Lai Xi (Nakai Kiichi- When the Last Sword is Drawn) is a Japanese emissary who is not allowed to return to his homeland until he fulfills a mission, that is, kill a mutinous former lieutenant Lui Zai (Jiang Wen- The Missing Gun). Having refused their orders to kill some peasant prisoners, Lui Zai and some of his loyal men disappeared into the countryside and split up, some taking up residence in the mountains, while Lui Zai kept on the move.

Lai Xi spends the better part of ten years looking for his quarry, and when the two finally confront each other they strike up a bargain. They agree to postpone their duel so that Lui Zai can fulfill an obligation to escort a young Buddhist monk who is transporting some scrolls and a precious Buddhist relic. Reuniting with his fellow renegade soldiers, Lui Zai and his men begin the dangerous trek through bandit territories. It is one such bandit, Master An, that sets his eyes on their treasures. Fleeing into the desert, Lui Zai finds a surprising ally in Lai Xi, who helps them defend themselves against the bandit hordes.

Warriors of Heaven and Earth is very much a b-action picture. Not quite up to the artistic depth of something like Hero, but still a fine rousing little adventure in its own right. The film has some very good character work. Nakai Kiichi's Lai Xi carries himself with a samurai dignity and one believes his respect for his adversary, as well as his dedication to do what it takes to complete his mission. Lui Zai's men are a colorful bunch, with names like Baldy and Old Diehard, and, as their likeable leader, Jiang Wen makes the character very much a warrior with a heart.

After the initial setup, the film moves fairly briskly, the characters progress convincingly, and there are some good action scenes along the way, including Lui Zai and Old Diehard narrowly avoiding Turkish bandits in a cramped town, the caravan being attacked in a desert canyon, and a finale where the group makes a last stand at the aptly named Lonesome Fortress. While the action shows some slight flourishes of wirework every now and then, the film never really gets fanciful and the action is mainly ground based swordplay.

Director Ping He (Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker) does a mostly impressive job, but the film is not without its faults. At two hours, some scenes (and characters, like the thankless female eye candy) could maybe use a little cutting. Unfortunately there is some magical business involving the Buddhist relics that seems a bit hokey and injects some distracting CGI fantasy. This also inhibits the realism that the film seems to be aiming for, which keeps the action grounded and in tightly framed with expressive shaky camera work. Luckily, there is enough beautiful scenery and good old fashioned likeable heroes to make one a little more forgiving of the films flaws.

The DVD:

Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen. High Definition. The film is a real eye popper. From rocky caverns to sandy landscapes covered by an endless blue sky, the Gobi Desert is just a marvel and the film features many scenes that highlight its desolate beauty. Colors are very well rendered with healthy fleshtones. Sharpness and contrast are also in good shape, and the print appears pretty much spot and blemish free.

Sound: Dolby digital 5.1 Chinese, English, Spanish, Portugese, or French 2.0 language tracks with optional English, French, Portuguese, or Spanish subtitles. Language options out the wazoo, but I stuck with the original Chinese audio for my viewing. Very dynamic mix that show off the thundering drum based score and the action fx. Those with 5.1 systems shouldn't be disappointed, particularly with the action scenes, which get a lot of bang out of the many clashing swords.

Extras: "Making of" Featurette (25;11)— Music Video (4:33)— Previews for other Sony films including Warriors of Heaven and Earth and The Legend of Suriyothai.

Conclusion: Entertaining adventure, almost an Eastern-Western. While it has some faltering points, a charismatic cast , good setting, and involving story make it a worthwhile effort. The transfer is quite good, making this a good casual purchase or rental.