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Produced by : Chung Taewon,Suzanna Tsang,Dong Yu
Written by : Lau Ho-Leung,Daniel Lee
Starring : Andy Lau,Sammo Hung,Maggie Q,Pu Cunxin,Andy On,Yu Rongguang
Music by : Henry Lai
Cinematography : Tony Cheung
Editing by : Cheung Ka-Fai,Tang Man-To
Studio : Visualizer Film,Taewon,China Film Group,Beijing Polybona
Distributed by : Beijing Polybona (China),Taewon (S Korea),Sundream (Hong Kong),Scholar Films (Taiwan)
Release date(s) : 3 April 2008
Running time : 102 minutes
Country : Hong Kong
Language : Mandarin
Budget : US$25 million
Gross revenue : US$21.2 million
Plot
Zhao Zilong begins his military career by enlisting in the warlord Liu Bei's camp. He befriends Luo Ping'an, a fellow soldier from the same hometown as him. Zhao Zilong participates in a battle against Liu Bei's rival Cao Cao, by following Zhuge Liang's orders to launch a sneak attack on Cao's camp, attaining his first victory. As Liu Bei's troops are outnumbered by Cao Cao's forces, Liu is forced to retreat to Phoenix Heights, but is separated from his family during the chaos. Zhao Zilong volunteers to rescue Liu's family, but Liu's sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei scoff at him and they engage in a spear fight. Zhao remains undefeated after several rounds of fighting and Liu Bei is impressed by Zhao's skills. Guan and Zhang help to cover Zhao as he breaks into the enemy formation to look for Liu's family.
Zhao Zilong makes his name in that battle by rescuing Liu's infant son A'dou alone and holding off hundreds of Cao Cao's troops, who surround him on all sides. He fights his way out and charges up a cliff on his horse, straight towards Cao. Cao is shocked and loses his personal weapon to Zhao and his life is placed in peril. However, Zhao refrains from killing Cao and leaps to safety onto another cliff. Cao's granddaughter, Cao Ying, witnesses the attack and she swears to kill Zhao Zilong and help her grandfather regain his pride. Meanwhile, Liu Bei promotes Zhao to the rank of a general and bestows him with a "All-Piercing Spear".
Zhao Zilong continues to fight many battles for Liu Bei and had never lost before, earning himself the title of "Undefeated General". After Cao Pi (Cao Cao's son) usurps the state power of the Han Dynasty and proclaims himself emperor of Cao Wei, Liu Bei declares himself emperor of Shu Han to continue the bloodline of Han. Zhao Zilong is named by Liu as one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu Han, along with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao and Huang Zhong. As time passes, Liu Bei dies and Zhuge Liang inherits Liu's legacy, by continuing to lead military campaigns against Cao Wei to restore the Han Dynasty. By then, Zhao Zilong is already 71-years-old and he is the last surviving one of the five generals, and his insistence secures him a role in the upcoming campaign. Zhuge gives Zhao two satchels, instructing him to open them as per situations. The Cao Wei army is led by Cao Ying. Zhao Zilong performs his first feat in the campaign by slaying the four sons of the enemy general Han De. However, he is lured into a trap by Cao Ying and forced to retreat to the Phoenix Heights.
Zhao's army is surrounded at Phoenix Heights by Cao Ying's forces and Zhao learns that it is crucial that he holds the Cao Wei army's attention for some time, because the Shu Han army will use the opportunity to attack while Cao Wei is distracted. Zhao Zilong engages Cao Ying in a one-to-one duel and defeats her but he lets her go. In the subsequent battle, Zhao Zilong's forces launch a fierce assault on Cao Ying's army and are nearly all wiped out when Han De sacrifices himself in using gunpowder in a Kamikaze-style attack. In making his last stand, Zhao Zilong strips off his armour and leads a final charge towards the Cao Wei army.
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