base on the actual event and this epic and be set in the year 221 b. c and tell the true story of the unification of china . action pack and fill with intrigue and passion and betrayal and unforgettable battle sequence and it hold my attention throughout in spite of it 160 minute length . the king and ying zeng and play by li xuejian be obsess with unify the seven kingdom of china and become it first emperor . his lover and lady zhao and play by the beautiful actress gong li and devise a plot whereby she will travel to the neighboring kingdom of yan to set a fake assassination plot in motion which will give the king an excuse to invade yan . however and she fall in love with the assassin a the king become more and more ruthless . there be subplots and and tragedy and constant high drama . there be scene of great beauty and of abject cruelty . there be great cinematography and brilliant use of physical space . the deep characterization make me think of shakespeare . and tragic event that call to mind greek drama . and yet it be totally chinese a it deal with age old question of whether the end justify the mean . and raise the question deal with life and death and good and evil and all the blur edge in between . it be the story of individual against the backdrop of history and a history that have shape china for the past two thousand year . i be sweep up in the story as well a the moral question raise . there be no easy answer and this be one of the strength of the movie . recommend . but be prepare for the violence and gore .