Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- mythic
- propulsive
- melodramatic
- martial arts movie night
- action double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly recognized the film's energetic martial arts set pieces and mythic ambition, while finding its overlong storytelling and simplistic characters uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Su Qi-Er's fall from Qing general and family man to the legendary King of Beggars forms the film's central arc.
Su receives visionary training from the God of Wushu and the Old Sage, embodiments of mystical martial wisdom.
The Qing-era revenge story incorporates the Eight Immortals, the God of Wushu, and fantastical martial arts imagery.
Yuan Lie's kidnapping of Su's son and attempt on Su's life propel the conflict and motivate his pursuit of mastery.
Films like True Legend, and why
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
stylized wuxia action, mythic heroism, elaborate wire-fu choreography
Hero
historical chinese martial arts spectacle, tragic rivalries, vivid period grandeur
Kung Fu Hustle
fantasy-inflected kung fu, revenge narrative, heightened visual action
Ip Man
period martial arts drama centered on discipline, legacy, and legendary status
Movie Details
- Director
- Yuen Woo-ping
- Release Date
- 2010-02-09
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (248)
Cast
- Vincent Zhao Wenzhuo
- Zhou Xun
- Andy On Chi-Kit
- Guo Xiaodong
- Jay Chou
- Michelle Yeoh
- Feng Xiaogang
- David Carradine
- Cung Le
- Gordon Liu
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Hi-YAH Amazon Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is True Legend about?
- A fallen Qing general enters a mystical martial arts odyssey to rescue his son, defeat his treacherous brother, and become a living legend.
- What is True Legend like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of True Legend as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is True Legend violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in True Legend as graphic.
- What did critics think of True Legend?
- Critics broadly recognized the film's energetic martial arts set pieces and mythic ambition, while finding its overlong storytelling and simplistic characters uneven.
- Which films are like True Legend?
- Films with a similar feel include Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, Kung Fu Hustle, and Ip Man.
- How long is True Legend?
- True Legend runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch True Legend?
- In United States, True Legend streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Hi-YAH Amazon Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
