Warriors Of Heaven And Earth [2003]

Product Details

Director : He Ping
Actor : Jiang Wen, Kiichi Nakai, Zhao Wei Wei
Format : Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL
Aspect Ratio : 2.40:1
Binding : DVD
EAN : 5035822302839
Product Group : DVD
Region Code : 2
Release Date : 2004-12-13
Running Time : 110minutes
Studio : Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

ASIN : B00030ERZ6

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

Anybody hungering for a good old-fashioned Western needs to check out Warriors of Heaven and Earth, which--although it's set in 7th-century China--has all the valor and spectacle of a John Ford picture. It also has a goofy supernatural streak, for the chopsocky crowd. The opening 10 minutes or so offer an alarmingly convoluted plot, but it swiftly settles down. What's going on is that a long-exiled Japanese hit man (Kiichi Nakai), hired to kill a renegade Chinese warrior (Jiang Wen), temporarily teams up with his quarry in order to escort a camel caravan along the Spice Road. Of course, they are menaced by a brutal warlord, and beautiful Zhao Wei (So Close) is mixed in there too. Director He Ping (Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker) captures some magnificent vistas in the Gobi Desert, but more importantly he sketches the codes or honor and behavior essential to any such tale. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

What can i say... (2007-08-08)

Hmmmm... I have alot of asian movies (alot), you could say im an asianmaniac. But what can i say about this movie. The action and special effects, to be honest, are quite lousy. And thats a bit of a shame knowing that this movie could have been awesome with such a story line.Judge for yourself, just see it, its not a total waste of time.

Not bad. Not great. (2007-06-30)

I purchased this film based on the reviews below. I do not regret buying it as its one of a kind with an interesting story line. Yet the ending left me feeling like i wanted more from this film. However, i will be watching it again soon so it cant be that bad!

Honour and moral message (2007-01-02)

Nicely made and atmospheric movie, filmed in stunning landscapes.Following the trials and tribulations of honour bound heros.Maybe giving us all a message of how we should all tolarate and respect our fellows.Worthwhile exciting action film.

Not only for those interested in Asian cinema.. (2006-09-12)

My brother told me I should watch "Warriors of Heaven and Earth" (2003). Truth to be told, I was somewhat sceptic, as his taste in movies is somewhat different to mine. All the same, I must say that in this case he was right.This film is quite original, due to the fact that it is set in 7th-century China, but at times seems like a Western. To make it a little stranger, there are some supernatural elements that fit the plot and make this movie something that you are not likely to forget.One of the main characters is a Japanese warrior (Kiichi Nakai) that has been in the service of the Chinese Emperor for a very long time, and that just wants to fulfill his last task before returning home. Unfortunately for him, that implies finding and killing a Chinese outlaw (Wen Jiang) that used to be a soldier, but that was condemned to death when he refused to kill a group of women and children. The two warriors play a game of cat and mouse, but decide to make a short truce in order to defend a caravan carrying a holy object, that is being attacked by bandits that want to steal it.There are plenty of well-choreographed fights, but also opportunity to think about themes such as duty and honour. You will also appreciate the beautiful scenery of the Gobi Desert, and the brilliance with which the director (He Ping) was able to tell this story.From my point of view, this is not a film that will only please those highly interested in Asian cinema. I think that everybody that is fond of an entertaining movie will appreciate "Warriors of Heaven and Earth", even though those who like epic films will certainly like it more. Recommended!Belen Alcat

The best Western in years - even if it is from the East! (2006-04-02)

He Ping's Warriors of Heaven and Earth starts off in traditional Eastern epic fashion and with a few similarities to Musa/The Warrior - one of its protagonists is a Japanese noble eager to earn the Emperor of China's permission to return home after 25 years in his service - but it soon develops into something much more satisfying: an all-out Western, and one that's played straight for once. It may be set along China's Silk Road, but the landscape is classic American Western, from pine valleys to buttes that could have come straight out of the smaller corners of Monument Valley. Even the Turks who attack the wagon train - sorry, camel caravan - at Red Rock Gorge do so with Apache war cries. There are some imaginative action scenes, including a neat swordfight between the two protagonists on opposite sides of a log cabin's walls, and the classic Western friendly enemies archetypes transpose surprisingly well to an Eastern setting. It's a shame that the caravan's cargo has supernatural qualities, because the film really doesn't need the fantasy element, but they special effects are at a bare minimum, as is wirework for once. This made little impression at the box-office, but it's well worth tracking down. Great fun. There are slight censor cuts totalling 7 seconds in one action sequence, although otherwise the 2.35:1 widescreen transfer is superb, with both original Chinese and dubbed English soundtracks available. The extras aren't plentiful - 25-minute making of, music video and brief trailer - but are adequate enough.

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