History Film / RedCliff

** Actually, [[spoiler:she spells it out much earlier, when he asks her why she keeps writing the same Chinese characters for "peace" over and over again, and she puts his head to her stomach, asking if he can hear anything.]] Zhou Yu was apparently holding the IdiotBall at the time.

* AngerBornOfWorry: Not surprisingly, this is Sun Quan's first reaction to Shangxiang returning from her more-or-less successful spying mission. It's highly justified when you remember there was a ''typhoid outbreak'' in that camp... [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments and their father and brother are gone, and they're all that's left of the family.]]

* MundaneMadeAwesome: In the second part. Watch as Zhou Yu practices with his sword while Xiao Qiao quotes ''Literature/TheArtOfWar'' (see below) and brews the ''CRAP'' out of her tea.

--> '''Zhou Yu''': "You talk about peace but you quote from ''Literature/TheArtOfWar''?"

* MundaneMadeAwesome: In the second part. Watch as Zhou Yu practices with his sword while Xiao Qiao quotes ''TheArtOfWar'' (see below) and brews the ''CRAP'' out of her tea.

--> '''Zhou Yu''': "You talk about peace but you quote from ''TheArtOfWar''?"

''Red Cliff'' (original title 赤壁, ''Chi Bi'') is a film directed by Creator/JohnWoo and inspired by a famous battle in ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', based on the [[UsefulNotes/ThreeKingdomsShuWeiWu Three Kingdoms period]] of ancient China. The first part was released in 2008 and its second part in 2009; in some countries, only a condensed version was released. It stars Creator/TonyLeung, Creator/TakeshiKaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Creator/ChangChen, Hu Jun, Lin Chiling and Creator/ZhaoWei.

* AdaptationDistillation: The film combines some of the elements from ''Records of the Three Kingdoms'' and the historical fiction ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms''.

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Cao Cao, as is common with adaptations of RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms.

* MerchandiseDriven: Inverted: Namco Bandai's ''Toys/BBSenshiSangokuden'' SD Gundam model kits, also featuring characters from ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', were released with no connection to the film intended, until the rising popularity of the movie in Japan led them to re-release its own versions of Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu ([[http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10083925 Koumei Re-GZ and Shuuyu Hyakushiki]]) in a recolored boxset, including dioramas with screenshots from the movie

** Many tropers are probably a little more familiar with Koei's VideoGame/DynastyWarriors series, where Red Cliff is ''The Battle of Chi-Bi'', although the series share little in common with this movie, aside from characters and small tidbits of reference to the ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms''.

* AngerBornOfWorry: Not surprisingly, this is Sun Quan's first reaction to Shangxiang returning from her more-or-less successful spying mission. It's highly justified when you remember there was a ''typhoid outbreak'' in that camp.

* MsFanservice: Xiao Qiao stars in a [[CoitusEnsues Gratuitious Sex Scene]] with Zhou Yu to make the audience care about her more, [[spoiler:since she goes to Cao Cao's camp before the actual battle later after in an attempt to get him to throw the fight]]. Also, she is usually the focus of the scenes she's in and the camera also loves to focus whatever part of her skin she has exposed at that time, notably on that BareYourMidriff scene.

Not to confuse with ''Literature/{{Redwall}}''

* AnnoyingArrows: Most of the characters shrug off up to half a dozen arrows.
** However, averted with infantrymen. And [[spoiler:Gan Xing]], who knows he's pretty much dead, thus goes for the SuicideAttack.

* WarIsHell: Yes, the fight sequences are awesome, but they're also horrifyingly ''brutal'' and several scenes in the film are used to illustrate the tragedy caused. While the B plot with Shangxiang overly reeks of RomanticPlotTumor, [[spoiler: seeing the man who befriended her die before her eyes pretty much destroys her initial wide-eyed belief that being in battle is cool]]

* AdaptationalBadass: Xiao Qiao. No, really. From a side character most people with passing knowlege of ''Three Kingdoms'' have never heard of, to someone who walks right into enemy territory and calmly has tea with the MagnificentBastard, it's safe to say Creator/JohnWoo has done for Xiao Qiao what [[TransformersFilmSeries Michael Bay did for Bumblebee.]] It's not hard to see how rumors that she would get a fight scene as well would come about.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking

* BoisterousBruiser: Zhang Fei

* FastballSpecial: Zhang Fei throws an enemy into a group of others.

** And then [[spoiler:she does the same thing to ''Liu Bei''. The OhCrap looks on Zhuge Liang and Lu Su's faces when they realize what she's up to are priceless]]
* FirstLove : Sun Shangxiang, the princess of Wu, forcibly rejects any proposal ideas her brother makes [[spoiler:including knocking out Liu Bei with a punch]], and [[spoiler:falls in love with a soldier from Wei who also happens to be the star athlete. The first time she saw him, he single-handidly dominated a soccer-esque game]].

* FoeTossingCharge: A few, but [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4qbQCJ9QKs&t=6m50s a particularly epic one]] courtesy of [[ImplacableMan Zhang Fei]].

* FourStarBadass: The three Shu generals (Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun) are so immensely badass that they turn battles BY THEMSELVES.

** Many tropers (including this one) are probably a little more familiar with Koei's VideoGame/DynastyWarriors series, where Red Cliff is ''The Battle of Chi-Bi'', although the series share little in common with this movie, aside from characters and small tidbits of reference to the ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms''

* OhCrap: Cao Cao's tricked into believing his two surrendered fleet admirals are traitors, and realizes he's being duped at the last possible second. "My Lord, if you kill them, who will lead the navy?" "...HALT!" *slice* He stands there paralyzed with anger

* RainOfArrows: Played with by the Zhuge Liang, who uses his famous straw boat ruse to steal Wei's arrows. It works so well, the ships start listing before he turns them around.

* StealthHiBye: Zhou Yu

* WomenInRefrigerators: Liu Bei's wives in the beginning.

* YouHaveFailedMe: Cao Cao executes his admirals for falling for Zhuge Liang's aforementioned ruse. To be fair, it's also because he'd been given false information about their being on the other side's payroll

* {{Ephebophile}}: Cao Cao admits that he was first taken to Xiao Qiao when he visited her father and caught sight of her quite a while back. "So very young, yet already a lady." YMMV on whether this fits the MoralEventHorizon better than the actual example below.

* FoeTossingCharge: A few, but [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4qbQCJ9QKs&t=6m50s a particularly epic one]] courtesy of [[ImplacableMan Zhang Fei]]

* GenghisGambit: The alliance between the Shu and Wu is very much the result of them facing a common threat

* AnnoyingArrows: Most of the characters shrug off up to half a dozen arrows
** However, averted with infantrymen. And [[spoiler:Gan Xing]], who's GenreSavvy enough to know he's pretty much dead, thus goes for the SuicideAttack.

* RainOfArrows: Played with by the GenreSavvy Zhuge Liang, who uses his famous straw boat ruse to steal Wei's arrows. It works so well, the ships start listing before he turns them around.

''Red Cliff'' (original title 赤壁, ''Chi Bi'') is a film directed by JohnWoo and inspired by a famous battle in ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', based on the [[UsefulNotes/ThreeKingdomsShuWeiWu Three Kingdoms period]] of ancient China. The first part was released in 2008 and its second part in 2009; in some countries, only a condensed version was released. It stars Creator/TonyLeung, Creator/TakeshiKaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Creator/ChangChen, Hu Jun, Lin Chiling and Creator/ZhaoWei.

* AdaptationalBadass: Xiao Qiao. No, really. From a side character most people with passing knowlege of ''Three Kingdoms'' have never heard of, to someone who walks right into enemy territory and calmly has tea with the MagnificentBastard, it's safe to say JohnWoo has done for Xiao Qiao what [[TransformersFilmSeries Michael Bay did for Bumblebee.]] It's not hard to see how rumors that she would get a fight scene as well would come about.

* {{Kiai}}: "HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" *Zhang Fei ''[[BadAss tackles a fucking horse]]''*

* BadAss: Pretty much the entire cast. One of them is so badass, he'll actually be [[MemeticBadass worshipped as a god in the following centuries]]
** Particularly, the three Shu generals(Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun) are so immensely badass that they turn battles BY THEMSELVES.

''Red Cliff'' (original title 赤壁, ''Chi Bi'') is a film directed by JohnWoo and inspired by a famous battle in ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', based on the [[Three Kingdoms period UsefulNotes/ThreeKingdomsShuWeiWu]] of ancient China. The first part was released in 2008 and its second part in 2009; in some countries, only a condensed version was released. It stars Creator/TonyLeung, Creator/TakeshiKaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Creator/ChangChen, Hu Jun, Lin Chiling and Creator/ZhaoWei.

''Red Cliff'' (original title 赤壁, ''Chi Bi'') is a film directed by JohnWoo and inspired by a famous battle in ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', based on the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China. The first part was released in 2008 and its second part in 2009; in some countries, only a condensed version was released. It stars Creator/TonyLeung, Creator/TakeshiKaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Creator/ChangChen, Hu Jun, Lin Chiling and Creator/ZhaoWei.

Cao's forces set up camp on the opposite riverbank to Red Cliff, and begins to plan for a large-scale naval attack. However, Shangxiang infiltrates the camp and provides Sun and Liu with valuable reconnaisance. An outbreak of typhoid fever weakens Wei forces, but Cao cunningly sends contaminated corpses to Red Cliff, resulting in Wu and Shu soldiers strickened with the deadly infection. Disheartened by the epidemic, Liu Bei pulls out of the alliance, although Zhuge stays behind out of personal loyalty to Zhou Yu. In order to remedy Wu's lack of arrows, Zhuge sends straw boats within range of Wei forces, and [[TheThirtySixStratagems the latter unleash thousands of arrows into the boats]].

** Chang Chen as Sun Quan; his Taiwanese accent is so thick you could cut it with a knife.

** Also when [[spoiler: he looks on with shocked disbelief as the wind changes direction and Huang Gai commences the fire attack]].

''Red Cliff'' (original title 赤壁, ''Chi Bi'') is a film directed by JohnWoo and inspired by a famous battle in ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', based on the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China. The first part was released in 2008 and its second part in 2009; in some countries, only a condensed version was released. It stars Creator/TonyLeung, Creator/TakeshiKaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Creator/ChangChen, Hu Jun, Lin Chiling and ZhaoWei.

** Many tropers (including this one) are probably a little more familiar with Koei's DynastyWarriors series, where Red Cliff is ''The Battle of Chi-Bi'', although the series share little in common with this movie, aside from characters and small tidbits of reference to the ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms''

''Red Cliff'' (original title 赤壁) is a film directed by JohnWoo and inspired by a famous battle in ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', based on the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China. The first part was released in 2008 and its second part in 2009; in some countries, only a condensed version was released. It stars Creator/TonyLeung, Creator/TakeshiKaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Creator/ChangChen, Hu Jun, Lin Chiling and ZhaoWei.