Sai de ke · ba lai: Tai yang qi (2011)

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1. 

   Siskoid

   Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (literally, the Real Men) is a Taiwanese epic based on the historical Wushe revolt in the late 1920s, and being produced by John Woo, I think it's fair to call it Taiwan's own Red Cliff. In the early 20th century, Japan took Taiwan and enslaved its tribal natives until they rebelled 20 years later. Knowing nothing about this, I was fully expecting the film to offer an alien experience and on that score, I wasn't disappointed. The history, language and culture were completely unfamiliar, and while the Seediq do have an odd connection to the Vikings, with their Rainbow Bridge, their willingness to commit ritual suicide because the soul must be protected above the body is an uncomfortable notion for Western audiences. It's hard to get into the protagonists' motivations at times, but the action is strong, the locations are beautiful, and there's no lack of money being thrown at the screen. In Taiwan, the film was shown in two parts, lasting some 4½ hours in total. That's immense. Even at 2½ hours, the Western release is pretty long, and I might have cut down further on the final battle. But overall, a good experience, not just for its anthropological value, but its gorgeous shots and fine direction. While there's a lot of graphic violence (the Seediq are headhunters), the director often finds a way to cut away for artistic effect, dulling the violence's edge and creating a more spiritual tone. 8 years 10 months ago
2. 

   DJPowWow

   aka: "Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale" (English title/IMDb display title)
   
   An astounding historical epic set in early 20th century Taiwan, chronicling the little-known conflict between the aboriginal peoples of Taiwan and the Japanese occupying forces, following China's ceding of Taiwan to Japan in 1895. 11 years 4 months ago

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