Not another comparison with LOTR. Anyway, saw the trailer and looks good but definitely historically inaccurate. How come Ching Dynasty soldiers fight in trenches. Looks more like World War 1 than Taiping Rebellion.

Well, if I am not mistaken the story is a remake of a 70's Shaw Brothers movie. I think its based during the Taiping Rebellion which nearly overthrow the Manchu's government until the the Ching Dynasty asked help from the western powers to quell the rebellion by setting up a modern army called "The Ever Victorious Army". OK enough of history, if this movie followed the old one, after the wars the three sworn brothers become generals and powerful in the government. At the end I think they fight each other because of a women. I forgot whether the women is the first brother or the second brother wife but basically one stole the others wife and killed him and the youngest brother came for revenge. Maybe this story will be different.

Finally saw this movie today. Overall its quite a good war movies. It shows the really dark side of war where sometimes you really need to kill a lot of people to achieve peace. So no point comparing it to 300 because that movie is more video game than realistic. Also, it shows how corrupted and useless the Manchu dynasty at 19th century especially under the Empress Dowager. All the actors were good. I am especially impress with Jet Li. Never seen him acted so dramatic before. Only weak spot were Takeshi. He's acting is still good but he's too good looking to look like a bandit. Andy Lau were also good and I guess both he and Jet Li will get some award nominations next year. Overall very good Chinese movie. But those who expects a wuxia or action packed movie will be disappointed. As for story, not a very original story but this is expected since its a remake of a old Shaw-Brother movie and a few tv-series.

As for things I don't like, historical accuracy, its totally inaccurate. One thing for sure, no way trenches is implemented during 19th century China. The director made this all up so that the some of the war scenes looks more like WW1 which looks more dramatic. It also show that the Taipings were so well organised where historically, the Taipings adopted mostly guerilla warfare at the begining and not so organised since most of them are peasants. They might have used rifles but definately not rifle formation. In fact its the opposite that happen. The Manchus Ever Victorious Army trained by British might have used those rifle formation. This is another thing the I guess the director made up to make the war scenes look good. Another thing that is wrong was how the Manchu army was so ill-equipt at the end of the Rebellion. At the beginning of the Rebellion, the Manchu army was caught off-guard and were ill-equipt but definately not at the end of the war. Anyway, a bit off topic, the Taipings lost at the end of the Rebellion not because of the Manchu army but because the Taipings themselves have became more corrupted than the Manchu Dynasty and power struggle within the Taipings caused many of the better generals killed and Hong Xiuquan at the end became paranoid and probably mad.

The most obvious reason is they don't have enough food to feed another 4000 people. If he let them all go, they would probably go back and join the Taiping forces in Nanking. So it will be more difficult for them to take Nanking later. Even if the 4000 do not join the Taiping forces, they would probably become bandits and rob and take from the normal citizens of of the city since Jet Li's forces will be leaving the city and leave it defenceless and lawless. From my point of view, Jet Li is not really a bad. Its war and the 4000 is enemy soldiers. Its the brutality of war and it happens throughout history. Anyway, nobody remembers who you massacre after the war as long as you win the war. Yes in this movie, Jet Li is ambitious but the only way to make real change is to be in power.

Yup, but what happen to him in the end? If he had beaten Liu Bang and become emperor, no one will remember he massacred 200,000.