As one of China’s “Big Four” talents, Zhao is clearly no stranger to pan-Asian audiences, and to some extent, the international audience. This year, she caught my attention with her portrayal of historical figure Sun Shangxiang in John Woo’s major epic Battle of Redcliff aka the Battle of Chibi. Historically, there was a real Sun Shangxiang living during the Three Kingdoms Era of China. However, any factual knowledge about her is inextricably bound to the romanticized Chinese epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and in popular media, she’s like the Chinese version of Artemis. A few things are true: her brother was Eastern Wu ruler Sun Quan, she was briefly married to Emperor Liu Bei, and she had a notable capacity and skill for combat.
Rather than play into any of the various myths surrounding Sun Shangxiang, Zhao pulled off a stunning performance as a spunky tomboy eager to prove her chops in battle, as well proving to be the real strength and brains behind her brother, a tepid ruler. But more than that, she did so whilst simultaneously expressing her character’s devil-may-care take on life. Yoking together contradictory character traits is one thing, but making them harmonize as a cohesive character is quite another, and Zhao did this superbly
In a film about ancient rulers and displays of testosterone, Zhao created a female character that razed traditional power plays. Although she could’ve easily called it a day by playing either the petulant brat or the scary ball buster, she managed to meld them both together into an accessible character of charm and girlish flair. Moreover, Zhao’s performance was an incredible capture of an individual torn between familial expectations and personal aspirations, something any person – man or woman – in any generation can identify with. Even with a supporting role within the ridiculously huge ensemble cast, Zhao managed to turn this period piece into a film for all the ages.
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