Epic Orient Fighting Films Post Millenium
by zachos_pttp | created - 08 Jan 2015 | updated - 09 Jan 2015 | PublicThe elements of these films are epicness, struggle, heroism in the Historic Orient (mostly China). Must see films for any movie fan (some people regard them as Asian counter-propaganda!). Honorable mention to Enter the Dragon, Legend of the Drunken Master, Once upon a time in China, Iron Monkey, Akira Kurosawa -> (Sanjuro, Yojimbo, Ran, the Seven Samurai), Goyokin and many many more (I am ignorant or oblivious of)...
P.S. -You have offended my faaaamily and you have offended a shaolin temple!
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1. Harakiri (1962)
Not Rated | 133 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
When a ronin requesting seppuku at a feudal lord's palace is told of the brutal suicide of another ronin who previously visited, he reveals how their pasts are intertwined - and in doing so challenges the clan's integrity.
Director: Masaki Kobayashi | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita, Tetsurô Tanba
Votes: 68,677
Timeless. Epic.
2. Hero (2002)
PG-13 | 120 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A defense officer, Nameless, was summoned by the King of Qin regarding his success of terminating three warriors.
Director: Yimou Zhang | Stars: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang
Votes: 187,655 | Gross: $53.71M
3. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
PG-13 | 120 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.
Director: Ang Lee | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang, Chang Chen
Votes: 281,633 | Gross: $128.08M
4. The Twilight Samurai (2002)
129 min | Drama, Romance
As the feudal Japan era draws to a close, a widower samurai experiences difficulty balancing clan loyalties, 2 young daughters, an aged mother, and the sudden reappearance of his childhood sweetheart.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa, Nenji Kobayashi, Ren Ôsugi
Votes: 25,509
5. When the Last Sword Is Drawn (2002)
Not Rated | 143 min | Drama, History
A samurai goes to extraordinary lengths to provide for his family.
Director: Yôjirô Takita | Stars: Kiichi Nakai, Kôichi Satô, Yui Natsukawa, Takehiro Murata
Votes: 5,360
6. The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003)
R | 116 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
The blind masseur/swordsman comes to a town in control of warring gangs, and while bunking with a farming family, he meets two women with their own agenda.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano, Yui Natsukawa, Michiyo Yasuda
Votes: 51,536 | Gross: $0.85M
7. House of Flying Daggers (2004)
PG-13 | 119 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A romantic police captain breaks a beautiful member of a rebel group out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem.
Director: Yimou Zhang | Stars: Ziyi Zhang, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, Dandan Song
Votes: 116,264 | Gross: $11.05M
8. Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
R | 114 min | Action, Drama, Romance
During China's Tang dynasty the emperor has taken the princess of a neighboring province as wife. She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. Now his control over his dominion is complete, including the royal family itself.
Director: Yimou Zhang | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou, Ye Liu
Votes: 45,963 | Gross: $6.57M
10. Bulletproof Monk (2003)
PG-13 | 104 min | Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Based on the very underground comic book of the same name, a Tibetan monk becomes a mentor to a young street punk and tries teaching him how to protect the scroll of ultimate power from a secret Nazi organization bent on world domination.
Director: Paul Hunter | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott, Jaime King, Karel Roden
Votes: 52,207 | Gross: $23.02M
11. The Myth (2005)
PG-13 | 122 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Archeologist Jack keeps having reoccurring dreams of a past life, where he is the great general Meng Yi, who is sworn to protect a princess named Ok-Soo. Jack decides to go investigate everything with his friend William.
Director: Stanley Tong | Stars: Bing Shao, Jackie Chan, Weixing Yao, Jianzhong Zhang
Votes: 16,315
12. The Warlords (2007)
R | 126 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
China, 1860s: Having his army slaughtered, General Qingyun joins 2 bandit leaders in raids on rebels and in blood oath. They form a Qing loyal army with eyes on rebel held Suzhou and Nanjing.
Directors: Peter Ho-Sun Chan, Wai-Man Yip | Stars: Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jinglei Xu
Votes: 27,818 | Gross: $0.13M
13. Red Cliff (2008)
R | 148 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The first chapter of a two-part story centered on a battle fought in China's Three Kingdoms period (220-280 A.D.).
Director: John Woo | Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Fengyi Zhang, Chang Chen
Votes: 48,497 | Gross: $0.63M
14. The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
PG-13 | 104 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A discovery made by a kung fu obsessed American teen sends him on an adventure to ancient China, where he joins up with a band of martial arts warriors in order to free the imprisoned Monkey King.
Director: Rob Minkoff | Stars: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano, Juana Collignon
Votes: 109,540 | Gross: $52.08M
15. Red Cliff II (2009)
142 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Second and final part of epic tale about a legendary battle that changed the course of China history.
Director: John Woo | Stars: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Fengyi Zhang, Chang Chen
Votes: 25,355 | Gross: $0.63M
16. Ip Man (2008)
R | 106 min | Action, Biography, Drama
During the Japanese invasion of China, a wealthy martial artist is forced to leave his home when his city is occupied. With little means of providing for themselves, Ip Man and the remaining members of the city must find a way to survive.
Director: Wilson Yip | Stars: Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Siu-Wong Fan, Ka-Tung Lam
Votes: 233,608
17. Confucius (2010)
TV-MA | 125 min | Biography, Drama, History
The life story of the highly-influential Chinese philosopher, Confucius.
Director: Mei Hu | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Xun Zhou, Jianbin Chen, Quan Ren
Votes: 3,989
18. Little Big Soldier (2010)
PG-13 | 96 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
An old soldier kidnaps a young General of an enemy state and takes him on a long journey to collect the reward.
Director: Sheng Ding | Stars: Jackie Chan, Leehom Wang, Yoo Seung-jun, Peng Lin
Votes: 16,017
19. Sacrifice (2010)
R | 122 min | Action, Drama, History
To save the only child of the Zhao Family, whose entire clan was massacred at the hands of a nefarious minister, a doctor sacrifices his own son; after the Zhao child grows up, the doctor becomes intent on seeking his vengeance.
Director: Kaige Chen | Stars: You Ge, Xueqi Wang, Xiaoming Huang, Bingbing Fan
Votes: 2,490
20. Shaolin (2011)
R | 131 min | Action, Drama
After ambushing and killing his rival, losing everything in the process, dispirited warlord Hou Jie turns to a Shaolin monastery seeking salvation.
Director: Benny Chan | Stars: Shaoqun Yu, Chen Zhiui, Xing Yu, Jing Wu
Votes: 20,153 | Gross: $0.06M
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