Epic battle scenes, remarkable backdrops and scenery, excellent cinematography and photography. This movie is beautiful to look at. Even the gruesome battle scenes are poetry in motion. Whomever is in charge of filming this deserves attention.The acting is pretty good by the principals. Sung-Kee Ahn was very good at his portrayal of the Sergeant who takes on a more prominent role as the movie progresses. The movie seems to shift is focus from the general, to the slave, to the sergeant. Zhang Ziyi plays the princess but her range seems more limited here (in one of her early roles) compared to now. It's actually quite surprising because I thought she did an excellent job in "The Road Home" which was her first major film. Perhaps here she didn't have as much to work with?9/10Story wasn't too complicated but the character development is interesting. The battles were amazing. And the scenery, choice of camera angles, and lighting were all impressive.

Nine people stop and slaughter the Mongol troops. The only reasonable guy in the film is the leader of the Mongols. The heroes are immortals and can do whatever they want without any backwards. The scenery is nice but that is all what can compensate at least 1% to watching this boring movie. I don't know why I watched it (the only reason that I got it like a gift) and why I didn't stopped in the beginning where one can start to fill nothing interesting will happen. Personally I dislike Ziyi Zhang and as usual she plays a conceited unbearable person like a princess which however forms through the film but this "forming" is so artificial too ...In sum the whole film is a slaughtering but it makes time for nine people to kill the whole Mongolian horde..

i have to say i wasn't expecting anything grand wen i sat down to watch this film. was it due to the subject matter? i really don't know. this part of Chinese/korean history is relatively unknown. i knew that the main contenders in asia like Korea, china, mongolia and japan had been involved in several wars against each other at some point but never really come across any films on the subject. however this film uses these circumstances to portray a struggle for survival and showcases the ultimate sacrifice for love, honour and protection of the weak. this film is beautifully shot and exceptionally acted, this includes every single actor/actress. the quality of this film is undeniable. at no point does the film get boring, what with the battle scenes, love scenes and in fighting of the main characters. may i make a note at this point that the actor who plays ga-nam is really familiar but looking on his file this is the only film he has ever done, it seems that a few of the actors are very limited in experience but it does not show. the relationships in this film are the main reason this film works, the characters are so believable because they squabble, complain and fight each other. they are in a difficult situation not of their own making, yet through their sense of honour and loyalty to their general they come through their own fears and give their all for the cause. i have to admit i wasn't expecting the cost to be so severe at the end, you'll see what i mean. however i think this adds to the films motto of self sacrifice for a better cause.you'll enjoy this film, no matter what kind of films you usually watch.

I went into this cold, I didn't know what to expect. I anticipated seeing some Ziyi Zhang cans-of-whoop-ass being opened, but it didn't happen. Her performance was almost non-physical in that respect.It was difficult to understand what was happening, and that led to confusion as to what I was watching as far as the story line. It involves the Chinese, the Koreans, and the Mongols. After seeing the movie, I read about it, and everything fell into place.Up front, I only have two gripes. The subtitles are rapid, and sometimes the grammar is incorrect, probably due to translation. The second is, the music as times brings me out of the movie, because it doesn't seem to fit. One thematic set, played over and over again at various times, sounds like it was lifted from 2001, a Space Odyssey. I know all of this sounds like whining, and it is, but it's all I can come up with on the negative side of this film.The acting is good, the wardrobes are almost unbelievable. I found myself concentrating on, and fascinated by, the intricacies in the costumes. Almost too much detail, yet realizing that a warrior's body armor was spiritualistic and ritualistic, much time was given to it's construction and perfection. So the distraction was warranted.As mentioned in other reviews here, there was little if no wire work, and during the action, you, as the viewer, are in the middle of it. In one scene, during the storming of a small fortress, the attackers are carrying single-pole ladders. With one man in front, the rest of the crew are carrying the rear of the ladder. As they reach the wall, the front warrior literally walks up the face of the wall, holding onto the pole ladder, as the rest push him up the wall. Impressive.Although not a full-blown Kung Fu movie, this is great to watch, and moves fast, with almost a hint of nod to The Magnificent Seven or The Wild Bunch. A visually beautiful film, with the final battle during a light, swirling snow storm, almost moving it into the surreal.