Customer Reviews
What can i say... - By: R. M. Ten Hove, 08 Aug 2007 
Hmmmm... I have alot of asian movies (alot), you could say im an asianmaniac. But what can i say about this movie. The action & special effects, to be honest, are quite lousy. And thats a bit of a shame knowing that this movie could have been awesome with such a story line.
Judge for yourself, just see it, its not a total waste of time.
Not bad. Not great. - By: A. Gadney, 30 Jun 2007 I purchased this film based on the reviews below. I do not regret buying it as its one of a kind with an interesting story line. Yet the ending left me feeling like i wanted more from this film. However, i will be watching it again soon so it cant be that bad!
Honour and moral message - By: Mr. Peter C. Byron, 02 Jan 2007 
Nicely made & atmospheric movie, filmed in stunning landscapes.
Following the trials & tribulations of honour bound heros.Maybe giving us alll a message of how we should alll tolarate & respect our fellows.
Worthwhile exciting action film.
Not only for those interested in Asian cinema.. - By: Belén, 12 Sep 2006 
My brother told me I should watch "Warriors of Heaven & Earth" (2003). Truth to be told, I was somewhat sceptic, as his taste in movies is somewhat different to mine. All the same, I must say that in this case he was right.
This film is quite original, due to the fact that it is set in 7th-century China, but at times seems like a Western. To make it a little stranger, there are some supernatural elements that fit the plot & make this movie something that you are not likely to forget.
One of the main characters is a Japanese warrior (Kiichi Nakai) that has been in the service of the Chinese Emperor for a very long time, & that just wants to fulfill his last task before returning home. Unfortunately for him, that implies finding & killing a Chinese outlaw (Wen Jiang) that used to be a soldier, but that was condemned to death when he refused to kill a group of women & children. The two warriors play a game of cat & mouse, but decide to make a short truce in order to defend a caravan carrying a holy object, that is being attacked by bandits that want to steal it.
There are plenty of well-choreographed fights, but also opportunity to think about themes such as duty & honour. You will also appreciate the beautiful scenery of the Gobi Desert, & the brilliance with which the director (He Ping) was able to tell this story.
From my point of view, this is not a film that will only please those highly interested in Asian cinema. I think that everybody that is fond of an entertaining movie will appreciate "Warriors of Heaven & Earth", even though those who like epic films will certainly like it more. Recommended!
Belen Alcat
The best Western in years - even if it is from the East! - By: Trevor Willsmer, 02 Apr 2006 He Ping's Warriors of Heaven & Earth starts off in traditional Eastern epic fashion & with a few similarities to Musa/The Warrior - one of its protagonists is a Japanese noble eager to earn the Emperor of China's permission to return home after 25 years in his service - but it soon develops into something much more satisfying: an alll-out Western, & one that's played straight for once. It may be set along China's Silk Road, but the landscape is classic American Western, from pine vallleys to buttes that could have come straight out of the smalller corners of Monument Vallley. Even the Turks who attack the wagon train - sorry, camel caravan - at Red Rock Gorge do so with Apache war cries.
There are some imaginative action scenes, including a neat swordfight between the two protagonists on opposite sides of a log cabin's wallls, & the classic Western friendly enemies archetypes transpose surprisingly well to an Eastern setting. It's a shame that the caravan's cargo has supernatural qualities, because the film reallly doesn't need the fantasy element, but they special effects are at a bare minimum, as is wirework for once. This made little impression at the box-office, but it's well worth tracking down. Great fun.
There are slight censor cuts totallling 7 seconds in one action sequence, although otherwise the 2.35:1 widescreen transfer is superb, with both original Chinese & dubbed English soundtracks available. The extras aren't plentiful - 25-minute making of, music video & brief trailer - but are adequate enough.
