The Emperor and The Assassin

In the 20th Century BC, Ying Zheng (Li Xuejian), heir to the Kingdom of Qin, seeks to dominate the remaining six Chinese kingdoms. Ying's strategy is to seem invincible. Ying sends his concubine Zhao (Gong Li) to the Han Kingdom as a spy, to enlist an assassin he can conquer. Zhao persuades Jing Ke (Fengyi Zhang), but falls in love. (synopsis by IMBD).

Starring Gong Li, Li Xuejian and Zhang Fengyi. Directed by Chen Kaige. Written by Wang Peigong and Chen Kaige. Produced by Chen Kaige, Shirley Kao and Satoru Iseki. A Sony Pictures Classics release. Drama. Mandarin-language; subtitled. Running time: 160 min.

Awards

Nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes, and the Grand Jury Prize at the Los Angelese Film Festival. Selected as one of the five best foreign films by the National Review Board.

Reviews

Box Office Online
"The elaborate and meticulous reconstruction of the violent historical area gives the film a genuine epic sweep. The battle scenes are particularly well-staged, and there are several tense and gripping scenes as secrets are revealed and the King turns even more violent. "

Stephen Holden, New York Times
"In its blend of pomp, suds, swashbuckling action and moralizing (about the price of power and imperial ambition), the movie conveys the sweep of history with a capital H."

More

Official Site
The official movie site for The Emperor and the Assassin.

Gong Li
Gong Li, the great Chinese actress, has earned an enormous following for performance in Farewell My Concubine and Temptress Moon.)

Chen Kaige
Find out more about this great Chinese director, famous for Temptress Moon, and Farewell My Concubine.