiao – the wife of Zhou Yu whom Cao Cao admires. John Woo’s film suggests Cao Cao’s desire for Xiao Qiao started the war, but this is unsupported historically. Lin plays the role very detached, as serene as the tea she serves. Vicky Zhao Wei is more animated as Sun Shangxiang. She befriends a man in the Wei camp, but fails to save his life. As the drama heightens, Zhang Fengyi’s Cao Cao grows on the audience, and makes his ending more acceptable.
Cao Cao Loses to a Gust of Wind, a Cup of Tea
Red Cliff Part II holds the viewer’s attention till the end, a cinematic victory for John Woo. Though John Woo’s version is not historically accurate, Red Cliff or Chi Bi, is a vibrant and fiery spectacle of Chinese history, with many lessons on the art of war.
- Chi Bi Xia: Jue Zhan Tia Xia (Red Cliff II: International English title)
- Director: John Woo
- Writer: John Woo, Chan Khan, Kuo Cheng, Sheng Heyu, Luo Guanzhong (novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms)
- Actors: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Vicky Zhao Wei, Jun Hu, Lin Chiling, Yong You
- Running time: 136 minutes
Lynette S.K. Webster - Copywriter turned Freelance Writer Copywriter for 4 years in Singapore, writing radio, print, TV and recruitment ads for national radio ...
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