Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon

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Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon
Directed by Daniel Lee
Produced by Chung Taewon
Suzanna Tsang
Written by Lau Ho-Leung
Daniel Lee
Based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong
Starring Andy Lau
Maggie Q
Sammo Hung
Vanness Wu
Andy On
Ti Lung
Distributed by Flag of Hong Kong Sundream Motion Pictures
Flag of South Korea Taewon Entertainment
Release date(s) April 3, 2008
Country China
Language Mandarin Chinese
Budget US$25 million
IMDb profile

Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (traditional Chinese: 三國之見龍卸甲) is a 2008 Chinese film based on Romance of Three Kingdoms and directed by Daniel Lee with a reported budget of US$25 million.

The film is one of the two Three Kingdoms-related films in 2008, the other being John Woo's Red Cliff.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Andy Lau stars as Zhao Zilong, a veteran general of the Kingdom of Shu who took a last stand against the invading forces from the Kingdom of Wei. Maggie Q is the fictional Cao Ying, a grand-daughter of the warlord Cao Cao, whose son Cao Pi became the first emperor of the Kingdom of Wei.

The story depicts an alternate history, following the events that unfolded in the Three Kingdoms era through the life of the legendary Shu general Zhao Zilong. Zhao Zilong began his military career as a soldier in Liu Bei's army. Zhao Zilong once displayed his fine spear skills to Liu Bei in a small face-off with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. This impressed Liu Bei, and he decided to promote Zhao Zilong to the rank of a general. Zhao Zilong was bestowed with the 'All Piercing Spear'.

Zhao Zilong scored his first victory in battle by outwitting Cao Cao at the Battle of Changban. He managed to rescue Liu Bei's son, A Dou from the clutches of the forces of Cao Cao by fighting them single-handedly. Cao Cao's life was put in great peril and he also lost his personal weapon to Zhao Zilong. Cao Ying, who had witnessed Zhao Zilong's acts, swore to help her grandfather regain his lost pride by capturing Zhao Zilong alive.

As history passed, Zhao Zilong had never lost in any battle he fought in, hence earning himself the title of 'The Undefeated General' (常勝將軍). Cao Pi forced the last ruling Han emperor to abdicate in his favour and proclaimed himself Emperor of the Kingdom of Wei. Thereafter, Liu Bei assumed the title of Emperor of Shu-Han as a spiritual successor to the fallen Han dynasty by carrying on the family name. Zhao Zilong joined the ranks of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao and Huang Zhong to be one of the Five Tiger Generals sworn to defend the Han imperial family.

Years after Zhuge Liang's first failed Northern Expedition, he embarked on a second expedition. Zhao Zilong had reached the age of 71 by then, hence Zhuge Liang had doubts about allowing him to join in the expedition. However his persistence ensured him a role in the expedition. The Chancellor handed him two satches, instructing him to open them as per situations. Zhao Zilong set forth on the expedition expecting to achieve a major victory once more. His first feat was the slaying of the four sons of Wei general Han De (similar to the Novel). As Han De retreated, it became obvious that it was a ploy to lure Zhao Zilong into a trap, planned by the Wei commander Cao Ying. Zhao Zilong was forced to retreat to the Yellowbird Peak. It was there where Zhao Zilong pitted his last strength against Cao Ying.

In a single one-to-one duel, Zhao Zilong bouted Cao Ying but decided to let her off. During the fight, the undefeated general received a battle scar for the first time ever in his career. The surbordinate generals of Zhao Zilong engaged in a fierce battle with the Wei forces, but were defeated after Cao Ying sacrificed Han De to bring gunpowder into the battlefield. All was lost for Zhao Zilong. He stripped off his armour, picked up his Piercing Spear, and charged towards the Wei forces in a last ditch effort, swearing to defend the Yellowbird Peak, and the dignity of the Kingdom of Shu-Han with the last general and last man.

[edit] Differences with history and Romance of the three Kingdoms

Alhough the plot is not entirely fictional, certain scenes in the movie were not recorded in neither history nor in the classical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms:

  • In both history and the novel, Zhao Zilong already had a close friendship with Liu Bei when he served under Gongsun Zan as a commander of county volunteers.
  • In an unofficial historical record and the novel, Cao Cao said, 'Better that I wrong than be wronged.(寧我負人 毋人負我)' or 'Better that I wrong the world than to have the world wrong me. (寧教我負天下人 休教天下人負我)' after erroneously killing Lü Boshe (吕伯奢) and his family, and not on the battlefield at Changban as in the movie.
  • In the novel, Cao Cao did not confront Zhao Zilong at Changban. Cao Cao was actually overlooking the battle from a hill. It was Xiahou En who lost the Blue Blade, or Qinggang (青釭) Sword, to Zhao Yun after being slain by the latter.
  • In the novel, it was Cao Hong who asked Zhao Yun for his name and not Cao Cao.
  • In both history and the novel, Zhao Zilong joined Liu Bei as a general and not as a soldier.
  • In both history and the novel, Zhao Zilong died of natural cause (old age) and not in battle.
  • In both history and the novel, Zhao Zilong had a family. He had two sons (Zhao Tong and Zhao Guang).
  • In history, Zhao Zilong died after the first Northern Expedition.
  • Gunpowder had not been discovered until seven centuries after the depicted battle took place. However, in the novel, gunpowder was used during Zhuge Liang's Southern Expeditions.
  • In both history and the novel, Cao Cao was not conferred the title of "Duke" or "King" (王) of Wei until the year 213 AD. However, while the movie was depicting the scene where Zhao Zilong was involved in one (before Battle of Changban, 208 AD) of his first battles under Liu Bei, Cao Cao's army was known as "the Wei Army" as quoted by Zhuge Liang and many other characters in this segment of the film, instead of just plainly (and more correctly), "the Cao Army".
  • In both history and the novel, the Northern Expeditions were directed due North and North-west, of the Kingdom of Shu (221 AD - 263AD). However, when Liu Bei found a "foothold" (the Yellowbird Peak as portrayed in movie) during the Battle of Changban, that "foothold" would be in Jingzhou (South-Central China), given that Zhao Zilong rescued Liu Shan in Jingzhou. However, Liu Bei eventually settled in Yizhou(益州, present day Sichuan), and subsequently lost Jingzhou long before the North Expeditions. It was from Hanzhong where Zhuge Liang launched the Northern Expeditions. In history, Zhao Yun's army was deployed in a mountainous region in Shaanxi and not the dry deserts in Gansu as depicted in the movie.
  • In the novel, Han De (韓德) and his four sons were all killed by Zhao Zilong.
  • In the novel, Deng Zhi was merely a brave, witty and resourceful diplomat tasked with domestic affairs. In history, Deng Zhi had many military achievements, in addition to his diplomatic and administrative accomplishments. The movie erroneously depicts him as a lieutenant of the "Zhao Family Army" (趙家軍) under Zhao Zilong's tutelage, and he was seen slaying numerous enemies, culminating in his "final battle" with Han De. (In the novel, he was appointed as deputy-vanguard to Zhao Zilong in the 1st Northern Campaign though.)
  • In the film, the Shu generals including Zhao Zilong donned helmets which resemble the British Brodie helmets. This greatly differs from the type of classic Chinese helm helmets(like the one donned by Prince Jai in Curse of the Golden Flower) worn by soldiers and generals at that time.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Production

The production companies involved in making the film are Visualizer Film Production Ltd, Taewon Entertainment, and China Film Group.

There has been controversy regarding the costumes worn by the film's cast as many onlookers claim Andy Lau's armour resembles samurai armour. In addition, the casting of Maggie Q has been labeled as a "miscast" and "unrealistic" due to her non-Chinese and Eurasian appearance. She also does not speak Mandarin, which is the film's language of choice.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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