The Warlords (Chinese, 2007)

Director: Peter Chan
Cast: Jet Lee,Takeshi Kaneshiro,Andy Lau
Genre: War 


Plot: The most dreaded war in the history of mankind.

Set in the 1860s, movie depicts the story of an imperial general Pang who loses all of his army in the Taiping rebellion of Chinese civil war. More than 70 million people died in this war. Pang survives by playing dead. He later joins some bandits, forms an army, and makes two blood brothers in the bandit leaders: Jiang (Takeshi) and Erhu (Lau).

It's a very well told movie about a gruesome and lengthy war and it's consequence. There is death, killing, betrayal, frustration, starvation; every possible aspect/effect of war has been blended with the story beautifully. The three blood brothers Pang, Erhu, and Jiang have been very special. Their love for each other is undying.

City of Suzhou is under seize by the brothers for years. Both sides are hoping there is food with the others but there is none. Erhu ventures alone in the city of Suzhou and the ruler of city dies deliberately in a fight with him but also asks him to promise his people and army won't be harmed. Erhu delivered a power packed performance in a scene where some 4000 Suzhou POWs are killed due to shortage of food.

Pang aims for universal peace and fights for it but imperial leaders won't let it happen. The climax scene where Jiang and Pang die is quite touching.

The brothers eventually conquer imperial city of Nanking too and are on top of the world. The imperial politics ultimately spell their doom, though the brothers keep the Blood oath alive--even in death.

7/10