Dragon Blade aka "Ultimate Warriors: Rome vs. China"

**Mangalore** · January 24, 2015, 10:12 AM

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3672840/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_5

I'm torn... will it get me banned from Vestigia Vetustatis if I'm pondering whether this is awesome schlock or aweful schlock?

It's obviously ridiculous but at the same time it apparently tries to open a historic movie to the biggest possible audience by having ancient Romans (in very crazy outfits) in a Wuxia Chinese martial arts movie (and their crazy outfits). Also it might be mainly aimed at Chinese audience and pander to their aesthetics. I'm also kind of surprised at the main cast with Adrien Brody and John Cusack.

**Ramashan** · January 24, 2015, 12:22 PM

China, although having a fairly strong film industry, seems to be attempting to move into the Hollywood market of block buster movies.

At 65 million dollars it is the most expensive movie China has yet made (financed by Chinese investors). There is, so far as I can tell, no US distributor attached yet (not sure about the European market). But that could come during one of the upcoming film markets.

Looks interesting, wouldn't really expect it to be anything historically accurate, but it seems to have that look and feel of something that I, personally, might like to watch simply as a popcorn and soda movie.

Thanks for the info Mangalore.

**Påsan** · January 24, 2015, 08:11 PM

Why cant they get the uniform even remotely right? All it takes is one

ing google search.

**The Despondent Mind** · January 24, 2015, 08:18 PM

Is this a

ing joke? Is this some kind of Chinese April Joke? Please somebody, tell me this can't be reality.

65$ Went into this

? A movie with this kind of trailer, costumes, acting and premise is supposed to have 650k budget...

**Roma_Victrix** · January 24, 2015, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Ramashan

Looks interesting, wouldn't really expect it to be anything historically accurate

You don't say?

Apparently people taking the place in your heart that used to be filled by the love/adoration/admiration of your commanding officer is a punishable crime in the Roman legal code of this time period.

But wait a minute...which era of Roman history is this supposed to be again?

I can't really tell, what with the costumes and armor looking like they belong to a Roman version of Dynasty Warriors...on opium.

Even the uniforms of Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty (err...Three Kingdoms? Jin?) soldiers look absolutely bizarre and in that same category.

John Cusack used to be a great actor, same with Adrien Brody. WTF did I just watch, seriously?

Jackie Chan's been in many a bad movie, but this is bad even for his standards. I'm with Despondent Mind here, I can't understand how $65 million wen into this total piece of ham. Must be all the special effects, extras, costumes, big name actor's cuts, etc. I'm also going to assume that Cusack and Brody are really, really desperate for the cash, so even after reading the script they didn't mind winging everything and delivering their lines with intentional bad acting all for the sake of that contract and that dollar dollar bill. $$$

Also, what happened to Parthia? I'm assuming Rome just swallowed it whole for the sake of this film (although we were treated to some images of charging Middle Eastern guys who were possibly Parthians, or Sassanids, depending on whenever the hell this is supposed to take place).

**Lord of Lost Socks** · January 25, 2015, 02:38 AM

Who cares about any of that historical nonsense, it's obviously not at all anyone in this movie gave a single thought of, so why should you? Because it makes the movie stupid? Well, welcome to fiction.

It looks like a movie, not a documentary. Also, Jackie Chan is in my top 3 favourite actors, so you know, poo to you.

That said, doesn't look like that good of a movie.

**Roma_Victrix** · January 25, 2015, 06:10 AM

Originally Posted by Lord of Lost Socks

Who cares about any of that historical nonsense, it's obviously not at all anyone in this movie gave a single thought of, so why should you? Because it makes the movie stupid? Well, welcome to fiction.

It looks like a movie, not a documentary. Also, Jackie Chan is in my top 3 favourite actors, so you know, poo to you.

That said, doesn't look like that good of a movie.

Right, I get it, pedantic details and historical accuracy shouldn't get in the way of a good drama. The thing is, this doesn't look like a good drama.

So they could have made up for that with better attire. The outfits don't even look like they remotely belong to the time period, though. It would be one thing if they made a stylized version of outfits from the period, but they didn't even do that. They went full Dynasty Warriors with it!

**Påsan** · January 25, 2015, 06:27 AM

Who cares about any of that historical nonsense

In this thread? Everyone but you.

Originally Posted by Lord of Lost Socks

it's obviously not at all anyone in this movie gave a single thought of, so why should you? Because it makes the movie stupid? Well, welcome to fiction.

It looks like a movie, not a documentary. Also, Jackie Chan is in my top 3 favourite actors, so you know, poo to you.

That said, doesn't look like that good of a movie.

Obviously if the creators of the film could not even bother with the historical in their historical drama Why should I bother with the film.

**The Despondent Mind** · January 25, 2015, 06:48 AM

This movie makes 300:Rise of an Empire look like a hardcore history simulation. It's like they never bothered trying giving it some historical grounding, it's just all random. This really reminds on those Scorpion King direct to dvd sequel

**Roma_Victrix** · January 25, 2015, 06:55 AM

LOL! Hardcore history simulation.

Well, to be fair, the movie isn't basing the entire premise on any actual historical event. They're just placing it in the time frame of the Han Dynasty / Roman Empire. But no, the Romans did not try to unify the Silk Road territories all the way into Central Asia, and no, they did not have anything to do with a lost Han crown prince. The movie ostensibly takes place in what is now Xinjiang, the "Western States" of the Tarim Basin where Jackie Chan is supposed to be its protector general.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protec...estern_Regions

Perhaps Jackie Chan is supposed to resemble the protector general Ban Chao, who dispatched an emissary Gan Ying to the Roman Empire at the end of the 1st century AD.

And yes, the Scorpion King sequel is an adequate comparison from the looks of it.

**Knight of Heaven** · January 25, 2015, 08:09 AM

Meh the only way to make this good, is to make it a comedy, i loved thermae romae actualy, it is a great film, and made in good taste and funny as hell.
( i already liked the anime before watching the movie)

And what is better then seeing a japanese movie, with japanese actors, playing a comedy placed in ancient Rome and modern japan?

Seeing it while they speak italian... fffffffsssss Mind blown

Bonus Lucius learns about Moe and brings it back to Ancient Rome

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Roma_Victrix** · January 25, 2015, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by Knight of Heaven

Meh the only way to make this good, is to make it a comedy, i loved thermae romae actualy, it is a great film, and made in good taste and funny as hell.
( i already liked the anime before watching the movie)

And what is better then seeing a japanese movie, with japanese actors, playing a comedy placed in ancient Rome and modern japan?

Seeing it while they speak italian... fffffffsssss Mind blown

Bonus Lucius learns about Moe and brings it back to Ancient Rome

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Thanks for the reminder! It is quite honestly one of the greatest premises and films ever made, all in one.

**Spartan999** · January 25, 2015, 06:09 PM

I am going to be mighty disappointed if they do not make a movie video

game out of this. In fact they should milk this

and make Dragon Warrior

1,2,3,4,5,6,7. Do it Koei!! I believe in you! I want to play as Jackie Chan

while he is wielding a giant anchor

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Seriously though this is going to bomb out in the box office big time.

**LaMuerte** · January 25, 2015, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by Knight of Heaven

Seeing it while they speak italian... fffffffsssss Mind blown

Well , to be honest , martial arts movies and Italy go way back. Rememer Bruce Lee vs le Chuck? Was in Rome ... Remember Jackie Chan's Wheels on Meals ? Was in Pisa. A lot of Jackie Chan flicks have an 'Italian connection'. Somebody needed/needs to get their dirty money laundered , I guess. But not The Jackie , he is above reproach.

**Roma_Victrix** · January 25, 2015, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Spartan999

Do it Koei!! I believe in you! I want to play as Jackie Chan

while he is wielding a giant anchor

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Someone in a KOEI developer's staff room somewhere is nodding to this proposal and stroking his bearded chin in pensive approval.

Certainly it will compete with the Dynasty Warrior's franchise.

**Ramashan** · January 25, 2015, 08:26 PM

You'll find it surprisingly easy to spend 65mil on a movie. Especially with the cast this one has and the costs they're easily adding to it.

Movies, with a well paid crew, costs money.

That aside. It's eye candy, pure and simple. And the line Brody says about taking the place of his love make me burst out in laughter.

Sensationalized action adventure that happens to be set in a quasi historical period.

**Knight of Heaven** · January 26, 2015, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by LaMuerte

Well , to be honest , martial arts movies and Italy go way back. Rememer Bruce Lee vs le Chuck? Was in Rome ... Remember Jackie Chan's Wheels on Meals ? Was in Pisa. A lot of Jackie Chan flicks have an 'Italian connection'. Somebody needed/needs to get their dirty money laundered , I guess. But not The Jackie , he is above reproach.

Thermae Romae it is not a martial art movie though. Far from it. It is a japanese comedy, ina nonsensical premise, it is actualy quite decent, i heard it has been awarded internationaly. It s just another thing alltogether then this Jackie chan film

Then again In italy they dub all films in italian, even the hollywood ones, even the Tarantino films for instance... wich is ridiculous.
It is a comon practise in some countries in Europe ( mainly Germany, Italy, Spain, and France). Not all thankfully.
.

**High Fist** · January 26, 2015, 12:48 AM

Originally Posted by Påsan

Obviously if the creators of the film could not even bother with the historical in their historical drama Why should I bother with the film.

Because it's entertaining, maybe? Such is the premise of most films, Pasan. No one said this is explicitly historical.

So what if they didn't go to China (or whatever the dafuqs going on in this movie)? It's Romans and Kung Fu. It's win-win for everyone. Though I expect a load of bull from Brody similar to the bull in all the Batman films. Really we can do away with all that crap, it adds little to no complexity to the movie and ultimately nothing but filler. "You are the hero that Gotham needs", "you were given the hope that I should have been given"; shag off like, really.

**Roma_Victrix** · January 26, 2015, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by High Fist

shag off like, really.

When spoken with an Irish accent this becomes phenomenal.

**Captain Jin** · January 26, 2015, 09:10 AM

I'll probably watch it at some point. Although I feel like it's going to have an undercurrent of a political message like look at valiant China warding off the corrupt, heinous invasion of the westerners.