Mo gong (2006)

Director:

Chi Leung 'Jacob' Cheung

Writers:

Chi Leung 'Jacob' Cheung (writer)
Ken'ichi Sakemi (comic)

Release Date:

23 November 2006 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War

Plot:

Story centers on a battle during China's Warring States Period, a series of civil wars, which spanned from the 5th to the 3rd century B.C. Based on a popular Japanese manga, which was in turn based a Japanese novel inspired by Warring States history in China.

Plot Keywords:

Strategy | Based On Comic

Awards:

3 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Andy Lau	...	Ge Li - the Mohist
Sung-kee Ahn	...	Zhao Commander Xiang Yan-zhong (as Sungki Ahn)
Zhiwen Wang	...	King of Liang
Bingbing Fan	...	Liang Cavalry Chief Yi Yue
Si Won Choi	...	Prince Liang Shi (as Siwon Choi)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Siu-hou Chin	...	Liang General Niu Zi Zhang (as Siu Ho Chin)
Tin Chiu Hung	...	Zhao General Gao He-yong
Yongjian Lin	...	Cai Qiu
Shaan Price	...	Yuan Yu
Ma Wu	...	Royal Tutor of Liang
Nicky Wu	...	Liang Archer Zi Tuan (as Qi-long Wu)
Lixiao Yang	...	Girl spy

Also Known As:

A Battle of Wits (Hong Kong: English title)
Battle of Wits (International: English title)
Battle of the Warriors (USA) (DVD title)
Bokkou (Japan)
Muk gong (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence.

Runtime:

Hong Kong:133 min

Country:

China | Japan | South Korea | Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Hong Kong:IIA | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | UK:15

Filming Locations:

China

Company:

Boram Entertainment

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where the two scouts escape from the enemy camp after the soldiers spot them, the surrounding light changes from pitch black to broad daylight. (Obviously someone forgot to put the filter on the camera lens.)

Excellent philosophical war movie

Big budget and hundreds of extras. Huge sets and even bigger philosophical issues.

Summary: A lone philosopher warrior arrives to help defend a small kingdom of 4000 from an invading army of 100,000. His surprisingly effective help is accepted until the king and his court become jealous of his popularity and turn on him.

Well directed and photographed Chinese/Japanese co-production is full of unanswered philosophical questions about war and honor and when does self-defense turn into savagery. There are a number of rough edges, a few scenes are hard to understand, the historical setting might be unfamiliar to non-Asian viewers, sometimes you can't tell which side of the fight you are watching (although that might be intentional), the CGI effects are sometimes no better then what you would see in a Playstation 2 cut scene and occasionally the movie resorts to old- school theatrics.

Despite these shortcomings this movie should see a wider release, in some ways it's better than "Hero" or "House of Flying Daggers". Very recommended.