Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon is a 2008 war drama and action film based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms, co-incidentally coming out the same year as John Woo's Red Cliff.
Unlike the John Woo film, Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon focused solely on the Han Dynasty general Zhao Zilong (played by Andy Lau), chronicling Zilong's life starting from a peasant, soldier, sergeant and before eventually becoming one of the dreaded Five Tiger Generals of Liu Bei. Yu Rong-guang stars as Han De, the main rival general antagonizing Zilong.
The film provides the following tropes:
- Anachronism Stew: Director Daniel Lee deliberately invoked Samurai armor in the design of Zilong's armor, even though the former would not exist until centuries after the end of the Three Kingdoms era.
- Artistic License – History:
- By the time that Zilong joins Liu Bei's army as a foot soldier, his historical counterpart had been a general for a over a decade, and had served Liu Bei (in his second stint under the man) for nearly eight years.
- The historical Zhao Yun's rescue at Changbang appears to have been spontaneous rather than ordered, as subordinates of Liu Bei believed that he had went towards Cao Cao's army to defect.
- History does not say how Zhao Yun died, but it was likely not in a suicidal charge.
- Badass and Baby: The iconic scene of Zilong fending off hordes of enemy soldiers while carrying Liu Bei's son on his back is once again recreated in this movie.
- Battle in the Rain: Zilong’s first action scene involves him raiding an enemy camp in the middle of heavy rain, where upon being discovered he had to fight his way past several enemies while braving the downpour.
- Blood Is Squicker in Water: Happens in the rain fight, when slain soldiers fall over into muddle puddles with clear red liquid in the water they landed on.
- Chase Fight: The baby rescue/evacuation scene plays out pretty much like Red Cliff, but this time Zilong also had to flee on horseback while being pursued by enemy riders and carriages.
- Death by Adaptation: Lady Gan, who survived in history, does not survive the film.
- Fade to Black: The movie ends with the elderly Zilong about to face Cao Ying, before the screen went black. Cue credits.
- Face Framed in Shadow: The above poster. Several scenes in the movie, especially the night battle, uses this shot as well.
- How We Got Here: The Framing Device of the movie begins with Zilong, now an elderly man, prepared to face Cao Ying, before remembering his past when he was a young warrior.
- Jitter Cam: Used in A LOT of the action scenes, especially the night raid and Zilong’s baby rescue scene.
- Lady of War: Cao Ying, the female general serving Cao Cao’s army, a deadly warrior and skilled general in her own right.
- Long Haired Prettyboy: Zi-long, in his younger days before enlisting, with his long hair flowing all over the place untied.
- Guan Xing, Guan Yu’s son who served in the army after the time montage scene, also had long, thick black hair. And he’s definitely a pretty boy (played by Taiwanese singer and heartthrob Vanness Wu).
- Malevolent Masked Men: During the night raid, Zilong, Pingan, and several soldiers infiltrates Cao Cao’s enemy camp while wearing bronze masks that resembles demons.
- One-Man Army: Zilong against legions and legions of enemy soldiers, while carrying Liu Bei’s baby son on his back.
- Red Baron: Zilong’s name on the battlefield is "Invincible General" and he is known as one of the Five Tiger Generals.
- Samus Is a Girl: Zilong had this response when he fights Cao Ying and knocks her helmet (which hides her Compressed Hair) off.
- Time-Passes Montage: Zilong’s promotion into army general is followed by a montage of seasons going past where Zilong serves Liu Bei in the war for years, and by the time the montage ends Zilong is now an elderly man with graying hair and beard.
