It’s big, entertaining, and the only game in town. Red Cliff is  Chinese summer blockbuster of choice, whether you like it or not - after all, there really isn’t much else in Chinese cinemas this summer. John Woo’s adaptation of the classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms - which is available in novel, TV drama, video game, and unlicensed collectible variations - isn’t as compelling as it is merely large. Woo slants the source material towards his pet themes, front-loads the production with big stars and big names, and assembles a spectacle that’s respectable, involving, and absolutely worth a look. What the film doesn’t provide is the compelling emotion that has punctuated many a Woo production, and the film’s climax doesn’t serve up the “wow” factor that one expects of a film of this scale. But any disappointment could be premature; Red Cliff is only the first of two films, and Woo could be saving the best for last. One would hope, anyway