70
Metascore
16 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisEpic in scope but intimate in theme, The Warlordsheaves with spectacular battles and the relentless sway of self-interest over conscience.
- 85NPRMark JenkinsNPRMark JenkinsIt's a surprisingly nuanced and sober tale of brotherhood and betrayal.
- 80EmpireKim NewmanEmpireKim NewmanThe guy story is so strong that conventional romantic interludes with the woman torn between two men could easily have been dropped.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterThe Hollywood ReporterAfter a career excelling in highbrow urban romances, Hong Kong director Peter Chan ("Perhaps Love") earns his spurs in his march into war epic territory.
- 80VarietyDerek ElleyVarietyDerek ElleyLaden with gritty action, but with an emotional undertow that carries the drama even through its weaker moments, picture reps a strong comeback by Hong Kong helmer-producer Peter Chan.
- 80Village VoiceVillage VoiceChan's old-fashioned, highly watchable mega-production comes complete with God's-eye surveys of mass carnage, the moist sounds of sword-skewering, and little or no discernible CGI.
- 80Los Angeles TimesBetsy SharkeyLos Angeles TimesBetsy SharkeyLike the best war movies do, director Peter Ho-Sun Chan has woven together an intimate story of men against a backdrop of history writ large.
- 75The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayThe A.V. ClubNoel MurrayThe Warlords relies too much on combat movie clichés and corny sentiment, weighted down by speeches about heroism and hypocrisy.
- 60Time OutKeith UhlichTime OutKeith UhlichThe film lurches through narrative incidents: Battle scenes, political intrigue and a ticking-time-bomb love triangle are all pitched at the level of mundane competence and rarely get the blood racing.
- 60New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierNew York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierThe scope of director Peter Chan's military drama is impressive, though this sometimes-rousing depiction of strategy and loyalty in mid-1800s China pales next to recent, similar historical epics like "Red Cliff" and "Mongol."