Product Description

In 370BC, China was separated by several small tribes, one of those being the city state of Liang. The nation of Zhao is led by the terrifying prime commander Xiang Yangzhong who orders his troops to launch an attach on Liang in a bid to conquer the small city. Leaping to the defense of the cowed people of Liang is the warrior who goes by the name of Ge Li from the Mo-Tsu tribe, renowned for its defensive skills. He is their last hope as the terrors of Yangshong's troops are unleashed. The future of Liang now hangs in the balance with all their hopes pinned on the mysterious Mo-Tsu warrior Ge Li...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6640 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-12-26
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 127 minutes

Synopsis
This action packed epic set in ancient China at a time when the country as it is now known was separated into several smaller countries. When the evil leader of one such country conspires to invade one of his neighbouring lands, a mighty warrior steps forward to lead his fellow countrymen against the onslaught.

Review
BATTLE OF WITS more than lives up to its title. An involving story of psychological warfare and military bluffs while still delivering the goods on the action front. Andy Lau in one of his best performances --Variety.com

Review
EPIC... like its Chinese epic brethren CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER and THE BANQUET --BeyondHollywood.com

Customer Reviews

Overall inspiring
I wasn't expecting much as the film has had little publicity, I was amazed at the scope and vision of the film. It is a real attempt to create a film about war and strategy which many Chinese war books talk about but rarely translates to the screen.
The tormented hero, the drunken selfish unforgiving King and the overpowering enemy, brilliant. I sat for the two hours straight through; it was very satisfying on many levels. I particularly liked the screen when the hero is invited to a game of strategy sitting on a hill between the two armies.
Great fun and something substantial to think about too, and at the price I bought it here for great value too.

Excellent battle scenes in uninspired plot.
Battle Of Wits [2007] [DVD]

It is 370BC and the rulers of the Chinese city state of Liang are resigning themselves to surrendering to the impending attack by their enemies the Zhao.

Then a black clad figure Ge Li (Andy Lau) strides confidently out of the desert claiming to be from the Mo-Tsu tribe and promising to use their legendary defensive skills to repel the siege.

The plot switches between superb battle scenes, and intrigue and deception in the Liang court, confronting Ge Li with two battles of wits, one with the enemy without and another with the enemy within. Although Ge Li proves a superb military improviser and tactician, he also fights an internal battle between his military actions and his belief in peaceful conflict resolution.

I kept watching for GE Li's unending ingenuity in repelling the Zhao, but the plot seemed very routine and never gets off the ground, although this may be partially the fault of the sub titles. It would have been far more interesting if there had been a real personal animosity between the Zhao general Xiang Yangzhong and Ge Li, instead of just encapsulating it in mutual admiration over a board game.

So excellent siege scenes but little else to recommend "Battle of Wits", if it appeals to you definitely rent.

Sumptuously shot, hastily edited
Like almost all the Chinese historical action dramas of recent years, Battle of Wits is sumptuously shot in gorgeous, riveting colour. The battle scenes are intense and (almost always) compelling, and the plot, based on a Japanese novel of the same name, is surprisingly complex, eschewing the grand sweeps of House of Flying Daggers, Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

However, the English subtitles are absolutely appalling, frequently failing to make much sense in English, and the cutting together of scenes is over-rapid and reflects video standards of thirty years ago, not the flawless visual brilliance we have come to expect from this kind of film.

I suspect this film was originally intended to be longer. It's especially at the beginning that shots are over-edited and cut together like a series of vignettes, with little continuity or explanation. As the film goes on, things settle down (or perhaps you just get used to it), although there are still plenty of unexplained moments which may or may not make sense in Chinese, but really don't through the subtitles. On the other hand, many of the subtitles are redundant, telling us what we are seeing on the screen (though this is what the characters are doing), when the glorious camera work is sufficient.

Why four stars, then? Despite all this, this is a really enjoyable film to watch, with a philosophic undercurrent (Mohism) which will be entirely new to most Westerners, although it was important in the time the film is set in. If you want to get a picture of what it's about, it's a sort of Last of the Mohicans meets Seven Samurai, although in a fully Chinese setting which is much more subtle, and carries a strong sense of history.

If you have already watched Hero, House Of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and are willing to broaden your horizons, this is a rewarding film, although darker in tone.