1885年，法军进攻越南凉山，驻守清军不战而退，清朝政府的统治地位遭到威胁，慈禧召集众臣商讨派谁挂帅，最终启用了年近七旬的退隐老将冯子材（刘佩琦 饰），但当时广西军民已被法军的残忍手段吓破胆，有严重畏战情绪。为了激励军民，冯子材出奇兵成功伏击攻克龙临镇的北非雇佣军，生擒黑人上尉克拉克，并当众与其决斗，刀斩悍敌，振奋军心。 　　冯子材亲自勘察地形，修建关前隘，率领人马伏击尼格里的炮弹运输船，不料落入尼格里的陷阱，损失惨重。依南也遭法军生擒，所幸法军驻地的越南女子阮月偷偷放走了她，还给她指引了去找黑旗军将领刘永福的道路。被激怒的尼格里，不等炮弹和援军到来，就对关前隘发动了全面攻击，冯子材持刀率先杀敌，全军振奋，猛烈出击，与法军进行一场惨烈的白刃格斗……

The movie is based on a real historic event. During French's invading war against China in 1885, the French army took over Zhengnan Guan located in the Guangxi Province. Wishing to protect their beloved country, the 70 years old General Feng Zicai and his two sons volunteered to join the battle. The general understood it would be a difficult battle to win as the French soldiers held much more advanced equipment, resources and weapons. To show his devotion and determination, he brought his own coffin alongside with him to the war zone. He also utilized his experience with the Zhangnan Guan terrain to pave out strategies, made weapons applicable to their situations. These actions bolstered the morale tremendously, and prepared them well for the war. As a result, although the Chinese soldiers sustained heavy losses, they turned the tide of the battle and won.

Der Film basiert auf einem realen historischen Ereignis. Während des französischen Invasionskrieges gegen China im Jahr 1885 übernahm die französische Armee Zhengnan Guan in der Provinz Guangxi. In dem Wunsch, ihr geliebtes Land zu schützen, meldeten sich der 70-jährige General Feng Zicai und seine beiden Söhne freiwillig zum Kampf. Der General verstand, dass es schwierig sein würde zu gewinnen, da die französischen Soldaten über viel fortschrittlichere Ausrüstung, Ressourcen und Waffen verfügten. Um seine Hingabe und Entschlossenheit zu zeigen, brachte er seinen eigenen Sarg mit ins Kriegsgebiet. Diese Aktion stärkte die Moral enorm und obwohl die chinesischen Soldaten schwere Verluste erlitten, wendeten sie das Blatt und gewannen.

1885년, 프랑스군의 위협을 받은 청나라는 은퇴한 조정 관리인 70세의 풍자재에게 도움을 요청한다. 풍자재는 프랑스군의 잔인함과 막강한 무기에 겁을 먹은 청군과 백성들의 용기를 불어 넣기 위해 노력한다. 프랑스군을 습격하고, 프랑스 장교를 포로로 삼았고, 직접 지형을 탐사하여 프랑스군에게 심각한 타격을 입히며 군의 사기를 북돋았다. 하지만 이에 분노한 프랑스군은 전면 공격을 시작하는데...