The Warlords

Set in China during the Taiping Rebellion of the 1860s, The Warlords is filled with tons of huge action scenes, the kind that fill the screen from edge to edge with warriors on horseback charging into hordes of sword wielding soldiers while arrows darken the skies above them, all gorgeously photographed by cinematographer Arthur Wong. It’s violence raised to the level of art, and for fans of that sort of thing The Warlords is intensely satisfying. But even if you have to avert your eyes when the blood starts spattering onto the camera lens, there is a lot to love about The Warlords, thanks to a well written script and some truly strong performances from the cast. The screenwriters do a really good job of making sure that even as the action intensifies, the audience never loses sight of the fact that the people up on the screen aren’t just nameless and faceless cannon fodder. Sure, not everyone gets a full story, but enough of the supporting cast are included in the tale to keep it interesting, which also helps to support the main story about the three blood-oath brothers who lead the army into battle and the woman who is destined to change their lives more than any battle ever could.