Watch The Warlords

The Warlords is a Chinese historical drama film from 2007 that stars Jet Li as General Zhao Er-Hu, Andy Lau as General Ma Xinyi, and Takeshi Kaneshiro as Zhang Wen-Xiang. Set during the Taiping Rebellion in the 1860s, the film explores the themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the cost of war. The story begins with General Ma Xinyi, a loyalist to the Qing dynasty, leading his army against rebels in the city of Suzhou. During the battle, he encounters two bandit brothers, Zhang Wen-Xiang and Zhao Er-Hu, who save his life. In gratitude, Ma invites them to join his army, and the three become inseparable friends.

As they continue to fight together, the trio begins to dream of a better future for China. They believe that with their combined strength, they can topple the Qing dynasty and create a new, more just society. However, their ideals are threatened when they are tasked with capturing a rebel stronghold. During the attack, Ma's troops commit atrocities, and he begins to lose his moral compass.

Meanwhile, Zhang falls in love with a local woman, Lian (played by Xiu Qing), but their relationship is complicated by her ties to the rebels. Zhao, on the other hand, becomes increasingly disillusioned with the conflict and wants to quit the war.

As the fighting intensifies, the three friends find themselves caught between conflicting loyalties. Ma is torn between his allegiance to the Qing dynasty and his desire to create a better China. Zhang struggles to reconcile his love for Lian with his loyalty to his brothers in arms. And Zhao must decide whether to follow his conscience or remain loyal to his friend Ma.

Director Peter Chan puts the viewer right in the middle of the action, with intense battle sequences that capture the brutality and chaos of war. At the same time, the emotional depth of the characters is explored in detail, making their motivations and conflicts feel authentic and relatable.

Jet Li, Andy Lau, and Takeshi Kaneshiro all deliver strong performances, bringing depth and complexity to their characters. Li, in particular, shines in his portrayal of Zhao, who serves as the film's moral center. Xiu Qing also delivers a standout performance as Lian, bringing a sense of vulnerability and strength to her character.

Overall, The Warlords is a powerful and engaging drama that explores the complexities of war and the human cost of conflict. It's a must-see film for fans of historical dramas and anyone interested in Chinese history and culture.

The Warlords is a 2007 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 53 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0 and a MetaScore of 70.