Jump to content

The Warlords / 投名状 (2007)


Guest udar55

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 64
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Member

Watched "Warlords" few hours ago on DVD enjoyed the movie for the most part. I did feel it could have used a few more battle scenes, one thing is for sure all three leads give one hell of an acting performance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
The Amazing Psycho Per

By the way, if you want to watch this one in its original running time, you should order the chinese dvd... According to twitchfilm.net, the international release will be cut. This will never ends...:mad:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

I absolutely loved this movie. Maybe because it's so refreshing to see Jet in a good dramatic role. After this movie I believe he demonstrated he is more then just a martial arts actor. Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro did exceptionally well also. The production was grand and the cinematagraphy constantly breathtaking. All battles were done very well. An awesome way to end cinema for 2007.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

in regards to this movie, has anybody ever used priority shipping with a dvd purchase through Yesasia.com? I live in the US and usually I choose standard shipping and the package arrives generally in 5 business days, and the only time I picked priority I had to go out of town so I don't know how long it took to arrive. For The Warlords which release Feb. 5th, I want to ensure I get it by next Saturday, Feb 9th, so orginally I chose priority but I'm wondering if I shouldn't upgrade to Express? What are anyone's experiences with priority shipping from Yesasia.com to US shipping addresses? thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

I've just finished watching the China DVD of this film and found myself immersed in a bonafide Drama. The performances across the board are dynamic. Jet Li is now coming into his own after the likes of Danny The Dog, Fearless, and now, Warlords.

This is a film to view, and not for the action, which is far less than expected, but for the characters.

:cool:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

Warlords is a very good movie with a justified ending that won't make you feel shortchanged. It's certainly a cut above the other Chinese cross-over arthouse directors who shoot period movie as elaborately and crazily as they can without getting the script right perhaps just to fulfil their longstanding childhood dreams. Moreover, they follow Hero's kind of ending blindly without considering whether it would suit their scripts at all, making their films look like a farce, a big joke rather than eliciting the right response from the audience. Peter Chan has gotten everythig right down to the script, the direction, drama, everything. But not one that I liked (excepting the soundtrack) because it lingers too much on agonies, traumas, etc, the pallid palette used, the violence, and probably poor horses often get abused these days in a period movie with all kind of falls and stunts that would hurt them, and there's no actual martial arts sequences. Not one high on entertainment value. I prefer Battle of Wits over this despite Warlord's greatness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

just got finished watching The Warlords, and it totally fulfilled my expectations, probably the best HK film of the year overall! anyway, just one question...does anybody know why Andy Lau's excellent theme song wasn't used in the film at all, including even the end credits?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

9/10 - Jet Li gets betrayed by his own men while agreeing on wiping out the Taipings. He however survives by playing dead and comes across luck once again when he meets Xu Jinglei and Takeshi Kaneshiro whom are the wife and brother of infamous bandit leader Andy Lau respectively. Kaneshiro remarks Li's abilities and urges him to join his brother's gang which he does but when the bandits are struck by the Kuis who steal back the stolen goods and beating up people, Li convinces Lau and Kaneshiro that joining the army is the only way to gain peace, respect and wealth among their people. They agree and before they seek their goal, the three commit an oath knowing that they won't betray but to help each other no matter what and thereafter goes their quest to take on powerful armies one by one as they go along, with the strong loyalty among them being tested to the edge.

Finally we have a battle epic from HK/China that moves away from what has been out before that made the genre so trendy and tiring, and this time it takes place no far away from 20th and 21th century which is what made it such an experience for me while watching. I might add that everything you see in the movie doesn't even look and feel close to a Chinese/HK war movie: the violence (very gritty and brutal designed by Tony Ching), the cinematography, the acting etc. It's all done in a tragic way and feels similar to a US war movie, only with a cultured flavour to it (the essential/typical elements found in many other Chinese battle epics of course). Beside this, the movie has alot of emotions that would easily make your eyes teary more or less, contributing to the dark and tragic tone the movie possesses which means that the intensity is just digging in you until it hits the spot. speaking of that, I think this has almost every actor getting out the best of them psychically and physically and retains the touch and feel of such war movie perfectly.

These days it seems that Andy Lau is doing great acting performances in every single movie and here he's not making an exception, showing what he made for portraying a bandit showing love and heart to those he cares the most and hate/anger/greediness/selfishness to the enemy but suddently undergoes an emotional state once he realizes what it means to battle and knowing the line of work for someone else. Kaneshiro almost equals Lau in acting with his enclosing character who knows how to follow and do things when they are promised from the start. but kudos def goes to Jet Li as the coward general who only wants wealth, fame, love, death, power... in other words a truly selfish character that you feel all the time when he carries his doings. Li hold his own here and unleashes a side never seen before and this should be his best acting performance in his whole career for now, and seeing him in these demanding scenes makes you think Li really considers acting more today than fighting until he no longer has it in him. Hats off to Jet!

with The Warlords, the Chinese/HK battle epics has now been changed 4-ever! Watch it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

Have to agree with all the above comments, great film and superb performances from the three leads.....best film of 2007 or very close...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I liked this film. Jet`s acting was very good. I have never seen Jet cry so much in a film before. I also liked the final fight. The only minus is that there should have been more unarmed combat in the film.

________

312b

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

I just got the 2disc version of this film, and the audio/video is very good. Takeshi Kaneshiro is really a very good actor. Jet is growing as an actor and Andy Lau is about as good as it gets in this film.

I'm placing it up there with Hero.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

I got to watch this movie the other night and I thought it was a Great Movie, Excellent Cast,Great Storyline. All the Actors were Excellent in there roles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
will91XingYu

This film is amazing! Only a few fights, but theyre amazing and the story, cast and just the whole film is great, definatley worth buying on dvd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

HONG KONG – Peter Chan-helmed period actioner "The Warlords" leads the list of nominations for Taiwan's Golden Horse Film Awards.

Pic collected 12 nominations including best feature film, best director and best leading actor for star Jet Li.

Announcement was made Thursday by organizers of the 45th Golden Horse Film Festival

In a year of epic Chinese-language tentpole movies, however, the much anticipated $80 million John Woo-helmed epic, "Red Cliff," was surprisingly shut out of the major categories, garnering only four nominations in the supporting actor, visual effects, art direction and make-up/costume-design categories.

The Awards will be presented in Taiwan on Dec 6.

Congratulations to Jet Li (Warlords), Louis Koo (Run Papa Run), Hu Jun (Red Cliff) and Nora Miao (Run Papa Run) for their acting nominations!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member

Wow... In all the hype of so many films this year, I've forgotten about Warlords. I truly enjoyed this film, and all the performances, especially Jet Li's.

He has shown that his acting chops have developed quite respectively. This is a favorite of mine, and I hope he wins Best actor as well. Thanks for helping me remember this great film Winfred.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
lillippa328

is it gonna be released and/or distributed over in the US?

Also, was it originally an independent film?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member
The Running Man

Magnolia is the company releasing it in the US and they have put it out theatrically and on demand I believe but I would like to know which version they are releasing.

Anyone know?

I believe the UK release was only of a shorter version and not Peter Chan's cut right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use

Please Sign In or Sign Up