Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- irreverent
- cheerful
- lighthearted movie night
- action comedy marathon
What critics said
Critics found the film a silly but entertaining historical action comedy whose Chan-Wilson chemistry and inventive fight sequences outweigh its thin, arbitrary plot.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Chon Wang's martial arts and Chinese identity are placed within an English royal conspiracy and western-style buddy adventure.
The film turns late nineteenth-century London, royal intrigue, and characters such as Artie Doyle into a knowingly silly action-comedy playground.
Chon Wang's disciplined physicality and Roy O'Bannon's flamboyant improvisation drive the pair's pursuit across London.
Jackie Chan's fight sequences emphasize inventive props, acrobatics, comic reversals, and stunt-based spectacle.
Films like Shanghai Knights, and why
Shanghai Noon
shares broad buddy-comedy energy, martial-arts action, fish-out-of-water humor, and East-meets-West cultural collision
The Mummy
shares period adventure, comedic anachronism, globe-trotting conspiracy, and charismatic action-comedy leads
The Mask of Zorro
shares playful western adventure, comic chemistry, stunt-driven action, and a revenge-driven quest
Movie Details
- Director
- David Dobkin
- Release Date
- 2003-02-06
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (2518)
Cast
- Jackie Chan
- Owen Wilson
- Fann Wong
- Aidan Gillen
- Donnie Yen
- Tom Fisher
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson
- Alison King
- Constantine Gregory
- Anna-Louise Plowman
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Shanghai Knights about?
- A revenge-minded Chinese lawman and his flamboyant American partner crash through Victorian London to stop a royal assassination conspiracy.
- What is Shanghai Knights like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Shanghai Knights as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Shanghai Knights violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Shanghai Knights as moderate.
- What did critics think of Shanghai Knights?
- Critics found the film a silly but entertaining historical action comedy whose Chan-Wilson chemistry and inventive fight sequences outweigh its thin, arbitrary plot.
- Which films are like Shanghai Knights?
- Films with a similar feel include Shanghai Noon, The Mummy, and The Mask of Zorro.
- How long is Shanghai Knights?
- Shanghai Knights runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch Shanghai Knights?
- In United States, Shanghai Knights is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
