It’s been over 17 years since John Woo last made a Chinese-language film. Red Cliff marks a return to his native language, and the result is a sweeping epic centering on the pivotal Battle of Red Cliff that took place at the end of the Han dynasty. History lessons aside, all you need to know is that the film looks gorgeous and features a top-notch cast. Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro headline a crop of Chinese cinema heayweights including Chen Chang, Fengyi Zhang, and Vicki Zao.

Released in China last year as two separate films totaling over 4 hours in length, Red Cliff crosses the Pacific as a single condensed film sporting a leaner 148-minute runtime. Woo reportedly always planned for the film to be released in such a manner, so you won’t be able to sling any angry harangues at Magnet if the American version turns out poorly. I don’t know how they can possibly compress the massive epic that was Red Cliff into just 148 minutes, but my guess is that much of the history has been left out in favor of preserving the big set pieces. I don’t know if that’ll make a good movie, but it’ll certainly cut a great trailer. Check it out below the jump.

You can also see it in HD here.

Many who have seen the two-volume Chinese version have praised it as a return to form for Woo, who in recent years had come to be known more for his empty style than any acumen for compelling storytelling. You can judge for yourself when the film hits theaters in limited release beginning November 20, 2009.

And for those interested, the official blurb for the film goes like this:

Legendary action cinema master John Woo and international superstar Tony Leung reunite for the first time since the 1992 classic HARD BOILED with this epic historical drama set based on a legendary 208 A.D. battle that heralded the end of the Han Dynasty. RED CLIFF opens with power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) seeking permission from the Han dynasty Emperor to organize a southward-bound mission designed to crush two troublesome warlords that stand in his way, Liu Bei (You Yong) and Sun Quan (Chang Chen). As the expedition gets under way, Cao Cao’s troops rain destruction on Liu Bei’s army, forcing the latter to retreat. Liu Bei’s military strategist Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) knows that their only hope for survival is to form an alliance with rival warlord Sun Quan, and reaches out to Sun Quan’s trusted advisor, war hero Zhou Yu (Tony Leung). Vastly outnumbered by Cao Cao’s fast approaching, brutal army, the rebel warlords band together to mount a heroic campaign unrivalled in history that changes the face of China forever. A massive hit in Asia and the most expensive Asian film production of all time, RED CLIFF is a breathtaking war epic that marks the triumphant return of John Woo.

Tags: Chen Chang, Fengyi Zhang, John Woo, Red Cliff, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung, Vicki Zao