Overview
A gripping tale of sacrifice and survival unfolds as a fugitive fights for his family.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- bleak
- neon-lit
- tense
- late night viewing
- crime film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praise Diao Yinan’s stylish, inventive neo-noir direction, grounded action choreography, and socially observant crime storytelling.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Nighttime markets, railway areas, rain-slick streets, and stylized chase staging make the manhunt feel like a dark visual dance.
Zhou Zenong relies on Liu Aiai while being pursued by police and rival criminal forces, creating shifting loyalties during his flight.
The film locates its manhunt among peripheral urban spaces and precarious communities rather than glamorous criminal enclaves.
Critics specifically identify its blend of B-movie thrills, bold filmmaking choices, and thought-provoking social commentary.
Films like The Wild Goose Lake, and why
The Driver
shares nocturnal neo-noir atmosphere, fugitive protagonists, stylized pursuit, and morally ambiguous crime storytelling
Le Samouraï
shares minimalist crime plotting, solitary antiheroism, urban nightscapes, and cool procedural tension
Drive
shares neon-lit criminal underworlds, propulsive pursuit sequences, and heightened visual style grounded in genre mechanics
A Touch of Sin
shares Chinese crime-world fatalism, manhunt structure, social commentary, and starkly atmospheric direction
Movie Details
- Director
- Diao Yinan
- Release Date
- 2019-11-27
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (384)
Cast
- Hu Ge
- Gwei Lun-Mei
- Liao Fan
- Wan Qian
- Qi Dao
- Huang Jue
- Chloe Maayan
- Zhang Yicong
- Chen Yongzhong
- Li Zhipeng
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel
- 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 The Wild Goose Lake about?
- A hunted Chinese gangster and a wary woman navigate a nocturnal underworld where escape, loyalty, and sacrifice converge.
- What is The Wild Goose Lake like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Wild Goose Lake as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Wild Goose Lake violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Wild Goose Lake as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Wild Goose Lake?
- Critics broadly praise Diao Yinan’s stylish, inventive neo-noir direction, grounded action choreography, and socially observant crime storytelling.
- Which films are like The Wild Goose Lake?
- Films with a similar feel include The Driver, Le Samouraï, Drive, and A Touch of Sin.
- How long is The Wild Goose Lake?
- The Wild Goose Lake runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Wild Goose Lake?
- In United States, The Wild Goose Lake streams on Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel.
