Movies like The Emperor and the Assassin

If you like "The Emperor and the Assassin" you are looking for epic, thought provoking and heroic movies about / with bow and arrow, wuxia, medieval, assassination, antiquity, assassin and betrayal themes of Drama, History and Romance genre shot in China or France.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps: 1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below). 2. Look for them in the presented list.
The Emperor and the Assassin (1998)
 7.2
 6K
The Emperor and the Assassin (1998)
Original name: 荆轲刺秦王
Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: China, France, Japan
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, thought provoking, heroic, serious, captivating, realistic, philosophical, atmospheric, sexy, clever ...
Plot: bow and arrow, wuxia, medieval, assassination, antiquity, assassin, betrayal, ancient, ancient history, murder, sword fight, martial arts, ancient world, kingdom, mistress, espionage, swashbuckler, asian history, historical epic, emperor, barbarian, great wall of china, heroes, love triangle, politics ...
Time: year 1998, 18th century
Place: china, tibet, asia, ancient china, spain
Keyword: chinese, retrospective

Movie in categories

china movies
1517
wuxia movies
401
medieval movies
1866
antiquity movies
249
assassin movies
2771
betrayal movies
9469

Most similar movies to The Emperor and the Assassin

The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out serious, epic, realistic and captivating films with plots about rivalry, medieval, state affairs, ancient, battles, sword and heroes mostly in Drama, History and Romance genres. Some movies like The Emperor and the Assassin: Raise the Red Lantern (1991), Augustus: The First Emperor (2003), Red Cliff (2008), Sword in the Moon (2003), Macbeth (1971). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
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Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Hong Kong, China
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: visually stunning, depressing, stylized, intense, realistic ...
Plot: intrigue, polygamy, feminism, jealousy, wealth, insanity, teenage girl, women, mistress, massage, feminist, tragic event ...
Time: 1920s, 20th century, year 1991
Place: china, tibet, east asia, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Augustus: The First Emperor (2003)
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: epic, realistic, serious, stylized, exciting ...
Plot: ancient history, ancient rome, roman empire, roman emperor, emperor, politics, ancient, betrayal, assassination, leadership, ambition, tragic hero ...
Time: ancient times, 1st century b.c., 1st century
Place: alexandria egypt, rome italy, europe, greece, italy ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 7.3
 48K
Red Cliff (2008)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, USA
Duration: 145 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, breathtaking, brutal, visual ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: war, martial arts, battles, strategy, kung fu, historical event, chinese emperor, ancient history, horse, medieval, visceral, revenge ...
Time: year 2008, medieval times, ancient times
Place: china, ancient china, greece, rome italy, tibet ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Sword in the Moon (2003)
Genre: Action, Drama, Adventure
Country: South Korea
Duration: 102 min.
Story: A series of high-ranking officials are being systematically eliminated by a sleek assassin and his female assistant, and arrogant master swordsman General Choi (Jo Jae-Hyeon) is charged with putting an end to the carnage. During a previous time of ...
Style: serious, rough, suspenseful, realistic, bleak
Plot: coup d'etat, martial arts, ancient korea, vigilantism, vengeance, usurper, friendship between men, danger, redemption, betrayal, rivalry, political unrest ...
Time: medieval times, 17th century, 16th century
Place: ancient china, asia, korea
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Movie in collections
 7.4
 15K
Macbeth (1971)
Genre: Drama, History
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 140 min.
Story: A ruthlessly ambitious Scottish lord siezes the throne with the help of his scheming wife and a trio of witches.
Style: disturbing, visual, bleak, atmospheric, spiritual ...
Plot: shakespeare, medieval, murder, guilt, witch, prophecy, macbeth, royalty, betrayal, witchcraft, knight, ambition ...
Time: 11th century, middle ages, medieval times, year 1971, 20th century
Place: scotland, eastern europe, england, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 6.1
 4K
Confucius (2010)
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, epic, atmospheric, serious, realistic ...
Plot: ancient history, philosopher, human spirit, chinese history, human nature, battles, politics, historical figure, society, political unrest, hopes, state affairs ...
Time: ancient times, 6th century
Place: china, ancient china, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
The Kingdom of the Winds (2008)
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, History
Country: South Korea
TV show
Story: The Kingdom of The Winds, also known as The Land of The Wind, is a 2008 South Korean historial drama, broadcast on KBS from 10 September 2008 to 15 January 2009. It was directed by Kang Il-soo, written by Choi Wan-gyu, Jung Jin-ok, Park Jin-woo; ...
Style: sageuk, suspenseful, captivating, serious, exciting
Plot: ancient korea, legend, ninja, politics, betrayal, curse, heroes, family relations, friendship, father son relationship, love triangle, family secret ...
Time: 1st century
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
An Empress and the Warriors (2008)
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: captivating, stylized, tense, serious, epic
Audience: boys' night
Plot: martial arts, betrayal, swordsman, state affairs, political unrest, female warrior, medieval, daring rescue, assassination, leadership, uninhibited rivalry, danger ...
Time: ancient times
Place: ancient china, china, east asia, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
39%
Movie in collections
The Assassins (2012)
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: serious, exciting, epic, realistic, captivating ...
Plot: ancient history, political conspiracy, head of state, state affairs, assassination, medieval, battles, hidden identity, martial arts, wuxia, ancient, asian history ...
Time: ancient times
Place: east asia, seattle, china, ancient china, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
36%
 6.2
 2K
Sacrifice (2010)
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, exciting, atmospheric, suspenseful, captivating ...
Audience: adult
Plot: orphan, disorder, betrayal, vengeance, master warrior, uninhibited rivalry, medieval, hidden identity, haunted by the past, murder, ancient, antiquity ...
Time: 6th century
Place: ancient china, china, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
32%
Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
Genre: Action, Drama, Romance
Country: Hong Kong, China
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: colorful, visual, costume drama, captivating, serious ...
Audience: chick flick
Plot: martial arts, royal family, wuxia, betrayal, forbidden love, kung fu, dysfunctional family, medieval, sword fight, empress, punishment, queen ...
Time: medieval times, year 2006, 10th century, 7th century, middle ages
Place: china, asia, east asia, ancient china, rome italy
⇓ similarity ⇓
31%
 7.0
 28K
The Warlords (2007)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: Hong Kong, China
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, epic, serious, rough ...
Plot: war, martial arts, fight, soldier, ambition, civil war, kung fu, battles, pow, political unrest, treason, society ...
Time: 19th century, 1860s, medieval times, 1800s, year 2007 ...
Place: china, east asia, ancient china, asia, beijing china
⇓ similarity ⇓
31%
White Vengeance (2011)
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Country: China
Duration: 135 min.
Story: White Vengeance tells the story of two brothers contending for supremacy during the fall of the Qin Dynasty, which ruled Imperial China from 221 to 206 BC. As rebels rose, the nation fell into chaos. Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, became leaders of the ...
Style: suspenseful, exciting, rough, realistic, serious ...
Plot: martial arts, kung fu, revolution, military, family relations, betrayal, rivalry, battles, state affairs, fight for supremacy, medieval, dishonesty ...
Time: ancient times
Place: china, seattle, asia, ancient china
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%
Ashoka the Great (2001)
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: epic, exciting, suspense, intense, period piece ...
Plot: buddhism, ancient history, indians, emperor, ancient world, betrayal, battles, ruler, hidden identity, rise to the top, fall in love, state affairs ...
Time: ancient times
Place: india, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
29%
Farewell My Concubine (1992)
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: visual, epic, visually stunning, atmospheric, emotional ...
Plot: gays and lesbians, suicide, homosexuality, gender bending, theater, lgbt, child abuse, communism, drug addiction, childhood, lgbtq, transsexual ...
Time: 1940s, 1920s, 1930s, 20th century, year 1993 ...
Place: china, beijing china, tibet, asia, japan ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
 7.5
 25K
Red Cliff II (2009)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, 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: epic, stylized, saga, scenic, visual ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: martial arts, master warrior, soldier, battles, chinese history, ancient history, horse, historical event, war, wuxia, military, life is a bitch ...
Time: year 2009, year 2008, medieval times, ancient times
Place: china, ancient china, east asia, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
28%
Three Kingdoms (2008)
Genre: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: China, South Korea, Hong Kong
Duration: 102 min.
Story: The aging Zhao embarks on his final and greatest campaign, a road to adventure that will crown his name in glory for all time.
Style: exciting, realistic, atmospheric, serious, stylized ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: female warrior, war, battles, military, soldier, uninhibited rivalry, political unrest, medieval, rise to the top, hopes, state affairs, ambition ...
Time: medieval times, ancient times
Place: china, ancient china, east asia, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
27%
Temptress Moon (1996)
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, captivating, suspenseful, gloomy, realistic ...
Plot: secret lover, marriage, addiction, revenge, love, revolution, violence, murder, obsession, sex crime, blackmail, family relations ...
Time: 1920s, year 1996, 1910s, 20th century
Place: china, asia, shanghai
⇓ similarity ⇓
27%
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The Hidden Blade (2004)
Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 132 min.
Story: Set in 19th Century Japan a young samurai who finds himself in love with a farm girl leaves his home to begin a new life. He has to take stock of his new life when he is put to the test and ordered to kill a traitor who just happens to be his ...
Style: serious, sentimental, stylized, epic, romantic ...
Plot: samurai, martial arts, caste system, feudal japan, vengeance, politics, love and romance, family life, medieval, edo period, ninja, winter ...
Time: 19th century, 1860s
Place: japan, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
26%
Shanghai Triad (1995)
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: clever, atmospheric, stylized, mind blowing, serious ...
Plot: coming of age, triad, organized crime, gangster, murder, mistress, gang, master and servant, betrayal, violence, death, criminal ...
Time: 20th century, 1930s
Place: china, shanghai, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
26%
 6.6
 4K
The War Lord (1965)
Genre: Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story: A knight in the service of a duke goes to a coastal villiage where an earlier attempt to build a defensive castle has failed. He begins to rebuild the duke's authority in the face of the barbarians at the border and is making progress until he ...
Style: technicolor, epic, realistic, serious, captivating ...
Plot: medieval, viking, barbarian, warlord, historical epic, sword fight, antiquity, chivalry, religious, warrior, ancient, historical event ...
Time: middle ages, 11th century, medieval times, 10th century
Place: belgium, normandy, england
⇓ similarity ⇓
24%
The Lost Bladesman (2011)
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, History
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 109 min.
Story: During the warring period of the three kingdoms, ancient China is in turmoil. To unify the country, general Cao Cao (Jiang Wen), the real power behind the Emperor, enlists the aid of the greatest warrior in the land, Guan Yu (Donnie Yen). However, ...
Style: stylized, emotional, exciting, action packed, serious ...
Audience: boys' night
Plot: martial arts, battles, war, warlord, rivalry, love and romance, forbidden love, military, heroes, danger, master warrior, medieval ...
Place: china, east asia, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
24%
 6.4
 7K
The Banquet (2006)
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: China
Duration: 131 min.
Story: 907 AD, the Tang Dynasty in China. The movie is set in an empire in chaos. The Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince, the Minister and the General all have their own enemies.
Style: captivating, atmospheric, stylized, costume drama, serious ...
Plot: emperor, empire, martial arts, betrayal, murder, kung fu, exile, politics, royal family, shakespeare, state affairs, rivalry ...
Time: 10th century, middle ages
Place: china, east asia, asia, ancient china
⇓ similarity ⇓
24%
Movie in collections
Constantine and the Cross (1961)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: Italy, Yugoslavia
Duration: 120 min.
Story: Constantin is fighting against Barbarians with his father when he is called to Rome. In his way to Rome, he falls in an ambush planned by Maxence, who wants to become emperor.
Style: epic, serious, realistic, saga, christian film ...
Plot: ancient history, peplum, ancient, roman, emperor, faith, medieval, bible, ancient world, religious, conservative, mythology ...
Time: year 1961
Place: europe, rome italy
⇓ similarity ⇓
23%
 5.9
 21K
Dragon Blade (2015)
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy, History
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 127 min.
Story: Huo An, the commander of the Protection Squad of the Western Regions, was framed by evil forces and becomes enslaved. On the other hand, a Roman general escapes to China after rescuing the Prince. The heroic duo meet in the Western Desert and a ...
Style: realistic, exciting, serious, action adventure, scenic ...
Plot: battles, master warrior, martial arts, military, ancient rome, medieval, battle zone, danger, heroic mission, ancient history, heroes, brother brother relationship ...
Time: middle ages, 1st century, ancient times, 1st century b.c.
Place: china, ancient china
⇓ similarity ⇓
23%
Antony and Cleopatra (1972)
Genre: Drama, History
Country: UK, Spain, Switzerland
Duration: 138 min.
Story: Adaptation of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, a historical drama that attempts to bring an epic visual style to the Bard's original stage play. The story concerns Marc Antony's attempts to rule Rome while maintaining a ...
Style: epic, captivating, emotional, gloomy, serious ...
Plot: ancient rome, shakespeare, cleopatra, ancient history, ancient, peplum, couples, royal family, medieval, mythology, bible, ancient egypt ...
Time: 1st century, ancient times, year 1972
Place: italy, egypt
⇓ similarity ⇓
22%
 2.7
 5K
Druids (2001)
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: France, Belgium, Canada
Duration: 120 min.
Story: In the year 60 B.C. a group of Druids, including the arch-druid Guttuart (Max von Sydow), witness the passing of a comet and interpret it as the sign of the coming of a king for their country Gaul, which has not had a king for a long time. Guttuart ...
Style: rough, exciting, serious, epic, captivating ...
Plot: roman empire, barbarian, battles, heroes, heroic mission, rise to the top, leadership, betrayal, state affairs, wartime life, danger, rivalry ...
Time: 1st century, 1st century b.c.
⇓ similarity ⇓
22%
 6.3
 8K
14 Blades (2010)
Genre: Action, History, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong, China, Singapore
Duration: 114 min.
Story: Trained in clandestine combat from childhood, the Jinyiwei were masters of the 14 Blades; eight being for torture, five for killing, and the last blade reserved for suicide when a mission failed. An elite force of secret agents with a license to ...
Style: exciting, stylized, suspenseful, serious, epic
Audience: boys' night
Plot: martial arts, wuxia, kung fu, betrayal, rebellion, female killer, rivalry, danger, dishonesty, state affairs, emperor, medieval ...
Time: year 2010, 17th century, medieval times
Place: china, east asia, asia, ancient china
⇓ similarity ⇓
22%
 5.7
 2K
Quo Vadis (2001)
Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: Poland, USA
Duration: 165 min.
Story: Ancient Rome, during the time of Emperor Nero. Vinicius, a young patrician, falls in love with the beautiful Lygia, the daughter of a Barbarian commander who was killed in battle, and wants her for his concubine. For Lygia, a Christian, being a ...
Style: sincere, captivating, serious, epic, tragic
Plot: fall in love, rise to the top, tragic love, heroic mission, society, rivalry, ancient, medieval, peplum, christian, tragic romance, renaissance ...
Time: 1st century, ancient times, year 2001
Place: eastern europe, italy, rome italy, europe
⇓ similarity ⇓
22%
A Frozen Flower (2008)
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: sexy, touching, captivating, realistic, atmospheric ...
Plot: gays and lesbians, gay, royal family, love triangle, love and romance, unrequited love, gay love, adultery, tragedy, medieval, sword fight, lgbt ...
Time: middle ages, 14th century, 13th century
Place: korea, asia
⇓ similarity ⇓
22%
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