"Red Cliff" is an epic historical drama set based on a legendary 208 A.D. battle that heralded the end of the Han Dynasty. The film opens with power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General Cao Cao (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 and Sun Quan. 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 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.