Reviews

If you are looking for a Hollywood style movie, then this is probably not the one for you. It is a typical Chinese drama but with some interesting notations. Like many Asian stories, this movie is told in a circular fashion. Most China movies contain very silly comedic scenes and this one is no different, at least initially. The movie progresses through a time period and is based on true historical account, and from what I have read online, is pretty darn accurate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Bin's_Art_of_War I didn't care for the war scenes or excessive violence, but there were some deeper underlying principals and prelates that the movie is trying to convey. I suppose you need to decide for yourself if this truly happens. Towards the end, I couldn't help but take an interest in the fate of the characters, but there were no surprises here as how it turned out or how people acted; although human nature as portrayed by the main antagonist,Pang Juan, and the Qi's main general, is rather harsh and cruel. Half of the movie is sad and depressing as the main character betrayed by his "brother", tortured, lamed, and then suicidal, goes from a cheerful disposition to a serious, reflective personality and loses the naive innocence he has. He eventually ends his life so he will no longer be forced by either country to continue in developing strategies for war. What makes this movie watching for me is the historical significance as it is not just an imaginary plot set in this time period but real events that have taken place.