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Once Upon a Time in China

1991 · 133 min

A sweeping, earnest martial-arts epic that mixes thrilling fights with a somber meditation on a nation under siege.

Tagline
Never was a Hero needed more...
Overview
In late 19th-century Canton, legendary hero Wong Fei-Hung battles foreign forces' (English, French and American) plundering of China. When Aunt Yee returns from America totally westernised, Wong assumes the role of protector. This proves difficult when his martial arts school and local militia become involved in fierce battles with foreign and local governments. As violence escalates, even Aunt Yee has to question her new western ideals, but is it possible to fight guns with Kung Fu?

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Stream in the UK
  • Amazon Prime Video
More options Data from JustWatch
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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • earneststrength 3 of 3
  • tensestrength 2 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 2 of 3
  • romanticstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • colonialism
  • identity
  • justice
  • trauma
  • loyalty
Places
  • small town
  • big city
Era
period
Audience
teen
Form
  • serialised
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language mild
  • Violence strong
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action8
Horror2
Humour4
Realism6
Romance4
Tension7
Darkness6
Complexity6
Emotional weight7

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Where to watch in the UK

Stream
  • Amazon Prime Video
Rent or buy
  • Amazon Video

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres
action, drama
Directed by
Tsui Hark
Written by
Yuen Kai-chi, Edward Leung Yiu-ming, Elsa Tang Bik-Yin, Tsui Hark
Starring
Jet Li, Yuen Biao, Jacky Cheung Hok-yau, Rosamund Kwan Chi-Lam, Kent Cheng Jak-si, Yuen Gam-Fai, Yen Shi-Kwan, Lau Shun
Music
Romeo Díaz, James Wong Jim
Cinematography
Arthur Wong Ngok-tai, Wilson Chan Pui-Ka
Runtime
133 min
Country
Hong Kong
Languages
Cantonese, English, French

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