美国彭博通讯社影评：赵薇是精灵，中国大陆演员展光芒----吴宇森《赤壁》有血有战有明星。
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7月18日（彭博通讯社）----猛禽嘶叫，熊火咆哮，当一骑身披盔甲背负啼哭婴儿的骑士划开人墙的时候，众人都卷缩起身体。
大将赵云正奋战救回仁慈君主刘备的儿子，其军队已被入侵的恶势力曹操军团击溃。这是耗资8000万美元堪称亚洲最昂贵电影的吴宇森史诗片《赤壁》中数个战争场面之第一场。该片讲述的是中国公元208年诸侯战乱。
该电影以长江岸边水军最后决战的地方来命名，带着所有吴氏制作的明显标记。芭蕾舞般的战争场面，身负使命的简明英雄，衣袍带血的明眸女子，加上电脑特效模拟的集结军队和有2000艘船的舰队，你看到的是巨额预算好莱坞制作的激烈动作片。
《赤壁》显示出吴力求回到在远赴浮华都市前让他成名的那种电影类型----男人间牺牲和背叛的故事，就像周润发主演的“英雄本色”，英雄流血不流泪。
《赤壁》中，梁朝伟饰演的东吴都督周瑜沉重而忠诚，和金城武饰演的聪敏的刘备军师诸葛亮有着男性间的情谊。他们结成一种不太稳定的伙伴关系去抵抗比他们强大很多的由曹操领导的汉皇朝军队。
坚硬的头盔
台湾出生的金城武有着瘦长漂亮的外型和年轻的步态，如果不开口说话，他饰演的诸葛亮会显得完美。他的声音经过密封效果的录音棚配音录制后有种涣散，破坏了他的表演。香港大牌演员梁梳着用了过量发胶的高发髻和顶结，顶着坚硬的头盔，看来很不舒服。他每个动作都中规中矩，好像在努力回忆自己的台词。化学作用为零。
女性在吴的电影里一般被边缘化，就是个会说话的道具。《赤壁》也没有例外。台湾模特林志玲首次登上大银幕饰演周瑜的妻子，传奇美人小乔，美德楷模，也是曹操追逐的战利品。林努力让自己的角色没那么矫挠造作，但台词毫无感觉不对味儿。
经过声音训练，林或许能获得些演出机会。梁和林之间没什么火花，不像日久相处的夫妻，更像战战兢兢的少年人。
中国明星展光芒
中国大陆演员承载了该电影，在表演上压倒了香港和台湾演员，证明他们处于世界最优秀的演员中。
张丰毅（《霸王别姬》）饰演的曹操在人性和邪恶之间那种微妙转换非常流畅，让人对这个中国历史上的大恶人激发出同情。胡军演出了忠贞的赵云大将的气魄。赵薇饰演的东吴公主孙尚香，是有勇气有胆色的精灵，也是崭露头角的战士，为电影里战争场景之间带来必不可少的轻喜气氛。
电影真正的明星是吴，他的战争场面像极芭蕾舞，战马倒下的特写镜头，残酷的刀剑拼杀和复杂的兵阵。这是不朽的战争而吴把它传递出来了。
不过，2个半小时的片长确实考验观众的耐性----有关历史文化的戏要考验到历史迷的耐心。《赤壁》仍然是部会引起争议的非常中国化的电影。
现在亚洲正在上映的版本是将近5小时电影的第一部分，第二部分将于1月上映。制作人会把电影剪辑为2.5小时的版本在欧美上映。
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=axVVFP8CkAf4&refer=muse
July 18 (Bloomberg) -- Raptors shriek, fires roar, bodies arc into the air as an armored horseman slices through a wall of men, a wailing baby strapped to his back.
General Zhao Yun is fighting to save the son of benevolent leader Liu Bei, whose forces were crushed by the invading troops of villainous Cao Cao. The battle scene is the first of several in Asia's most expensive film, John Woo's $80 million epic ``Red Cliff,'' about warring states in China in 208.
The movie, named after a bank on the Yangtze River where the final naval showdown takes place, bears all the traits of a Woo production. There are ballet-like fight scenes, laconic heroes on a mission, limpid-eyed damsels in distress and gobs of blood. Add computer-generated effects to simulate thronging troops and a 2,000-ship fleet and you have the manic action of a big-budget Hollywood production.
``Red Cliff'' shows Woo's bid to return to the type of film that made him famous in Asia before he left for Tinseltown -- male-bonding tales of sacrifice and betrayal like ``A Better Tomorrow'' starring Chow Yun-fat, whose heroes would sooner bleed than cry.
In ``Red Cliff,'' that masculine friendship is between Tony Leung's Zhou Yu, the ponderous but loyal viceroy of the East Wu Kingdom, and Takeshi Kaneshiro's Zhuge Liang, Liu's brilliant strategist. They forge an uneasy partnership to resist the much- larger Han Empire forces led by Cao.
Stiff Headpiece
With his lanky good looks and youthful gait, Taiwan-born Kaneshiro looks perfect to play Zhuge -- until he speaks. His voice is dubbed with the air-tight quality of studio recording, a distraction that damages his performance. Hong Kong actor Leung, usually ace, looks uncomfortable at best, not helped by a stiff headpiece with twin poufs and a top-knot that looked overworked with Brylcreem. Each acts in his own ambit, with the look of one struggling to recall his line. Chemistry is nil.
Women are usually marginal in Woo's films, little more than talking props. ``Red Cliff'' is no exception. Taiwanese model Chiling Lin makes her big-screen debut playing Zhou's wife and legendary beauty Xiao Qiao, a paragon of virtue and a trophy Cao seeks. Lin makes a valiant effort at making her role less twee, though fails to overcome her cliched lines on peace and Camelot ideals.
With some voice training, Lin might gain more screen presence. There's little spark between Leung and Lin either. They look more like overawed teenagers on a first date than a seasoned couple.
Chinese Stars Shine
Mainland Chinese actors carry the movie, overwhelming their Hong Kong and Taiwanese counterparts in presence, and proving they are among the best in the world.
Zhang Fengyi (``Farewell My Concubine'') plays Cao with nuance, alternating so smoothly between human and vile traits that he stirs sympathy for one of the biggest villains in Chinese history. Hu Jun plays the wearied but unswerving General Zhao with verve. Zhao Wei plays East Wu princess Sun Shangxiang, a plucky sprite and budding warrior, adding much-needed comic relief to a film that gets boggy between fight scenes.The star of the movie is really Woo. His battle scenes are formidably choreographed, featuring keeling horses, brutal swordfights and complex troop configurations. It's a monumental undertaking and Woo delivers.
Still, a 2 1/2-hour film is a challenge to sit through -- and one steeped in history and cultural cues would test the patience of even the most ardent history buff. ``Red Cliff'' remains a very Chinese movie that probably won't travel well.
The version playing now in Asian cinemas is the first half of an almost 5-hour movie, the second part of which will be shown in January. The producers will edit the film down to a 2 1/2-hour edition for release in Europe and the U.S.
``Red Cliff,'' from Lion Rock Entertainment and other producers, is in theaters throughout Asia.
