The Warring States
Encyclopedia
The Warring States is a 2011 Chinese film directed by Chen Jin. The story takes place during the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...

, but is only very loosely based on the actual history. The plot focuses on the rivalry between military generals Pang Juan
Pang Juan
Pang Juan was an ancient Chinese military general of the Wei state during the Warring States Period.-Early life:Pang Juan was a fellow student of Sun Bin and both of them studied military strategy together under the tutelage of the hermit Guiguzi. They developed a close friendship and became sworn...

 and Sun Bin
Sun Bin
Sun Bin was a military strategist who lived during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. An alleged descendant of Sun Tzu, Sun Bin was tutored in military strategy by the hermit Guiguzi...

, both disciples of Guiguzi
Guiguzi
Wang Xu , better known by his pseudonym Guiguzi , is an ancient Chinese philosopher from the Warring States Period of Chinese history. He was the founder of the School of Diplomacy of the Hundred Schools of Thought during that period...

.

Cast

  • Sun Honglei
    Sun Honglei
    Sun Honglei, born 16 August 1970 in Harbin, China is a Chinese actor.-Background:Sun developed an interest in acting and performances at a young age. He often skipped school to learn breakdancing on the streets and eventually gave up his studies entirely to pursue dancing as a career, eventually...

     as Sun Bin
    Sun Bin
    Sun Bin was a military strategist who lived during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. An alleged descendant of Sun Tzu, Sun Bin was tutored in military strategy by the hermit Guiguzi...

  • Jing Tian as Tian Xi
  • Francis Ng
    Francis Ng
    -Career:Like so many of Hong Kong's actors, Ng has his roots in television. He graduated from TVB's training classes in 1985. He acted in minor roles working gradually upwards in the television hierarchy, but his looks did not fit in the conventional leading man role...

     as Pang Juan
    Pang Juan
    Pang Juan was an ancient Chinese military general of the Wei state during the Warring States Period.-Early life:Pang Juan was a fellow student of Sun Bin and both of them studied military strategy together under the tutelage of the hermit Guiguzi. They developed a close friendship and became sworn...

  • Kim Hee-sun
    Kim Hee-sun
    Kim Hee-sun is a South Korean actress from Seoul who has been acting in Korean TV dramas and films for over a decade.Kim debuted on TV as a year 11 student and later majored in Drama at Chung-Ang University...

     as Pang Fei
  • Kiichi Nakai as King of Qi
    King Wei of Qi
    King Wei of Qi , whose personal name was Tian Yinqi , was the king of the northern Chinese state of Qi during the Warring States Period, when Qi was one of the most powerful states in China. He reigned from 356 to 320 BC. or according to another source from 378 to 343 BC.His successor was King Xuan...

  • Jiang Wu
    Jiang Wu
    Jiang Wu is a Chinese actor. He starred in Zhang Yimou's To Live, and Zhang Yang's Shower. He is the younger brother to Jiang Wen and is or was a member of the Beijing Experimental Theater Troupe.- Filmography :* To Live...

     as Tian Ji
    Tian Ji
    Tian Ji , style name Qi , was a military general of the Qi state during the early Warring States Period of Chinese history. Tian Ji met Sun Bin and recommended him to King Wei of Qi as a military strategist...


Critical reception

The Warring States has been described as "sweeping" and "melodramatic". It has received mixed reviews from critics, with Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...

 giving the movie a 40% rating (with an average score of 5.9/10), based on reviews from 5 critics.

Mike Hale of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...

found it difficult to follow the "compressed, chaotic narrative" without a "familiarity with the byzantine history of China". Hale noted that the film included "huge numbers of arrows, soldiers, dead bodies and palace steps".

Robert Abele of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....

described the film as "mildly confusing" and "unremarkable" overall, though he praised the "nifty fight sequences, clever bits of wartime subterfuge, scenic outdoor photography and Honglei's quirky charm".

Similarly, Brent Simon of Screen International
Screen International
Screen International is a multimedia film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by EMAP, a British b2b media company.The magazine is primarily aimed at those involved in the global movie business...

said the "historical epic" displayed "impressive costume design and much natural scenic beauty", but called it not "particularly persuasive or enrapturing".

Nick Schager of The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...

described the film's opening as "invigorating" , but overall "tedious" and "a morass of melodramatic romance, torture, and suicide". Schager praised Sun Honglei's performance as the "film's only truly epic element".

Avi Offer of NYC Movie Guru gave The Warring States a very positive review. Offer praised the "thrilling war film" for its "exhilarating action sequences", "compelling dramatic scenes", and "exquisite set design, cinematography, musical score and costume design".

Box office

The Warring States earned $11.8 million worldwide. After six days of release, the film reached first place in China's box office chart.
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