The Promise (2005) Wu ji (original title)

Director:

Kaige Chen

Writer:

Kaige Chen

Release Date:

15 December 2005 (China)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Empowered by the love of a slave (Jang), a royal concubine (Cheung) is given the chance to make an extraordinary decision.

Plot Keywords:

Armor | General | Slave | Princess | King

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Dong-gun Jang	...	Kunlun
Hiroyuki Sanada	...	General Guangming
Cecilia Cheung	...	Princess Qingcheng
Nicholas Tse	...	Wuhuan
Ye Liu	...	Snow Wolf
Hong Chen	...	Goddess Manshen
Qian Cheng	...	The Emperor
Xiao Wei Yu	...	Ye Li
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chun-Xiao	...	Princess Qingcheng (voice)
Toby Leonard Moore	...	Wuhan (voice)
Anthony Brandon Wong	...	(voice) (as Anthony Wong)

Directed by
Kaige Chen

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kaige Chen

Produced by
Hong Chen	....	producer
Yong Er	....	line producer
Sanping Han	....	producer
Dong-Joo Kim	....	producer
Dong-ming Shi	....	co-producer
Ernst Etchie Stroh	....	producer
Buting Yang	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Klaus Badelt

Cinematography by
Peter Pau

Production Management
Max Wang	....	production manager
Jiakun Zhang	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dion Lam	....	second unit director

Sound Department
Steve Burgess	....	sound effects editor
Nigel Christensen	....	sound editor
Nigel Christensen	....	sound effects editor
Chris Goodes	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Chris Goodes	....	sound editor
Antony Gray	....	sound effects editor
Paul Korber	....	sound editor
Jiajia Mok	....	sound effects editor
Gavin Myers	....	sound effects editor
Andrew Neil	....	sound effects editor
Andrew Neil	....	sound re-recording mixer
Glenn Newnham	....	sound effects editor
Paul Pirola	....	sound effects editor
Roger Savage	....	sound re-recording mixer
Roger Savage	....	sound supervisor
Blair Slater	....	foley editor
Blair Slater	....	foley recordist
Terry Tu	....	foley artist
Mario Vaccaro	....	foley artist
Andy Wright	....	assistant re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Desmond Chan	....	visual effects
Henry Kwok Ho Chan	....	visual effects artist
Dy Choi Ying Chung	....	visual effects coordinator
Frankie Chung	....	visual effects supervisor
Harry Ching Wei Hung	....	lighting and texture supervisor: Centro Digital Pictures
Ralph Chun Ho Poon	....	visual effects artist
Don Wong	....	effects supervisor

Stunts
Dion Lam	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Edmond Chan	....	first assistant camera
Sung Fai Choi	....	camera operator: second unit
Jimmy Fok	....	key crane operator
Louis Jong	....	key grip
Kenny Lam	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Tak-Shing Lee	....	gaffer

Animation Department
Eric Suen	....	animator

Casting Department
Toshie Tabata	....	casting coordinator

Editorial Department
Sebastian Leda	....	promo on-line editor
Matt Garner	....	additional editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Christopher Brooks	....	score co-producer
Robert Elhai	....	orchestrator
Ian Honeyman	....	music arranger
Julian Kershaw	....	orchestrator
Xincao Li	....	conductor
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music mixer
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music recordist
Stephen McLaughlin	....	score engineer
Andrew Raiher	....	music arranger
Sinead Smyth	....	score production coordinator
Jeff Toyne	....	orchestrator
Shiro Gutzie	....	soundtrack producer (uncredited)

Other crew
Bin Huang	....	marketing executive

Thanks
Michael Stewart Grant	....	special thanks (as Michael Grant)

Production Companies

• 21 Century Shengkai Film
• Capgen Investment Group
• China Film Group
• Moonstone Entertainment
• Show East (in assocation with)

Distributors

• Moonstone Entertainment (2005) (non-USA) (all media)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Encore Films (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Entertainment (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• TFM Distribution (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Telexcel/ImpactoCine (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) (2006) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Deltamac Entertainment (2005) (Hong Kong) (all media)
• G2 Pictures (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• VCL Communications (2006) (Germany) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Centro Digital Pictures Ltd. (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Centro Digital Pictures Ltd.  digital intermediate
• China National Symphony Orchestra  orchestra
• Epic Records  soundtrack
• Getty Images  stock footage
• Image Bank  stock footage
• Salon Films  Chapman camera dollies
• Salon Films  cameras and lenses
• Salon Films  grip and lighting equipment
• Soundfirm Beijing Co.  sound post-production
• Soundfirm  sound post production

Also Known As:

"Wu ji" - China (original title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for stylized violence and martial arts action, and some sexual content

Runtime:

121 min | USA:103 min (cut version)

Country:

China | USA | South Korea

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (edited version) | Taiwan:PG-12 | USA:PG-13 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | France:U | Netherlands:12 | Malaysia:U | Brazil:12 | South Korea:12 | Germany:12 (f) | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Australia:M | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Hengdian World Studios, Heng Dian, China

Company:

21 Century Shengkai Film

Trivia:

This is the most expensive film in Chinese history with a budget of 282,572,490 Yuan ($35 Million).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As Kunlun enters Qingcheng's birdcage, the wire to lower him is visible.

Quotes:

Goddess Manshen:Once you have accepted your destiny, nothing can alter it unless time flows backwards, snow falls in the spring, and the dead come back to life.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2006) (TV)

One of the Most Beautiful Fantasies I Have Ever Seen

When the world was young, laid a Kingdom between the Land of Snow and the Barbarian Territory where gods and men lived side by side and promises were lies. When the poor and starving orphaned girl Qingcheng meets the Goddess Manshen (Hong Chen), she accepts to become the wealthy beauty of beauties with the curse that she would lose every man she loves, unless three things happen: snow falls in the spring, time moves backwards and the dead comes back to life. Years later, the slave Kunlun (Dong-Kun Jang) helps the Great General Master of the Crimson Armor Guangming (Hiroyuki Sanada) to defeat a barbarian army with almost seven times more warriors, and Kunlun becomes his slave. When Guangming is wounded, he asks Kunlun to wear his armor and save the king from the cruel Duke of the North Wuhuan (Nicholas Tse) that put the Imperial City under siege with his army. However, Kunlun kills the king to save Princess Qingcheng (Cecilia Cheung) and promises her to never let her die. Princess Qingcheng falls in love for the man of the crimson armor that she believes is General Guangming. When Snow Wolf (Ye Liu) saves Kunlun and brings him to the Land of Snow, he recollects his childhood when his mother and sister were killed by the evil Wuhuan. Kunlun decides to return to the Kingdom to face Wuhuan and fight for his love.

"Wu Ji" is one of the most beautiful fantasies that I have ever seen, and I list this magnificent film among my favorites. The story has romance, magic, betrayal, loyalty, action, supported by a stunning cinematography, great screenplay, wonderful special effects and awesome direction and performances. This film is surprisingly underrated in IMDb, with and user rating of 5.6. Cecilia Cheung is one of the most beautiful actresses of cinema and is perfect in the role of the Beauty of Beauties. In the end, fate can be changed. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "A Promessa" ("The Promise")