All right… this post is long overdue >< So here it goes…

This is possibly the biggest chinese blockbuster of the year. It is a huge budget production, and lasting as long as it did, this is only part 1 of the movie. I had read both the romanticised novel and the historical annals of the Three Kingdoms, so I just really wanted to watch this to see where it stands. But the foggiest of memories and the fact that it was so long ago meant that I might not recall the events of each account (so pardon me if there are wrong info here).

First, general comments about the movie. It is not shabby, but could definitely be much better. (I dun wanna comment much on 林志玲 except that, it is… unnatural) Plot-wise, major details are kept largely in accordance to history, but there are others that were really off. Those were major elements in the story, but I know as a matter of keeping the entire story a closed loop from the start of the film to the end of wherever part 2 will end, it is neccessary to perhaps be less rigid on these points. On a sidenote, the film do not exactly glorify anyone, which is a nice touch. If anything, the emphasis is on 周瑜, which is nice. Historically, this man is one of the most talented individuals in the era.

Now for my picking the film apart, muahahaha. In the film, 2 generals, 蔡瑁 & 张允, surrendered to 曹操 after the battle at changban. Actually, they surrenderred before that, and it was a catalyst in 刘备 fleeing south to changban (because he was denied entry at xiang yang).

As for the battle of changban, 关羽 was never there. But in the film, he was making an awesome solo effort. Hahaha… But I realised it had to be there if part2 is to have something in it. This is because something which took place friggin’ long ago couldn’t be placed in the show, like 曹操 giving him the prized horse, 赤兔马 and also not blocking his attempt to return to 刘备. 赵云 was godlike in the novel. He killed at least 1 general, and escaped from being pursued and encircled by at least 5 other generals in his rescue of 刘禅. But all he walloped in the film seems to be normal infantries… Also, 刘禅 was not emphatically thrown to the ground by 刘备, an act displaying the value of 赵云 over his own son. (I would have loved to see that… but the film did not have to account for how 刘禅 would eventually turn out to be such an incompetant retarded fool.) Also, think 张飞 did not employ such a shrewd tactics like the reflective shield. Rather, what happened (in the novel) was him guarding the bridge to buy time allowing the civilians to escape. He roared so fiercely that one of 曹操’s general died of heart attack. (That would have been hilarious)

Now, moving onto 曹操. He had never met 小乔 at the point in the film. It was a petty reason to go to war… indeed… The real purpose was conquest of china. He had the imperial seal, and the emperor in his hands. Once loyal to the late Han Dynasty, crumbling state and constant bickerings of the feudal warlords made him see himself as the chosen one to reunite china.

Next! 诸葛亮. This person, as most people might know, is the single most intelligent person in the era, he who by virtue of his sheer strategic and political brillance, made the forces of 刘备 into a mighty one. He is smart in the history, but he is almost godlike in the novel. In fact, when 周瑜 is the supreme commander of the allied forces in history, the novel made 诸葛亮 steal the limelight in the battle. As for the film, I dunno yet! The important part have not featured, the actual battle of 赤壁 itself and the amazing display of 诸葛亮 in 2 preparatory events. That might not cover the entire duration of part2 me thinks, so perhaps they will feature the chase along 华容道 as well, hehe Oh yea, another thing, the 八卦阵 employed by 诸葛亮 in the film did not surface until much later, ironically, used against the forces of 孙权 (if I remember correctly).

One thing that should not be in the show though will be the intense rivalry between the 2 geniuses, 诸葛亮 & 周瑜 (novel), since there needs to be a proper closure to the show, and the antagonist here is 曹操. Though I would have loved to see 诸葛亮 thrice provoke 周瑜, leading to the eventual death of 周瑜 who had previously sustained an arrow wound. (Haha… 周瑜 did receive a wound in the film… hmm…) History wise, the 2 geniuses never even met before! Think 诸葛亮 was busy with the idea of swiftly securing Jing province after the predicted victory of the allied forces. (So that the 3 lords 曹操, 刘备 & 孙权 has a tripartite base of power that kept each in check)

Few other things stood out. 1 is the location called 赤壁, which is really flawed! Because I think the battle was named thus as a result of a wall of fire The actual location of the battle is also hotly debated, so there isn’t a fortress called 赤壁. But I guess the show had to take that, otherwise it would be hard to reference a location without a name isn’t it? Finally, when 曹操 repeatedly exclaimed why he never had such courageous and powerful generals after seeing 关羽, 张飞 & 赵云, I felt sad for the top generals that were supposed to be on his side. He was like shaming them! Figures like 曹纯, 曹仁, 曹真, 典韦, 李典, 庞德, 夏侯惇, 夏侯渊, 许褚, 徐晃, 乐进, 于禁, 张郃, 张辽. Look, that many… 曹操 doesn’t have a lack of talents.

I know I said finally just now, but FINALLY, I expect major impacts by these people in part2: 黄盖, 庞统, aside from the other big names already shown in part1.