Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic

Bergorks If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Rexanne It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Leofwine_draca BATTLE OF WITS is a film in which Andy Lau attempts to defend a city under siege from a huge army camped outside the walls. Yes, it's a typical Chinese big budget historical epic, in which all the money's up on screen and the cinematography is sweeping and epic-feeling. The story engages you from the outset, the twists and turns occur at speed and there are a series of inventive battle sequences that don't disappoint.In the end, though, I'd say that the film is good, but not great. It's never as suspenseful or exciting as it might be, and doesn't emphasis the siege warfare in a way that a shorter, simpler film like Ironclad does. Instead, much of the conflict comes from inside the city rather than outside, building up to an unpredictable chain of events that you'll never quite see coming. While this makes for interesting viewing, it's not quite the spectacular war epic I was hoping for.The director is far more interested in exploring some of the political themes (such as the concept of non-violence) by showing the opinions of different characters rather than making a straightforward war film. Thus the battle takes almost a second place to the philosophy behind the characters. This isn't a bad thing per se, but it makes for a totally different film than the one marketed.Andy Lau is as stern and stoic as ever and the supporting cast are efficient in their parts, while the action that does occur is well handled and inventive. All in all, this is a decent film – just not one I'm in a rush to re-watch.

bolehornot OK, so when I saw the trailer, i thought: hey interesting movie, it might be just as intriguing and exciting as The Prestige. But i was proved wrong. The trailer has succeeded in masking the witless plot and awful directing very well. It has also succeeded in making me part with my $9.50 that i paid for this movie.There was a lack of suspense, it lacked of suspense so much that it became boring. Everything was just so expected. City in danger, hero comes in, hero saves city, city hates hero. This is the plot, to put it bluntly, and also, the most i can think up of to describe its plot. There was even some romance in this movie. The romance fits horribly into it and doesn't gel with the whole movie at all.This movie is conflicting with its theme. Is it trying to be ridiculous or serious? Its setting seems to suggest that its some serious movie but its content suggest otherwise. You have Africans coming out of nowhere in the movie. AFRICANS. SLAVES AT THAT! I cant think of anything more stupid than putting African Slaves in a movie set in medieval China. I cant start to say on how historically inaccurate that is, and how hard to take the movie seriously for. There were even hot air balloons in it. The movie certainly left me confused. Was i supposed to believe THESE? or was it supposed to make me laugh.And another scene which really made me think this movie was horrendous: General 1 persuades General 2 to run. Meanwhile, Soldier A runs backwards past them from left side to right side with shield towards left and tells both generals that the enemy is pressing hard. General 2 agrees to run. They retreat towards left.OK GET THAT SCENE? It shows just how horrible the directing was period. Everything was horrible about that movie. It totally BLEW. This movie isn't worth your money. It just makes you think that it has owed you a few hours of your life watching this movie.

gerrythree "A Battle of Wits" is a historical spectacle that Hollywood used to turn out with what now seems to be amazing frequency during the Big Studio era. The scene when the Andy Lau character Ge Li approaches the Liang city gate on foot in a hooded robe reminds me of another movie scene, Robert Taylor as Ivanhoe approaching on horseback the keep where his father is held prisoner, with Ivanhoe wearing a hooded monk's robe. One movie review described Lau as being the first metrosexual, based on his appearance, but Taylor's Ivanhoe character also sports a stylish goatee. Ivanhoe also has scenes of siege warfare, but is nowhere near as grim as "A Battle of Wits."--SPOILER ALERT-- The only character who seems remotely normal in this Asian co-production is the Zhao slave whom Ge Li rescues. At one point, this slave tells Ge Li that the only way to end the fighting and bloodshed is if China is unified, instead of having seven feuding kingdoms. That statement is meant to appease the Beijing political censors. The Mozi Ge Li is a comic book figure like Superman, totally unreal. The drunken, vicious King, told that his son and only heir died after a bungled attempt to kill Ge Li, lets the General responsible live temporarily. The Commander of the Zhao forces lets himself be burned alive after ordering his troops to leave Liang. After the battles, the city itself is a wreck, parts burned down, others demolished, many of its citizens dead, some executed on orders of the paranoid King. Liang's army leadership ends up wiped out.The production values, especially the art direction, are world class in this movie. From the carved designs on the pillars in front of the city entrance to the costumes (including even classy looking rectangular shields) to the cinematography, the crafts people who worked on this picture did a great job. Whatever the cost of the movie, whether the $16 million quoted on a website or more, all the money spent shows up on the screen.

Chung Mo Big budget and hundreds of extras. Huge sets and even bigger philosophical issues.Summary: A lone philosopher warrior arrives to help defend a small kingdom of 4000 from an invading army of 100,000. His surprisingly effective help is accepted until the king and his court become jealous of his popularity and turn on him.Well directed and photographed Chinese/Japanese co-production is full of unanswered philosophical questions about war and honor and when does self-defense turn into savagery. There are a number of rough edges, a few scenes are hard to understand, the historical setting might be unfamiliar to non-Asian viewers, sometimes you can't tell which side of the fight you are watching (although that might be intentional), the CGI effects are sometimes no better then what you would see in a Playstation 2 cut scene and occasionally the movie resorts to old- school theatrics. Despite these shortcomings this movie should see a wider release, in some ways it's better than "Hero" or "House of Flying Daggers". Very recommended.