美國彭博通訊社影評：趙薇是精靈，中國大陸演員展光芒----吳宇森《赤壁》有血有戰有明星。
7月18日（彭博通訊社）----猛禽嘶叫，熊火咆哮，當一騎身披盔甲背負啼哭嬰兒的騎士劃開人牆的時候，眾人都捲縮起身體。
大將趙雲正奮戰救回仁慈君主劉備的兒子，其軍隊已被入侵的惡勢力曹操軍團擊潰。這是耗資8000萬美元堪稱亞洲最昂貴電影的吳宇森史詩片《赤壁》中數個戰爭場面之第一場。該片講述的是中國公元208年諸侯戰亂。
該電影以長江岸邊水軍最後決戰的地方來命名，帶着所有吳氏製作的明顯標記。芭蕾舞般的戰爭場面，身負使命的簡明英雄，衣袍帶血的明眸女子，加上電腦特效模擬的集結軍隊和有2000艘船的艦隊，你看到的是巨額預算荷里活製作的激烈動作片。
《赤壁》顯示出吳力求回到在遠赴浮華都市前讓他成名的那種電影類型----男人間犧牲和背叛的故事，就像周潤發主演的「英雄本色」，英雄流血不流淚。
《赤壁》中，梁朝偉飾演的東吳都督周瑜沉重而忠誠，和金城武飾演的聰敏的劉備軍師諸葛亮有着男性間的情誼。他們結成一種不太穩定的夥伴關係去抵抗比他們強大很多的由曹操領導的漢皇朝軍隊。
堅硬的頭盔
台灣出生的金城武有着瘦長漂亮的外型和年輕的步態，如果不開口說話，他飾演的諸葛亮會顯得完美。他的聲音經過密封效果的錄音棚配音錄製後有種渙散，破壞了他的表演。香港大牌演員梁梳着用了過量髮膠的高髮髻和頂結，頂着堅硬的頭盔，看來很不舒服。他每個動作都中規中矩，好像在努力回憶自己的台詞。化學作用為零。
女性在吳的電影裏一般被邊緣化，就是個會說話的道具。《赤壁》也沒有例外。台灣模特林志玲首次登上大銀幕飾演周瑜的妻子，傳奇美人小喬，美德楷模，也是曹操追逐的戰利品。林努力讓自己的角色沒那麼矯撓造作，但台詞毫無感覺不對味兒。
經過聲音訓練，林或許能獲得些演出機會。梁和林之間沒什麼火花，不像日久相處的夫妻，更像戰戰兢兢的少年人。
中國明星展光芒
中國大陸演員承載了該電影，在表演上壓倒了香港和台灣演員，證明他們處於世界最優秀的演員中。
張豐毅（《霸王別姬》）飾演的曹操在人性和邪惡之間那種微妙轉換非常流暢，讓人對這個中國歷史上的大惡人激發出同情。胡軍演出了忠貞的趙雲大將的氣魄。趙薇飾演的東吳公主孫尚香，是有勇氣有膽色的精靈，也是嶄露頭角的戰士，為電影裏戰爭場景之間帶來必不可少的輕喜氣氛。
電影真正的明星是吳，他的戰爭場面像極芭蕾舞，戰馬倒下的特寫鏡頭，殘酷的刀劍拼殺和複雜的兵陣。這是不朽的戰爭而吳把它傳遞出來了。
不過，2個半小時的片長確實考驗觀眾的耐性----有關歷史文化的戲要考驗到歷史迷的耐心。《赤壁》仍然是部會引起爭議的非常中國化的電影。
現在亞洲正在上映的版本是將近5小時電影的第一部分，第二部分將於1月上映。製作人會把電影剪輯為2.5小時的版本在歐美上映。
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.