Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (2008)

Peoples Republic of China

Icon Home Entertainment

DVD and Blu-Ray

Cantonese with clear English subtitles

This is the follow-up to Battle For Red Cliff. The southern Kingdoms of China have now united as the Kingdom of Shu and face the old enemy Cao who controls the Kingdom of Wei. Cao was previously defeated at the battle of Red Cliff and as he ages he starts to train his daughter Cao Yang in strategy, battle and fighting skills. She will be the one to try to unify China as Cao wished.

In the Kingdom of Shu a young soldier, Zhao Zilong, has enlisted. He meets Pingan, a man from his home town, and the two become friends. As they survive battle after battle Zilong’s skills are noticed by his commanders and he rises through the ranks. As the older Generals die or are killed in battle it becomes Zilong’s mission to extend Shu rule into Cao’s kingdom.

Thirty odd years later Zilong is starting to show his age. He is unbeaten in battle but the sons of the other generals are now looking for their own share of glory. A huge combined force is sent north to finally take Cao’s lands. Cao Yang is now in control of their forces and she is a brilliant tactician. Zhuge, Liu’s strategic adviser from the Red Cliff days, may have met his match.

He devises a plan that will see the young generals take Cao’s provinces quickly with the majority of the army. Zilong will fight his final battle before retirement as a diversionary attack. This should draw Cao Yang’s forces away from her provinces. It is a suicide mission and depends on the provinces being taken quickly so the army can be moved rapidly to support Zilong. Cao Yang has a spy in Zilong’s troops and is aware of this so she orders her provincial commanders to fight only defensive actions to tie up the invaders as long as possible while the mass of her army deals with Zilong.

Zilong is outnumbered but his loyal troops stay with him and fight terrible battles with huge losses. The battle finally comes down to a personal duel between Zilong and Cao Yang. Can there be a victor?

Strangely, after John Woo’s brilliant direction of The Battle For Red Cliff, this film was given to Daniel Lee Yan Kong. While his work is as good as Woo’s, with the huge battle scenes and magnificent scenery, the film seems to be lacking something. It seems to be the old problem with sequels – you’ve seen most of it before. It’s still a great epic, though, and well worth watching.

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This review will appear in Volume 3 No.2 of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.

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