Warlords
Directed by: Peter Chan Starring: Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro Synopsis: Warlords is a reworking of the Shaw Classic, Blood Brothers. The only survivor of his massacred army, General Pang (Li) crosses paths with bandit leader Cou Er-Hu (Andy Lau) and his lieutenant Jiang Wu Yang (Kaneshiro), and joins them on a raid of an army supply caravan. After the army retaliates, Pang suggests the bandits join up with the army, becoming a cadre called “the mountain men”. After pledging a blood oath between themselves, the trio lead their men on to an almost impossible victory, and subsequently rise through the ranks. However, Er-Hu and Pang’s outlook on what they are trying to achieve become more and more at odds, leaving Wu Yang conflicted in his loyalties.
After the very bland “War”, Jet Li has turned to the epic period action that he made his name in. However, this is very unlike the sort of period epics we’ve had of late. Set initially in the mountains and desert, this paints a bleak landscape, and the costumes and scenery all take on gritty, earthy tones, very much in contrast to the opulent colour schemes of Hero, Curse of the Golden Flower and The Banquet.
The main set-piece of the movie is an epic battle of the 800-strong “mountain men” led by Pang, Er-Hu and Wu Yang, against the 5000-strong rebel army. There have been many such big battle scenes in recent years, ever since Braveheart, and this really pulls out all the stops – a suicidal charge, desperate tactics, heroics left and right, and serious carnage. The movie is set in a period that has just seen the introduction of the musket, which makes the initial charge like something from Gallipoli. It is an immense battle which inspires the Qing troops on to more victories. 
Unfortunately, the more successful they become, the more they come to the attention of the Emperor’s trio of political advisers who try to manipulate them for their own gain. Pang wishes to win the war in order to bring peace to the land as quickly as possible. The advisers believe “peace” would not be profitable. Er-Hu meanwhile finds it difficult not to think and act like a bandit leader, and wants what’s best for his men and their families. Yu Wang is the adopted son of Er Hu, but Pang had saved his life during the supply caravan raid. As a result, the three blood brothers find themselves more and more at odds with each other. Er-Hu is a born leader, and has won the respect of his men and his village. Pang looks at the bigger picture, realising sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Muddying things even further are Pang’s feelings for Er-Hu’s wife, with whom he once had a one-night fling. Peter Chan delivers both the visceral thrills and carnage of the battlefield whilst also delivering a lot of emotion and pathos in the aftermath, such as the touching scene where a young soldier returns the shoes of a fallen comrade to his mother. Like Braveheart and 300, Warlords doesn’t shy away from the carnage of the battlefield, as people are graphically sliced and diced, or blown apart by cannons. Chan also goes into the political machinations, the people pulling the strings. For example in order to drive a wedge between Pang and Er Hu, an opera is commissioned by the Emperor’s advisors in which a key victory achieved by Er Hu is attributed to Pang.
The only part of this movie which doesn’t quite work is the narration by Wu Yang. Throughout the movie, he reminisces about this and that, giving insights into Pang’s real character rather than the façade he’s portraying for his men. However given the movie’s climax it is difficult to see when he would have learned this knowledge. Verdict: Overall a pretty good epic, different in tone to recent big-budget efforts. This is probably Jet Li’s least sympathetic character – not a bad guy, but ruthless and ambitious. 8 out of 10 (MikeOutWest)
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