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The Assassin

Play trailer 2:33 Poster for The Assassin Released Oct 16, 2015 1h 45m Action Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 129 Reviews 48% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In ninth-century China, an exiled assassin (Shu Qi) must choose between love or duty when she receives orders to kill a man (Chang Chen) from her past.
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The Assassin

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Critics Consensus

The Assassin's thrilling visuals mark a fresh highlight for director Hsiao-hsien Hou, even if its glacial pace may keep some viewers at arm's length.

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Critics Reviews

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Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online I say this all to say that folks have been fallen all over themselves for the Chinese drama, THE ASSASSIN, which is indeed a solid film but nothing I haven't see before Sep 1, 2017 Full Review Mark Kermode Observer (UK) Magical and utterly mesmerising. Rated: 4/5 Jan 24, 2016 Full Review Roger Clarke Sight & Sound A film that gains greatly from second or third viewings. Jan 22, 2016 Full Review Jaime Grijalba Vague Visages One could think of The Assassin as a cinephile’s film, as it contains a visual language that requires a trained eye, but nonetheless, with the still attributes of the acting and the overall length of the shots, the film is still highly entertaining... Dec 4, 2023 Full Review Nathaniel Muir AIPT There is nothing wrong with a martial arts flick slowing things down, and it is refreshing to see a movie from the genre put so much effort in the production. However, this does not take away from the feeling that The Assassin lacks focus. Apr 29, 2023 Full Review Don Shanahan Every Movie Has a Lesson The high volume of posturing and portending weighs down "The Assassin" and will test your patience. Rated: 2/5 Aug 14, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Michael V It is extremely hard to follow, you never really know who anyone is or why they're doing anything. It also is one of the slowest movies I've ever seen. I was consistently bored as single shots linger for several minutes at a time with nothing happening. This would be fine for sweeping views of nature or something, but the director would also do it for shots of a character just standing there or something else as visually uninteresting. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/21/25 Full Review Leprechaun K A visually stunning film by acclaimed director Hsiao. Very slow paced so probably not for everyone, but those with the patience and an eye for art will be handsomely rewarded. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/25/25 Full Review Alan O Very slow moving movie. When there were fight scenes it was ok. Good acting... Just going at a snails pace. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/15/25 Full Review Alec B Yes the plot is mostly indecipherable but at a certain point you stop caring as I don't believe your supposed to be all that invested in the story. What matters are the visual and auditory elements such as the gorgeous cinematography, the panoramic backgrounds, and the way the sounds of nature seem to hijack every scene. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/13/23 Full Review Will K Mesmerizing. For those who like to slow down and smell the roses. Yes, I was confused often - needed a "program guide" to help me understand characters, motivations, historical context, etc. But, with patience - I got enough of the gist and grist to make it worth watching. So yes, a little prep - will make this even more entertaining (and understandable). Oh, and then there is Shu Qi - the perfect assassin of my heart. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/27/23 Full Review daniel l This is actually an arthouse movie and it is not a martial art movie. I think the movie's title and the trailer might have given people the wrong expectations about what it is. If you come to this movie and expecting to see an action packed, martial art film, then you are bound to be disappointed. The Assassin's excellence resides in the stunning cinematography, its simplicity, and the underlying philosophy, delivered by a nuanced, dream like storytelling. But this movie doesn't hold your hand. While the story has a complex political backdrop and the character dynamics are intricate, but the movie has little exposition. The narratives are fragmented, and dialogues are minimum. As a result this movie is not very accessible. It suffices to say this is not a commercial movie. The first time viewing is bound to be confusing. However, The Assassin will reward you if you are patient and willing to put in the efforts to understand its story. In my first viewing the movie thoroughly confused me, but afterwards for days I couldn't stop thinking about it, and I decided to watch it again. In my second viewing, the movie clicked for me and I came to appreciate its quiet beauty and its cinematic artistry. This movie is definitely not for everyone and I recommend it only to those cinema aficionados who like to watch arthouse movies. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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The Assassin

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Movie Info

Synopsis In ninth-century China, an exiled assassin (Shu Qi) must choose between love or duty when she receives orders to kill a man (Chang Chen) from her past.
Director
Hsiao-hsien Hou
Screenwriter
Cheng Ah, T'ien-wen Chu, Hsiao-hsien Hou, Hai-Meng Hsieh
Distributor
Well Go USA
Production Co
Central Motion Pictures Corporation, Sil-Metropole Organisation, Media Asia Films Ltd. [hk]
Genre
Action, Drama
Original Language
Chinese
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 16, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$632.5K
Runtime
1h 45m
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