Overview
A tale of loyalty and betrayal unfolds in ancient China as political machinations threaten to tear apart a kingdom.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- austere
- tragic
- intense
- historical drama night
- arthouse cinema viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as an ambitious and visually impressive historical epic, distinguished by its political complexity and performances despite its demanding length.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Qin king's political project is inseparable from cruelty, coercion, and the erosion of personal loyalties.
Lady Zhao's relationship with the rival kingdom and the assassin's mission are shaped by the king's political plot.
The story focuses on the Qin court, rival kingdoms, occupying power, and the king's escalating cruelty.
The film's long-form historical setting and court-centered narrative foreground ritualized spaces, costumes, and political spectacle.
Films like The Emperor and the Assassin, and why
Raise the Red Lantern
historical political drama centered on power, state formation, and morally compromised rulers
Curse of the Golden Flower
epic Chinese historical drama combining court intrigue, romance, and authoritarian power
Hero
stylized period drama about political violence, sacrifice, and competing visions of governance
The Last Emperor
serious historical epic in which personal loyalty collides with national ambition and political manipulation
Movie Details
- Director
- Chen Kaige
- Release Date
- 1998-10-08
- Runtime
- 162 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (87)
Cast
- Gong Li
- Zhang Fengyi
- Li Xuejian
- Wang Zhiwen
- Sun Zhou
- Chen Kaige
- Pan Changjiang
- Zhao Benshan
- Ding Haifeng
- Zhou Xun
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 The Emperor and the Assassin about?
- A grand, tragic Chinese historical epic about a concubine caught between an assassin's mission, personal loyalty, and a tyrant's campaign to unify the realm.
- What is The Emperor and the Assassin like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Emperor and the Assassin as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Emperor and the Assassin violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Emperor and the Assassin as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Emperor and the Assassin?
- Critics broadly regard the film as an ambitious and visually impressive historical epic, distinguished by its political complexity and performances despite its demanding length.
- Which films are like The Emperor and the Assassin?
- Films with a similar feel include Raise the Red Lantern, Curse of the Golden Flower, Hero, and The Last Emperor.
- How long is The Emperor and the Assassin?
- The Emperor and the Assassin runs 162 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Emperor and the Assassin?
- In United States, The Emperor and the Assassin is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
