Warriors Of Heaven And Earth Details

Very Enjoyable

This film, in the standard ?period Chinese action/drama? genre, is beautifully made with a Western budget. Set in the Tang dynasty the story centres on a camel caravan, headed along the great Silk Road out of India and headed for the Chinese capital, it hides an awesome secret cargo that occupies all the characters in various ways. It is a sweeping, epic plot set in many varied and beautiful landscapes from the Gobi desert, the Fire Mountains, an outpost village, an emerald oasis and the Chinese capital city. The plot and pace is gripping especially as the film moves to the climax, with plenty of great fight sequences choreographed by Hong Kong's finest. The tension of the earthly and the spiritual, hence the title, also keeps it interesting. Playing all the various characters is a great ensemble cast of top Asian actors. The villain of the piece is a Nero type complete with 'violin'. He is totally self-obsessed and has a suitably gorgeous costume and appearance.

This film actually doesn't star Ziyi Zhang in the token female part but (in my partner's opinion) a far more beautiful actress, who was also in So Close. There is a romantic sub-plot, but thankfully it is kept well reined in, so that it doesn't slow the pace of the film. Though the secret revealed may seem fantastical and therefore stupid to some. It helps to see it as symbolic of the real effect the outcome, of the events described, had in the period portrayed.

This film is not particularly outstanding but it certainly gripped me and kept me entertained for the entire running time. So it?s well worth watching, especially if you like this type of film, as I do. The Warrior is another similar film you might like.

And by the way, even at 3 stars, it?s much better than the heavily advertised disappointment that was House of the Flying Daggers.

[Highly rated reviewer]

how could they do that?

The film is fantastic but either you speak the linguo or you accept to read the subtitles which takes half the screen or you go for the bad dubbing version.

I have no choice but to only give 3 stars due to this criminal DVD version.