Who payed the critics

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

If you are looking for an epic sized film look no further than the Asian film market. They have cornered the market on delivering huge scale movies on a regular basis like no other. Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale is not only an epic film it is the most expensive film to ever come out of Taiwan. Produced by John Woo, the film was originally released in Taiwan as two films running at over 4 and a half hours, but released in a single US version at about 2 and a half hours. Can this much be trimmed from a movie a still work clearly enough to keep the film's epic story in-tact and capture audiences? Warriors of the Rainbow is based on the 20th Century history of two warring tribes that not only clashed over the land they inhabited, but also a bigger war against the Japanese as they begin to colonize the island and wipe them out. Forging an alliance with the other tribes, they took the Japanese by surprise only to have to face an unstoppable force as they are attacked by aircraft and poison gas. This is not only a truly epic film; it is one that will leave you with some sort of emotional response. Whether its sadness, anger, or just awe, you cannot walk away from this movie without it affecting you in some way. This is an extremely violent and graphic movie, but is necessary to really convey this little known time in Taiwan history. At first this film feels a bit like Apocalypto then takes a turn to something like Last of the Mohicans, but with a way more violent and deep emotional story. It's hard to believe the amount of action that is crammed into this film and still have such a powerful story. This is a well-made, well-executed film that is hard to watch at times due to the content. Besides the war violence, there is a heavy amount of gore as well as suicide and children being killed that may be hard to watch for some people.This is easily one of the most emotionally charge epic war like movies to come out in a long time. With the amount of content that is included in this film, you can only imagine what else could have been cut out for this condensed US release. If you love Asian cinema, war films, or just great filmmaking, this is a must see film. Just be warned as mentioned before that there are some pretty heavy visuals.http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-dallas/bobby-blakey

Just finished the trailer, plan to watch the duo this weekend. I totally understand as a non-Taiwanese or non-Japenese, you wont have the feeling which the director might want to deliver.I believe this kind of movie are everywhere around the world now. Director/writer and movie itself try to tell a story to a huge variety of audience, but what audience can feel only themselves can choose.I have watch a lot of movie based on European history, Australian history, American history or World War I and II. I was kind of confused in the end of these movie, until I check the information from wiki or other website.What I want to say here is its sad if this movie can not inspire you, but this kind of epic style of Taiwanese movie is a huge milestone for every Taiwanese movier.

I agree too. I did some wiki research when I first learn about this film and it is really helpful to get a fuller sense of the theme given a basic historical context. Disclaimer: I have seen the first part only (the second part is in theaters today in HK). Similar to previous comment, this movie reminds me of the situation in Tibet right now. How the "Han-ization" is happening when the culture and religion in Tibet is slowing disappearing. What would I do if I were one of the young men in the tribes in the movie? And is this that much different to the change happening to our very own culture (both Eastern and Western) in the face of globalization and extreme consumerism? This is how much the film has provoked me into contemplating. Also with all the head chopping and fighting scenes the director has successfully illustrates the values and beliefs of life of the tribes without a taint of violence. Yes it's bloody but not violent. Wonder how that is possible right? (This is refreshing in the midst of our media culture on big screens and on TV).I would not use the word entertaining for this movie but nonetheless it is not as serious/"boring" as the topic and plot might sound. And 144 minutes just flew by without my notice and my 60+ years old parents were actually hoping to watch the second half right after the first.Definitely a not-to-miss for this year!

I was supposed to give a score of 7, but changed a bit after seeing the latter part of the film in theatre. Here's my own thought: It begins with Mouna being chased by another tribe's men in water and ends with almost of the dead male aboriginal characters marching together on the above, whether they're old rivalries in the woods or not. Surely the film surrounds the Wushe incident in Taiwan, but its materials are from the interviews with the remainders of Seediq and also based on a comic book...80 years have past for these people, so how many true memories can serve the elders well? At least I believed in those different men's and women's struggles posed in the film, because they are too real to make up. I was anticipating why and how the main character, Mouna Roudo, would find himself fighting the Japanese with no chance to win, and the director and plot writer, Te-Sheng Wei, did not disappoint me in the first part of the movie (namely 'The Sun Flag' of local theatrical release). But then the "comical-like" scenes start to be annoying...especially Mouna (performed by Chin-Tai Lin) always started to dance and sing before the big confrontations with the enemy, and near the end he and a little few men of his were fired by Japanese cannons on a drawbridge without any serious damages afterwards.I discovered that the film lose some parts for a successful typical blockbuster in terms of war movies, yet more than of just that. Unfortunately I think the latter part 'The Rainbow Bridge' dwelled upon the outcome for Seediq people's belief of Gaya too much. What's worse, it really became a mess when Seediq, non-Seediq aborigines and Japanese had the fights 'within the fights' altogether during the final 30 minutes or so. You have to be very cool to follow them. I have to admit that these factors overall killed some numbers in my final rating of the film, and that's a pity for the 'biggest ever movie production cost of Taiwan'; Meaningless killings and stirring suicides may be seen within a comment of a certain number of viewers which the film tries to target with, mostly due to the vagueness of right and wrong the filmmaker wanted to convey. It's not a welcomed cliché that should be used in commercial films...only who knows how it is knows how.The computer CG scenes I can promise you, on par with some war drama like 'Tae Guk Gi' and 'Letters from Iwo Jima'. Interestingly, they are all not the type of cinema that is all about unfolding the historical events, but with some extent of thinking of humanity mixed. However, like I said before, the comical-like scenes may not harm the authenticity of the real history for too much, but some of the untimely ones that stop me from hyperbolize how good the movie is like many locals do. Would it be a commercial success overseas? The title of this review implied a mixed, 'no answer'.