In the year 198 BC, Cao Cao (Chow Yun Fat), Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty, ventured to the east and defeated China’s greatest warrior Lu Bu, terrifying every ambitious warlord across the country. Several years later, after taking the Han Emperor under his wing, Cao crowns himself King of Wei. He built a magnificent Bronze Sparrow Island to symbolize his power and rumors spread that he would replace the Emperor. Meanwhile, young lovers Mu Shun (Hiroshi Tamaki) and Ling Ju (Liu Yi-Fei) are taken from a prison camp to a hidden tomb, where they spend five cruel years together, training as assassins for a secret mission. In the year 220 BC astronomical signs predict dramatic change. As a result, Cao’s son Cao Pi (Yau Sam-Chi) and Cao’s followers urge Cao to become the new Emperor – but unknown opposing forces plot against him.

In the twilight of the Ming Dynasty, the Imperial court is plagued by corruption as tyrants rule over the land. With the Manchurians preying on a weakened empire, war is imminent. To save the victims from their suffering, sorceress Jade Raksha fights the soldiers that oppress people for their own gain. As payback, local government officials decide to pin the murder of Governor Zhuo Zhonglian on Jade, turning her and the members of her cult into wanted fugitives for a crime they didn’t commit.From the gorgeously executed opening, you know you have encountered something special, though the film occasionally falters in its ability to constantly meet the expectations it initially sets. The visually elegant features include the brilliantly colorful costumes that demand viewer attention, alongside the picturesque beauty of the landscape that is as artful as it is pleasant, however, at the same time, obviously unrealistic, and though the grand scale of the film’s ambition can be clearly realized when these elements work well, on more than one occasion, the film seems to be an example of a production studio exceeding their grasp. During one segment, there’s an endless mass of troops, depicted through well used effects, however, the fight itself occurs between only a handful of soldiers, leaving those thrilled by epic battles dismayed, this contrast between the realities of the production, and its terrific execution, continuously butting heads.