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The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

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Theme: Chinese Cinema

Chinese Cinema has been with us since the beginnings of cinema itself. The majority of early films are either not available or were mundane productions made by the Chinese Communist state and do not fall under purview of discussion here.

Chinese cinema started to emerge onto the world stage in the 1980s with a series of lavish colour productions. There was the major worldwide success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), which popularised Chinese Cinema as its own entity. Following this, there have been a number of expensive, lushly made Wu Xia films produced.

China also produces a number of thrillers, romantic films, dramas and historical films for local consumption, although many genres popular in Western circles such as superhero and action films are not as common. There are some horror films, although the government officially disapproves of supernatural themes, and a small amount of science-fiction.

Chinese film audiences are one of the largest in the world and have a sizeable domestic box-office. Since the mid-2000s, Hollywood has attempted to court the Chinese box-office to the extent of importing Chinese actors and/or shooting scenes in China.

Hong Kong has a vibrant cinema of its own, which is discussed under Hong Kong Cinema, although all Hong Kong-made films after 1997 are classified as Chinese Cinema unless otherwise indicated.


2046 (2004)

24 June 200529 April 2021

Rating: ★★★★

Memories of Lost Relationships

Director: Wong Kar Wai
Actors: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li, Carina Lau, …
Category: Science Fiction

Bleeding Steel (2017)

29 February 20248 March 2025

Rating: ★★

SF Action Film

Director: Leo Zhang
Actors: Jackie Chan, Show Lo, Nanan Ou-Yang, Erica Xia-Hou, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Butcher, The Chef and the Swordsman (2010)

27 March 20116 February 2025

Rating: ★★

Chinese Swordsmen Fantasy

Director: Wuershan
Category: Fantasy

A Chinese Ghost Story (2011)

3 April 201424 September 2020

Rating: ★

Chinese Supernatural Fantasy/Ghost Romance

Director: Yip Wai Shun
Actors: Louis Koo, Kara Hui, Elvis Tsui
Category: Fantasy

A Chinese Tall Story (2005)

22 February 201812 April 2023

Rating: ★★

Gonzo Journey to the West Adaptation

Director: Jeffrey Lau
Actors: Nicholas Tse, Charlene Choi, Fan Bingbing, Steven Cheung
Category: Fantasy

Cinderella Moon (2010)

16 February 201319 April 2020

Rating: ★★

Chinese Version of Cinderella

Director: Richard Bowen
Category: Fantasy

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

11 December 20006 May 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Flying Swordsmen Fantasy

Director: Ang Lee
Actors: Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Pei-pei Ching
Category: Fantasy

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010)

7 August 201119 December 2020

Rating: ★★★½

Historical Detective/Flying Swordsmen Fantasy

Director: Tsui Hark
Actors: Andy Lau, Li Bingbing, Carina Lau, Tony Leung Ka-fai, …
Category: Fantasy

Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings (2018)

10 November 201914 July 2020

Rating: ★★½

Historical Detective/Flying Swordsmen Fantasy

Director: Tsui Hark
Actors: Mark Chao, Carina Lau
Category: Fantasy

Dragon Tiger Gate (2006)

10 November 20062 September 2020

Rating: ★★★

Hong Kong Martial Arts

Director: Wilson Yip
Actors: Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue, Wah Yuen, …
Category: Fantasy

Emperor Visits the Hell (2012)

11 October 201225 February 2020

Rating: ★★★

Modernised Journey to the West

Director: Li Luo
Category: Fantasy

Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011)

28 May 201315 November 2023

Rating: ★★★½

Flying Swordsmen/Wu Xia Film

Director: Tsui Hark
Actors: Jet Li
Category: Fantasy

Hero (2003)

25 July 200416 May 2020

Rating: ★★★★★

Flying Swordsmen Fantasy

Director: Zhang Yimou
Actors: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi, …
Category: Fantasy

House of Flying Daggers (2004)

22 February 200512 December 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Flying Swordsmen/Wu Xia Film

Director: Zhang Yimou
Actors: Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau
Category: Fantasy

Jade Dynasty (2019)

11 July 202211 July 2022

Rating: ★★★

Wu Xia Film

Director: Ching Siu-Tung
Actors: Xiao Zhan, Meng Meiqi, Li Qin, Qiu Xinzhi, …
Category: Fantasy

Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013)

7 April 201418 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Epic Chinese Legend/Comedy Prequel

Director: Stephen Chow
Actors: Wen Zhang, Shu Qi, Huang Bo, Ge Hang Yu, …
Category: Fantasy

Journey to the West: Demon Chapter (2017)

22 May 201718 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Epic Chinese Legend

Director: Tsui Hark
Actors: Kris Wu, Lin Gengxin, Yao Chen, Jelly Lin, …
Category: Fantasy

Just Another Pandora’s Box (2010)

1 February 20241 February 2024

Rating: ★★

Gonzo Comedy/Film Parody

Director: Jeffrey Lau
Actors: Ronald Cheng, Sun Li, Huang Bo, Yuen Biao, …
Category: Fantasy

Kung Fu Traveler (2017)

30 December 202430 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Time-Travelling Android/Martial Arts

Director: XianFeng Zhang
Actors: Tiger Chen, Wang Zhi, Yang Zhe, Liu Yi Lin, …
Category: Science Fiction

League of Gods (2016)

22 May 201726 December 2024

Rating: ★★★

Epic Chinese Fantasy

Director: Koan Xu
Actors: Jacky Heung, Jet Li, Wen Zhang, Angelababy, …
Category: Fantasy

The Legend of Zu (2018)

19 August 201919 August 2019

Rating: ★★★

Wu Xia Film

Director: Ling Feng Zhu
Category: Fantasy

Life After Life (2016)

13 October 201611 October 2023

Rating: ★★

Chinese Possession Story

Director: Hanyi Zhang
Actors: Zhang Mingjun, Zhang Li
Category: Fantasy

Longing for the Rain (2013)

11 October 201327 August 2021

Rating: ★★½

Woman’s Mystery Dream Lover

Director: Lina Yang
Category: Fantasy

Lost in the Pacific (2016)

20 June 201731 May 2022

Rating: ★

Disaster Movie/Mutant Cats on a Plane

Director: Vincent Zhou
Actors: Brandon Routh, Zhang Yuqi, Russell Wong, Bernice Jan Liu, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Magic Flying Mouse

2 January 199930 August 2018

Rating: ★★

Chinese Flying Swordsmen Fantasy

Category: Fantasy

The Magic Legs (1989)

5 July 19994 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Chinese Martial Arts

Director: Wenhua Li
Actors: Wang Qun
Category: Fantasy

The Mermaid (2016)

4 September 201621 June 2020

Rating: ★★

Mermaid Comedy

Director: Stephen Chow
Actors: Jelly Lin, Deng Chao, Show Lo, Zhang Yu Qi, …
Category: Fantasy

The Monkey King 2 (2016)

5 August 20164 November 2019

Rating: ★★★

Epic Chinese Legend

Director: Soi Cheang
Actors: Aaron Kwok, Gong Li, William Feng, Xiao Shen Yang, …
Category: Fantasy

The Monkey King (2014)

8 September 201427 October 2020

Rating: ★★½

Epic Chinese Legend

Director: Soi Cheang
Actors: Donnie Yen, Chow Yun Fat, Aaron Kwok, Peter Ho, …
Category: Fantasy

The Monkey King 3 (2018)

16 April 20189 October 2019

Rating: ★★

Epic Chinese Legend

Director: Soi Cheang
Actors: William Feng, Aaron Kwok, Xiao Shen Yang, Him Law, …
Category: Fantasy

Monkey King: Hero is Back (2015)

27 November 201927 November 2019

Rating: ★★

Animation/Epic Chinese Legend

Director: Tian Xiao Peng
Category: Fantasy

The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven (1965)

25 October 201215 October 2019

Rating: ★★★½

Chinese Animation/Journey to the West Adaptation

Director: Wan Laiming
Category: Fantasy

Monster Hunt 2 (2018)

20 January 202120 January 2021

Rating: ★

Chinese Monsters and Hunters Comedy

Director: Raman Hui
Actors: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Bai Baihe, Jing Boran, Li Yuchun, …
Category: Fantasy

Monster Hunt (2015)

6 February 20169 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Chinese Monsters and Hunters Comedy

Director: Raman Hui
Actors: Jing Boran, Bai Baihe, Jiang Wu, Elaine Jiu, …
Category: Fantasy

Moon Man (2022)

14 January 202414 January 2024

Rating: ★★½

Last Man Alive Abandoned on the Moon Comedy

Director: Zhang Chiyu
Actors: Shen Teng, Ma Li, Hao Han, Chang Yuan, …
Category: Science Fiction

Mr. Tree (2011)

31 December 201119 February 2024

Rating: ★★

Life in Rural China/Advice from Ghosts

Director: Jie Han
Actors: Wang Baoqiang, Tan Zhuo
Category: Fantasy

Mutant Ghost Wargirl (2022)

15 February 202415 February 2024

Rating: ★★

Chinese Cyberpunk/Mutant Superpowers

Director: Liu Binjie
Actors: Miu Qimiya, Li Mingxuan, Liu Beige, Cui Zhenzhen, …
Category: Science Fiction

Phantom of the Theatre (2016)

19 February 20174 February 2025

Rating: ★★

Chinese Version of The Phantom of the Opera

Director: Yip Wai Man
Actors: Ruby Lin, Yo Yang, Simon Yam, Huang Huan, …
Category: Horror

Reign of Assassins (2010)

14 September 201223 December 2021

Rating: ★★

Chinese Flying Swordsmen Film

Director: Chao Bin-Su
Actors: Michelle Yeoh, Shawn Yue, Barbie Hsu, Leon Dai, …
Category: Fantasy

Restart the Earth (2021)

11 June 202319 December 2023

Rating: ★★

Earth Overrun by Plants

Director: Lin Zhenzhao
Actors: Mickey He, Zhang Ming-Can, Mi Luo, Li Ning, …
Category: Science Fiction

Shanghai Fortress (2019)

2 March 202011 June 2023

Rating: ★★

Chinese Alien Invasion Film

Director: Teng Huatao
Actors: Lu Han, Shu Qi, Geoffrey Gao
Category: Science Fiction

The Sorcerer and the White Snake (2011)

1 September 20124 August 2022

Rating: ★★★

Wu Xia Film

Director: Ching Siu-Tung
Actors: Jet Li, Raymond Lam, Shengyi Huang, Charlene Choi, …
Category: Fantasy

Sword Master (2016)

16 February 202116 February 2021

Rating: ★★★

Wu Xia Film

Director: Derek Yee
Actors: Lin Gengxin, Peter Ho, Jiang Yiyan, Jiang Mengie, …
Category: Fantasy

Taichi Hero (2012)

13 February 20144 June 2020

Rating: ★★

Wu Xia Film

Director: Stephen Fung
Actors: Jayden Yuan, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Angelababy, Eddie Peng Yu-Yen, …
Category: Fantasy

Taichi Zero (2012)

30 July 20134 April 2025

Rating: ★★

Wu Xia Film

Director: Stephen Fung
Actors: Jayden Yuan, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Eddie Peng Yu-Yen, Angelbaby, …
Category: Fantasy

Thomas Mao (2010)

22 June 201522 November 2024

Rating: ★★½

Film About Friendships with Flying Swordsmen and Aliens

Director: Zhu Wen
Actors: Thomas Rohdewald, Mao Yan
Category: Fantasy

The Thousand Faces of Dunjia (2017)

30 December 201816 February 2021

Rating: ★★

Wu Xia/Flying Swordsman Fantasy

Director: Yuen Wo Ping
Actors: Da Peng, Ni Ni, Aarif Lee, Zhou Dongyu, …
Category: Fantasy

Time Raiders (2016)

20 January 201718 December 2020

Rating: ★★

Tomb-Raiding Adventures

Director: Daniel Lee
Actors: Jing Boran, Lu Han, Wang Jingchun, Ma Sichun, …
Category: Fantasy

Vampire Cleanup Department (2017)

16 February 201827 May 2025

Rating: ★★½

Hopping Vampire Comedy

Director: Chiu Sin Hang, Yan Pak Wing
Actors: Babyjohn Choi, Lin Min Chen, Chin Siu Ho, Ng Yiu Hon, …
Category: Horror

The Wandering Earth (2019)

26 May 201930 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Moving the Earth/Mass Destruction Spectacle

Director: Frant Gwo
Actors: Qu Chuxiao, Wu Jing, Zhao Jinnai, Ng Man Tat, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Wandering Earth II (2023)

9 December 202313 April 2024

Rating: ★★★

Moving the Earth/Mass Destruction Spectacle

Director: Frant Gwo
Actors: Andy Lau, Wu Jing, Li Xuejian, Wang Zhi, …
Category: Science Fiction

What Women Want (2011)

27 July 20128 June 2025

Rating: ★★

Man Can Read Womens’ Minds/Romantic Comedy

Director: Chen Daming
Actors: Andy Lau, Gong Li, Russell Wong, Osric Chau
Category: Fantasy

A Writer’s Odyssey (2021)

14 November 202214 November 2022

Rating: ★★

Meta-Fiction

Director: Lu Yang
Actors: Lei Jiayin, Yang Mi, Dong Zijian, Hewei Yu, …
Category: Fantasy

Wu Dang (2012)

17 December 2020

Rating: ★★

Martial Arts/Wu Xia Fantasy

Director: Patrick Leung
Actors: Vincent Zhao, Yang Mi, Xu Jiao, Louis Fan, …
Category: Fantasy

The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity (2020)

16 May 202216 May 2022

Rating: ★★★

Wu Xia Film

Director: Geo Jing Ming
Actors: Mark Chao, Allen Deng, Olivia Wang, Jessie Le, …
Category: Fantasy

Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon (2013)

2 December 20136 October 2019

Rating: ★★★

Historical Detective/Flying Swordsmen Fantasy

Director: Tsui Hark
Actors: Mark Chao, Angelababy, Feng Shaofeng, Lin Gengxin, …
Category: Fantasy

Zhongkui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal (2015)

28 November 20166 December 2021

Rating: ★★½

Film

Director: Peter Pau, Zhao Tianyu
Actors: Chen Kun, Li Bingbing, Winston Chao, Yang Zishan, …
Category: Fantasy

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Contact Moria

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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