Best Asian Epics of the Past Two Decades
I prefer historical or fantasy settings, so there are many great films not included here. Yes, yes, I know.... there's relatively no Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee. Intentional ommissions I'm afraid. You don't have to agree with my choices :-)
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- DirectorSiu-Tung ChingStarsKelly ChenDonnie YenLeon LaiAfter the death of her father, a woman is forced to take over as empress and fight to save her kingdom.
- DirectorAng LeeStarsChow Yun-FatMichelle YeohZiyi ZhangA 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.
- DirectorYimou ZhangStarsChow Yun-FatGong LiJay ChouDuring 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.
- DirectorYimou ZhangStarsJet LiTony Leung Chiu-waiMaggie CheungA defense officer, Nameless, was summoned by the King of Qin regarding his success of terminating three warriors.
- DirectorYimou ZhangStarsZiyi ZhangTakeshi KaneshiroAndy LauA 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.
- DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenSimon YamSiu-Wong FanDuring 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.
- DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenXiaoming HuangSammo Kam-Bo HungCentering on Ip Man's migration to Hong Kong in 1949 as he attempts to propagate his discipline of Wing Chun martial arts.
- DirectorWoo-Ping YuenStarsRongguang YuDonnie YenJean WangA martial artist/doctor steals from the corrupt authorities as a masked thief to give to the poor while another martial artist/doctor is forced to hunt him down. But a major threat unites them as a powerful and traitorous shaolin monk takes over the authorities.
- DirectorLu-Chiang ChaoLan JingStarsDonnie YenBilly ChowWu MaDonnie Yen fights a deadly assassin named Tiger Yu and teaming a band of insurrectionists battling a malevolent gang of weapons smugglers.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsTony Leung Chiu-waiTakeshi KaneshiroFengyi ZhangThe first chapter of a two-part story centered on a battle fought in China's Three Kingdoms period (220-280 A.D.).
- DirectorJohn WooStarsTony Leung Chiu-waiTakeshi KaneshiroFengyi ZhangSecond and final part of epic tale about a legendary battle that changed the course of China history.
- DirectorKaige ChenStarsYou GeXueqi WangXiaoming HuangTo 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.
- DirectorYoung-jun KimStarsShin Hyeon-junYoon So-yiLee Seo-jinSo-ha, a deadly female warrior, is sent to find a exiled prince after the Killer Blade Army killed the royal family.
- DirectorBenny ChanStarsShaoqun YuChen ZhiuiXing YuAfter ambushing and killing his rival, losing everything in the process, dispirited warlord Hou Jie turns to a Shaolin monastery seeking salvation.
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsHideaki ItôKôichi SatôQuentin TarantinoA nameless gunfighter arrives in a town ripped apart by rival gangs and, though courted by both to join, chooses his own path.ok, guilty pleasure. this certainly doesn't belong with the rest of this list, but WTH.
- DirectorRob MinkoffStarsJackie ChanJet LiMichael AngaranoA 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.
- DirectorSiu-Tung ChingStarsJet LiShengyi HuangRaymond LamA master monk tries to protect a naive young physician from a thousand-year-old snake demon. A contest of psychic powers results in mayhem.
- DirectorPeter Ho-Sun ChanWai-Man YipStarsJet LiAndy LauTakeshi KaneshiroChina, 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.
- DirectorSngmoo LeeStarsJang Dong-GunKate BosworthGeoffrey RushA warrior-assassin is forced to hide in a small town in the American Badlands after refusing a mission.
- DirectorDaniel LeeStarsAndy LauSammo Kam-Bo HungMaggie QBased on "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" by Luo Guangzhong. It ranks as one of China's four most important pieces of literature.
- DirectorWoo-Ping YuenStarsWenzhuo ZhaoXun ZhouAndy OnChina, 1861: After rescuing the Qing prince from rebels, General Su retires to start a martial arts school. His foster brother betrays him and Su barely survives. Su has a new enemy to defeat.