Movies like The Emperor and the Assassin
If you like "The Emperor and the Assassin" you are looking for epic, serious and captivating movies about / with assassination, emperor, mistress, kingdom, bow and arrow, betrayal and assassin themes of Drama, History and Romance genre shot in China or Japan.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps:
1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below).
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The Emperor and the Assassin (1998)
6K

Original name: 荆轲刺秦王
Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: China, Japan, France
Duration: 162 min.
Story:
In pre-unified China, the King of Qin sends his concubine to a rival kingdom to produce an assassin for a political plot, but as the king's cruelty mounts she finds her loyalty faltering.
Style:
epic, serious, captivating, realistic, visually appealing, breathtaking, complex, stylized, allegory, dramatic ...
Plot:
assassination, emperor, mistress, kingdom, bow and arrow, betrayal, assassin, heroes, politics, love triangle, love and romance, ambition, fall in love, blind ambition, dishonesty, rise to the top, deadly, rivalry, state affairs, save the kingdom, sword fight, murder, spy, army, king ...
Time:
18th century
Place:
china, ancient china, asia, spain
Most similar movies to The Emperor and the Assassin
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out serious, realistic, stylized and captivating films with plots about betrayal, state affairs, love and romance, brutality, culture clash, beautiful scenery and runaway mostly in Drama, History and Romance genres. Some movies like The Emperor and the Assassin: Raise the Red Lantern (1991), Red Cliff (2008), Curse of the Golden Flower (2006), Temptress Moon (1996), Farewell My Concubine (1993). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
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Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
China in the 1920s. After her father's death, 19 year old Songlian is forced to marry the much older lord of a powerful family. With three wives already, each living in a separate house within the great castle, there is fierce competition for ...
Style:
atmospheric, realistic, serious, stylized, intense ...
Plot:
mistress, feminism, jealousy, intrigue, insanity, wealth, dignity, tragic event, love triangle, young woman, arranged marriage, resentment ...
Time:
1920s, 20th century, 20s
Place:
china, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
44K

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, USA
Duration: 288 min.
Story:
In 208 A.D., in the final days of the Han Dynasty, shrewd Prime Minster Cao convinced the fickle Emperor Han the only way to unite all of China was to declare war on the kingdoms of Xu in the west and East Wu in the south. Thus began a military ...
Style:
epic, realistic, exciting, serious, brutal ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
battles, war, strategy, martial arts, war hero, state affairs, siblings relations, heroic mission, adventure, heroes, danger, tragic hero ...
Time:
ancient history
Place:
china, ancient china, asia, hong kong
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%

Genre: Action, Drama, History, Romance
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
During China's Tang dynasty the emperor has taken the princess of a neighboring province as wife. She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. Now his control over his dominion is complete, including the royal family itself.
Style:
sexy, captivating, serious, epic, colourful ...
Plot:
royal family, martial arts, betrayal, empress, forbidden love, punishment, execution, dysfunctional family, poison, emperor, infidelity, love affair ...
Time:
7th century, middle ages, 10th century, 1930s
Place:
china, asia, tokyo
⇓ similarity ⇓
51%

Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
Set in the decadent 1920s, Temptress Moon tells the very complicated story of a wealthy family living on the outskirts of Shanghai. Their youngest daughter, Ruyi, is brought up as a servant to her opium-addicted father and brother. Meanwhile, her ...
Style:
stylized, serious, realistic, captivating, suspenseful ...
Plot:
gangsters, family relations, opium, blackmail, addiction, rise and fall, dishonesty, romance, unfulfillment, love and romance, gang, master and servant ...
Time:
1910s, 1920s, 20th century
Place:
china, shanghai, asia, tokyo, japan ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
46%
Movie in collections

Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 171 min.
Story:
Abandoned by his prostitute mother in 1920, Douzi was raised by a theater troupe. There he meets Shitou and over the following years the two develop an act entitled, "Farewell My Concubine," that brings them fame and fortune. When Shitou ...
Style:
stylized, emotional, atmospheric, realistic, serious ...
Plot:
gays and lesbians, gender bending, love triangle, homosexual, friendship, prostitute, suicide, communism, marriage, teacher, actor, opera ...
Time:
1920s, 1930s, 60s, 70s, 1940s ...
Place:
china, beijing china, asia, japan, taiwan ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
43%
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Genre: Crime, Drama, History, Romance, Thriller
Country: France, China
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
A provincial boy related to a Shanghai crime family is recruited by his uncle into cosmopolitan Shanghai in the 1930s to be a servant to a ganglord's mistress.
Style:
stylized, atmospheric, clever, captivating, tense ...
Plot:
coming of age, gangsters, murder, island, triad, mistress, master and servant, vengeance, gang, crimes, crime, society ...
Time:
1930s, 20th century, 30s
Place:
china, shanghai, asia, tokyo
⇓ similarity ⇓
42%

Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: China
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
In 500 B.C., during Chinas famed 'Spring and Autumn Period', Kong Ze (Confucius), a commoner reverred for his outstanding wisdom, is made Minister of Law in the ancient Kingdom of Lu. Under his inspired leadership, Lu ascends to new ...
Style:
contemplative, realistic, serious, captivating, epic ...
Plot:
human nature, human spirit, politics, battles, historical figure, society, political unrest, heroes, hopes, state affairs, leadership, historic figure ...
Time:
ancient history
Place:
ancient china, china, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%

Genre: Action, Drama, History, Romance
Country: Hong Kong, China
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
After the death of her father, a woman is forced to take over as empress and fight to save her kingdom.
Style:
stylized, captivating, tense, serious, epic
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
empress, betrayal, swordsman, martial arts, political unrest, adventure, state affairs, deadly, daring rescue, dishonesty, uninhibited rivalry, battle zone ...
Time:
ancient history
Place:
ancient china, asia, china
⇓ similarity ⇓
38%
Movie in collections

Genre: Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: China
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
An old leper who owned a remote sorghum winery dies. Jiu'er, the wife bought by the leper, and her lover, identified only as "my Grandpa" by the narrator, take over the winery and set up an idealized quasi-matriarchal community headed ...
Style:
tense, serious, realistic, sincere, epic ...
Plot:
sino japanese war, world war two, society, state affairs, love and romance, war, unfulfillment, village, village life, wartime life, love affair, couple relations ...
Time:
1920s, 20th century, 20s, 1940s, 1930s
Place:
china, asia, japan, tokyo, berlin germany
⇓ similarity ⇓
36%

Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: China, Japan
Duration: 95 min.
Story:
A woman married to the brutal and infertile owner of a dye mill in rural China conceives a boy with her husband's nephew but is forced to raise her son as her husband's heir without revealing his parentage in this circular tragedy. Filmed ...
Style:
thought provoking, realistic, biting, suspense, contemplative ...
Plot:
adultery, murder, infidelity, marital abuse, abuse, patricide, sadism, drowning, spouse abuse, dishonesty, crumbling marriage, love and romance ...
Time:
1920s, 20th century, 20s
Place:
china, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
34%
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Genre: Drama, History
Country: China
Duration: 107 min.
Story:
In the year 198 BC, Cao Cao (Chow Yun Fat), Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty, ventured to the east and defeated China's greatest warrior Lu Bu, terrifying every ambitious warlord across the country. Several years later, after taking the Han ...
Style:
exciting, serious, epic, realistic, stylized ...
Plot:
hidden identity, adventure, assassin, political conspiracy, state affairs, deadly, rivalry, political intrigue, assassination, head of state, assassination attempt, graphic violence ...
Time:
ancient history
Place:
china, asia, ancient china
⇓ similarity ⇓
34%

Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 148 min.
Story:
The story of the romance between the King of Siam (now Thailand) and the widowed British school teacher Anna Leonowens during the 1860s. Anna teaches the children and becomes romanced by the King. She convinces him that a man can be loved by just ...
Style:
serious, captivating, romantic, stylized, emotional ...
Audience:
girls' night, chick flick
Plot:
interracial relations, royal family, love and romance, fall in love, social differences, forbidden love, opposites attract, culture clash, palace, politics, royal court, couple relations ...
Time:
19th century, victorian era, 1860s
Place:
thailand, asia, burma, southeast asia, england
⇓ similarity ⇓
33%

Genre: Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Austria
Duration: 200 min.
Story:
Caesar Augustus tells of how he became the emperor to his reluctant daughter, Julia following the death of her husband Agrippa.
Style:
exciting, serious, epic, stylized, realistic ...
Plot:
roman empire, politics, emperor, betrayal, assassination, intrigue, ancient rome, tragic hero, ambition, leadership, rivalry, romance ...
Time:
ancient history, 1st century b.c., 1st century
Place:
rome italy, europe, alexandria egypt, macedonia, spain ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
31%

Genre: Drama, History
Country: China
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
For generations the Zhao family has wielded power, until their mortal enemy TU’AN GU slaughters the entire clan, determined to wipe out their influence forever. But one Zhao baby survives hidden by CHENG YING the doctor who delivered him. When ...
Style:
serious, suspenseful, exciting, atmospheric, stylized ...
Plot:
orphan, uninhibited rivalry, vengeance, betrayal, master warrior, disorder, haunted by the past, hidden identity, murder, dishonesty, graphic violence, parents and children ...
Time:
ancient history
Place:
ancient china, china, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
31%
13K

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: Italy, USA
Duration: 182 min.
Story:
Epic film of the legendary Spanish hero, Rodrigo Diaz ("El Cid" to his followers), who, without compromising his strict sense of honour, still succeeds in taking the initiative and driving the Moors from Spain.
Style:
epic, stylized, serious, realistic, exciting ...
Plot:
knight, convent, tragic hero, siege, battles, treason, betrayal, adventure, assassination, on the run, dishonesty, state affairs ...
Time:
11th century, middle ages
Place:
spain, europe, africa
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%
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Films like Memoirs of a Geisha

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, History, War
Country: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, USA
Duration: 142 min.
Story:
The battle of Red Cliff continues and the alliance between Xu and East Wu is fracturing. With Cao Cao's massive forces on their doorstep, will the kingdoms of Xu and East Wu survive?
Style:
stylized, exciting, captivating, saga, serious ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
soldier, master warrior, war, martial arts, military, battles, wartime life, historical character, life is a bitch, leadership, deadly, danger ...
Time:
ancient history
Place:
china, ancient china, asia, hong kong, england
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%

Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: India
Duration: 180 min.
Story:
In India, about 260 BC in the Empire of Magadha, the Prince Asoka (Shah Rukh Khan) survives to many betrayals of his brothers, leaded by the evil Susima (Ajit Kumar), who wants to kill him to inherit the throne. His mothers orders Asoka to leave ...
Style:
exciting, captivating, intense, suspense, lyrical ...
Plot:
emperor, assassination attempt, bollywood, battles, ruler, buddhism, romance, fall in love, true love, leadership, hidden identity, rise to the top ...
Time:
ancient history, ancient world
Place:
india, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%

Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: Hong Kong, Japan, China
Duration: 145 min.
Story:
The Soong family was a political dynasty in China that reached the highest levels of power. This film follows the lives of the three Soong daughters, who were educated in America and returned to China. Ai-ling (the oldest) married a wealthy and ...
Style:
serious, epic, realistic, atmospheric, captivating ...
Plot:
family relations, politics, tragic love, ambition, romance, state affairs, rich and poor, unfulfillment, political unrest, society, siblings relations, strong female presence ...
Time:
20th century
Place:
china, asia, beijing china, ancient china
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%
Movie in collections
28K

Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: UK
Duration: 137 min.
Story:
Gritty adaption of William Shakespeare's play about the English King's bloody conquest of France.
Style:
realistic, serious, rough, stylized, captivating ...
Plot:
medieval, battles, war, politics, king, royal family, military, state affairs, mistress, love and romance, king of england, tragedy ...
Time:
15th century, 1400s
Place:
france, europe, england, london, scotland
⇓ similarity ⇓
29%

Genre: Romance, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
Based on the controversial novel by Philippa Gregory, "The Other Boleyn Girl" is a fictionalised account of the life of Lady Mary Boleyn (Natascha McElhone) who becomes mistress to England's king, Henry VIII (Jared Harris), before ...
Style:
captivating, realistic, serious, stylized, sexy
Plot:
mistress, royal family, infidelity, sister, intrigue, blind ambition, love and romance, uninhibited rivalry, royal court, love triangle, rise to the top, betrayal ...
Time:
16th century, renaissance
Place:
england, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
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Films like The Other Boleyn Girl

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: Spain, Italy, Portugal, France
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
The love story who transformed Juana I de Castilla, Queen of Spain, into Juana "The mad". The tragic fate of a Queen madly in love to an unfaithful husband, Felipe el Hermoso, Archduke of Austria.
Style:
captivating, sexy, serious, melancholic, gothic ...
Plot:
betrayal, love and romance, intrigue, politics, infidelity, obsession, tragic hero, isolation, couple relations, royal family, state affairs, rivalry ...
Time:
15th century, 16th century, 1500s, 1920s, 18th century
Place:
spain, austria, europe, flanders, portugal ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%

Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: South Korea
Duration: 133 min.
Story:
A historical drama set in the Koryo dynasty and focused on the relationship between a king and his bodyguard. Under the dominance of Yuan Dynasty China, the king of Goryeo Dynasty Korea is pressured to produce a successor to the throne. Unable to ...
Style:
sexual, touching, atmospheric, captivating, realistic ...
Plot:
love triangle, gays and lesbians, adultery, love and romance, love affair, royal family, sword fight, unrequited love, intrigue, rivalry, political intrigue, political unrest ...
Time:
middle ages, 13th century, 14th century
Place:
asia, korea
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
29K

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: Switzerland, UK, USA
Duration: 192 min.
Story:
Historical epic. The triumphs and tragedy of the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra.The winner of four Oscars, this epic saga of love, greed and betrayal stars Elizabeth Taylor as the passionate and ambitious Egyptian queen who's determined to hold on ...
Style:
epic, stylized, saga, exciting, captivating ...
Plot:
roman empire, femme fatale, betrayal, cleopatra, assassination, ancient rome, ruler, romance, ancient egypt, love affair, tragic love, poisoning ...
Time:
1st century, ancient history, 1st century b.c., 1930s, 18th century
Place:
egypt, alexandria egypt, africa, middle east, greece ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
27%
Movie in collections

Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
In pre-Revolutionary France, a young aristocratic woman left penniless by the political unrest in the country, must avenge her family's fall from grace by scheming to steal a priceless necklace.
Style:
atmospheric, realistic, serious, stylized, epic ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
politics, conspiracy, intrigue, romance, love and romance, state affairs, couples, royal family, couple relations, revenge, dishonesty, husband wife relationship ...
Time:
18th century, 1780s, 1770s
Place:
france, europe, paris france, versailles, england
⇓ similarity ⇓
27%

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
A sumptuous and sensual tale of intrigue, romance and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in European history: two beautiful sisters, Anne and Mary Boleyn, driven by their family's blind ambition, compete for the love of the ...
Style:
sexy, stylized, sexual, realistic, captivating ...
Audience:
chick flick, girls' night
Plot:
queen, king, royal court, royal family, seduction, siblings relations, love triangle, intrigue, betrayal, family relations, jealousy, aristocracy ...
Time:
16th century, 19th century, 18th century
Place:
england, europe, france, london, rome italy
⇓ similarity ⇓
26%
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Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: France, Japan, USA
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
The story of Hong Kong, from New Year's Day to June 30th, 1997, when the British left their colony and turned it over to the People's Republic of China.
Style:
atmospheric, contemplative, realistic, serious, gloomy ...
Plot:
politics, romance, couple relations, urban, terminal illness, society, unfulfillment, love and romance, profanity, bittersweet, couples, city life ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, 1990s
Place:
hong kong, asia, china, north korea, beijing china
⇓ similarity ⇓
26%

Genre: Adventure, Drama, History
Country: Spain
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
16th century ruler King Philip II of Spain maneuvers within a court of deceit and betrayal
Style:
serious, suspenseful, realistic, epic, gloomy ...
Plot:
politics, love affair, royal family, crimes, political conspiracy, political intrigue, ambition, state affairs, love and romance, royal court, deadly, dishonesty ...
Time:
16th century
Place:
spain, europe, madrid
⇓ similarity ⇓
26%

Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
In 1960s China, French diplomat Rene Gallimard falls in love with an opera singer, Song Liling - but Song is not at all who Gallimard thinks.
Style:
erotic, serious, realistic, enigmatic, sexy ...
Plot:
opera, betrayal, culture clash, transvestism, communism, espionage, romance, double agent, accountant, couples, social differences, fall in love ...
Time:
60s, 1960s, 20th century
Place:
china, france, europe, asia, paris france ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
25%

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: Hong Kong, China, British Virgin Islands
Duration: 126 min.
Story:
A heroic tale of three blood brothers and their struggle in the midst of war and political upheaval. It is based on "The Assassination of Ma," a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) story about the killing of general Ma Xinyi.
Style:
sincere, suspenseful, rough, serious, realistic ...
Plot:
battles, ambition, soldier, rebelliousness, massacre, pow, political unrest, society, war, infidelity, vengeance, rivalry ...
Time:
19th century, 1860s, 1870s
Place:
china, asia, beijing china
⇓ similarity ⇓
25%

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: France, Italy, Germany
Duration: 159 min.
Story:
The night of August 24, 1572, is known as the Massacre of St. Bartholomew. In France a religious war is raging. In order to impose peace a forced wedding is arranged between Margot de Valois, sister of the immature Catholic King Charles IX, and the ...
Style:
epic, bleak, atmospheric, realistic, serious ...
Plot:
politics, french history, forbidden love, nudity (full frontal - brief), royal family, incest, political intrigue, royalty, massacre, intrigue, romance, murder ...
Time:
16th century, middle ages, renaissance
Place:
france, paris france, europe, spain, england ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
25%
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