Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

A Battle of Wits Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 18, 2008

A big-budget action extravaganza teaming up some of Asia’s most prominent actors, Jacob Cheung’s “A Battle of Wits” (2006) is yet another period project aiming for international glory. Stylishly-lensed and gritty, the film offers an abundance of well choreographed fighting scenes. Distributed by HK-based Deltamac Co. Ltd.

Set to attack

Based on the Japanese manga, Battle of Wits transports its audiences to 370 BC when the Chinese kingdoms are battling each other. The Zhao state has declared war on the Yan state and gathered a formidable army of 10 000-strong. They arrive at the gates of Yan and stage a massive blockade.

Ge Li (Andy Lau, Infernal Affairs), a young Moshi warrior, appears and joins the Yan army. After a quick test and a demoralizing arching attack the Zhao warriors unleash upon the Yan warriors, he is allowed to lead their army and defend the city. A massive battle ensues where the two sides struggle to outsmart each other.

Those of you who have been following Asian period cinema during the last five years will recognize a lot of familiar ingredients in Jacob Cheung’s A Battle of Wits – dramatically framed wide shots and conspicuous display of bravery being amongst the most prominent ones. Unsurprisingly, even though one may not necessarily be familiar with the self-titled manga, one should easily guess where the story is heading and how it ends.

Furthermore, while not truly switching into a plagiarizing mode, A Battle of Wits appears to be quite content in patronizing qualities the likes of Zhang Yimou’s Hero (2002) and Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) might have irreversibly damaged. As a result, Ge Li’s heroics, while admirable, occasionally come off as too cliched and politically-correct.

The large battle scenes, however, may make up for some of the issues mentioned above. The sleek camera work for instance allows the audience to witness an impressive display of warfare skills. Unfortunately, unless this is precisely the reason why you would want to see A Battle of Wits, you may find yourself pondering whether there is actually something here that you have not already seen done better in other similarly themed films.

Japanese cinematographer Yoshitaka Sakamoto (Azumi 2) reveals some interesting conceptual decisions (strong panoramic vistas in particular), but the film lacks the sense of intimacy that transformed Red Cliff for instance into far more than just an elaborate collage of warfare scenes.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that Andy Lau remains one of the most flexible actors currently working in the Hong Kong film industry. His notable contributions in a streak of challenging films as of late have raised the value of his already impressive resume for a good reason. The charismatic actor is always consistent and capable of expressing a variety of emotions other Asian stars seem largely incapable of duplicating. With that in mind, this reviewer sincerely hopes that he stays as far away from Hollywood as possible.

A Battle of Wits Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Jacob Cheung's A Battle of Wits arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Hong Kong-based distribs Deltamac Co. Ltd.

I've been very impressed with the string of recent releases Asian distributors have put on the Blu-ray market. The level of consistency in terms of video as well as audio has been incredibly high and, as a result, we've seen a good number of what I consider to be "reference quality" presentations (Red Cliff). With the quality bar now being raised this high obviously it is quite difficult to be pleased, or shall I say impressed, each time a new batch of titles arrives. This being said, A Battle of Wits is probably one of the less impressive titles to reach my desk in recent months. Here's why:

First, this is a film with a very unique color-scheme where faded yellows are constantly countered with lush and very rich blacks. This seems to be an aesthetic approach of sorts which bodes well with the film's massive battle scenes. But it could be quite misleading for those who don't necessarily understand why it is done. Furthermore, the stylistic preference I mentioned above does not quite translate into the type of detail we've seen from other recent period films. Second, I noticed some digital noise which appears to be affecting clarity during quite a few scenes (a good example is the discussion between Ge Li and Zhao's general). Third, the actual image frame is surrounded by an unusually thick lining which is something that may bother those of you with high-end digital projectors. This being said, the actual transfer is healthy and without any disturbing examples of dirt, scratches, or marks. (Note: This is disc is Region-Free and therefore you will be able to watch it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

A Battle of Wits Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are four different tracks on this Blu-ray disc: Mandarin: PCM 7.1, Mandarin: DTS-HD MA 7.1, Mandarin: Dolby Digital EX 6.1, and Cantonese: Dolby Digital EX 6.1. Those of you who have been following the Asian Blu-ray market are surely not going to be surprised at this point by the stellar audio treatments Asian BDs have been securing as of late. And A Battle of Wits isn't an exception to the trend I noted above. Both the PCM 7.1 and DTS-HD MA 7.1 tracks are truly marvelous and those of you with elaborate audio systems are definitely in for a very special treat. Bombastic bass, a great deal of movement in the rear channels, and crisp, punchy, audio quality is what the HK-distribs have offered here. Furthermore, the dialog is crystal clear and very easy to follow without any hissing, drop-outs, or pop-ups that I could detect. The battle scenes are of course what you want to hear with one of the two 7.1 mixes as they are in a league of their own. Finally, I would like to clarify that the optional traditional Chinese and English subtitles appear within the film frame (they do not spill below it).

A Battle of Wits Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

In addition to the original theatrical trailer and a teaser for the main feature, on this Blu-ray disc you will also find a standard "Making Of" as well as a gallery of interviews with Andy Lau, Jacob Cheung, and Wu Chi Lung. The first interview in particular looks quite interesting (judging by the footage the stars address) but, unfortunately, I am unable to comment its content as English subtitles have not been provided. Here you will also find a nice gallery with promo materials – Asian posters for the main feature, sketches, storyboards and stills. Finally, there is a promo-Gala with receptions from four major Asian cities – Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.

A Battle of Wits Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A lush action extravaganza with enough battle scenes to keep fans of Asian period cinema content, A Battle of Wits is a film that certainly does not overstep the boundaries of the genre it belongs to. Its story is intriguing but ultimately not as original as I hoped it would be. With other words, this is a film for those who need something to tie them over until the second installment in John Woo's Red Cliff hits Asian shops in early 2009. The actual Blu-ray disc on the other hand offers an excellent audio treatment and a good, not solid, video presentation. The extras are not subtitled in English. Recommended.