Starring: Andy Lau, Sammo Hung, Miki Lee, Charlene Choi, Ti Lung, Nicky Chan, Leon Lai
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Plot Introduction:
In order to complete the great cause of unifying the Three Kingdoms that Liu Bei did not finish, Zhao Zilong over 80 years old leads Zhang Fei and Guan Yu's sons to begin the process of the northern expedition. The film travels through time and space in a span of more than 60 years, showcasing famous battles of the Three Kingdoms period such as the Battle of Red Cliffs and the Battle of Changban through Zhao Zilong's recollections. The ever-victorious General Zhao Zilong, skilled in warfare on horseback, gave Andy Lau quite a bit of hardship, "There are two large battle scenes at the beginning and end of the film. Fighting is one thing, but being on horseback all day was simply unbearable for me. My feet were bound, my hands were chafed, and my buttocks were even bloodied from the saddle."
Regarding the current situation where the film shares similar themes with John Woo's "Red Cliff," Herman Yau stated that there is no competition: "A Vietnamese friend of mine told me about a local proverb, 'Many ships do not block the sea.' The Three Kingdoms era is too vast. With only two films being made now, it's far too few."
Director Herman Yau explained the reason for his exclusive preference for Zhao Yun: "Besides being skilled in combat and a heroic figure, Zhao Yun fits well with the commercial elements of the film. His life's fate is quite worth reflecting upon. For the characters of the Three Kingdoms, death is not the most terrifying thing. Watching the Five Tiger Generals leave one by one, the pressure he endured during this process was the hardest to get through." In his seventies, Zhao Yun once again takes up arms to help Liu Bei crush Wei and Wu, but becomes trapped on Fengming Mountain, facing his ultimate battle. Reflecting on past events under the fading sun, amidst the flashes of lightning and thunder, scenes of bloody battles and moments of joy, laughter, sorrow, and bitterness in military life appear before the eyes of this old general.
In the chaotic times of the Three Kingdoms, with the Wei army advancing forcefully, Zhao Yun, newly appointed as an engineer, meets his fellow countryman Luo Ping'an who loves to fight injustice. The two hit it off immediately, sharing their aspirations for the turbulent times. Under the strategy of attack as defense by Shu Kingdom's military advisor Zhuge Liang, Zhao Yun volunteers to raid the enemy camp and establishes great merit. In the Battle of Changban, to prevent Luo Ping'an from being executed for losing Liu Bei's wife and child, Zhao Yun single-handedly charges into Cao's camp to save the young lord, thus becoming famous in one battle...