John Woo needs little introduction to movie fans around the world. He became famous for the innovative Chinese-language policiers he made in the 1980s (A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Bullet in the Head) that redefined the presentation of action and violence within the traditional thriller genre. With international attention rightfully guaranteed, Woo was wooed by Hollywood where he made a series of kinetic action pictures (Broken Arrow, Face/Off, Mission: Impossible II) that brought in the bucks but delivered little in the way of creative refreshment. It is interesting to note that Woo’s most successful esthetic accomplishment (Windtalkers) was deemed a critical and commercial dud by the powers that hate.

Now comes Red Cliff Part 1, arguably Woo’s strongest work of the last 20 years and a work that will appeal to anyone who loves movies and especially anyone who loves intelligence within movies.

An $80 million historical piece based on events at the end of the Han Dynasty prior to the beginning of The Three Kingdoms, Red Cliff attempts nothing less than the same blend of lyricism and action that Akira Kurosawa achieved in Seven Samurai. At the same time, Woo grounds the film in historical detail, giving the plot room to breathe in a rhythm that allows for thought and reflection. It’s the rare historical epic which actually seems interested in history — a refreshing change from mind-numbing Hollywood epics with their millions of CGI extras carrying virtual swords.

The piece’s central theme is heroism and the individual’s responsibility to uphold his integrity. Red Cliff also presents a multitude of philosophical questions relating to governance, strategy, and sacrifice — a level of thoughtfulness that’s unusual in any film (let alone one that cost $80 million).

At the same time, I should make it clear that the film is very much an action epic and it delivers the goods with battle scenes of pagan excitement, balletic editing, and clearly choreographed battles. And when it’s all over, you don’t feel exhausted or bored — there’s none of that false Hollywood “upping the stakes” pile-on that ruins so many films that emerge from the corporate vaults these days. Once you see Part 1 of Red Cliff, you can’t wait to see Part 2.

What I find most astounding about this film, though, is not its onscreen artistry but the provocative challenge it poses to movie studios in general. In a summer ripe with manufactured mediocrity posing as entertainment, wouldn’t it make sense to release a thrilling human epic that has the potential to be as successful as the Lord of the Rings cycle? Guess not. It’s a travesty that this wonderful film cannot be seen on the big screen.

To be continued ...