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Once Upon a Time in China (re-release)
TriStar and Sony Pictures Repertory

Once Upon a Time in China (re-release) reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: xx Metascore out of 100
User Score  
9.4 out of 10
based on 3 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 15 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: R for violence

Starring Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan, Biao Yuen, Jacky Cheung, Steve Tartalia, Kent Cheng, and Yee Kwan Yan

A new uncut print of the 1991 film, set in the period following the Opium Wars. This kung-fu film recharged the career of action star Jet Li who portrays the legendary 19th-century martial artist Master Wong Fei-Hong.


GENRE(S): Action  
WRITTEN BY: Tsui Hark
Yuen Kai-Chi
Edward Leung
Elsa Tang
 
DIRECTED BY: Tsui Hark  
RELEASE DATE: DVD: January 1, 2001 
Video: May 29, 2001 
Theatrical: April 27, 2001 
RUNNING TIME: 134 minutes, Color 
ORIGIN: Hong Kong 
LANGUAGE(S): Cantonese (with English subtitles) 

Also known as "Wong Fei-hung"

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90
New Times (L.A.) Andy Klein
Once the action kicks in -- starting with an extraordinary balletic fight in the rain featuring the two masters and a flying wooden beam -- you can't take your eyes off the screen.
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80
TV Guide Staff (Not credited)
The action is lightning-fast and balletically staged, living up to the choreographic potential often claimed--but seldom truly realized--for martial arts pictures by their highbrow admirers.
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80
Village Voice J. Hoberman
Gets better as it goes along, building up to a prolonged shipboard finale.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this movie is 9.4 (out of 10) based on 15 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

David M. gave it an8:
It's a good one. The ladder fight at the end sticks with me in particular.

fadi m. gave it a10:
It's the better martial art movie that I ever saw....Jet li is really good in his character.

Michael Y. gave it a10:
This is 1 of the best movies i have ever watched of jet li i think this movie is the best movie oh just to let u guys know im half chinese.

James V. gave it a 10:
It is freaking good! love it!!! all of it!!!! very origional.

Jeff H. gave it a 10:
I like the movie a lot out of all of the kung fu movies i have watched this one has the best storie line i also like the music they play at the beginning i think the song is called "man should help himself" i have been looking for the lyrics but i cant find them maybe if i knew who sang or composed the song it would help i wish i knew who sang it lol anyways i like the movie it's better than the kill bill movies.

Jeremy W. gave it a 10:
This movie is incredibly done! I've saw it five times and then bought it on DVD, making it my favorite movie of all time! While the dubbing is so-so, which is to be expected, the fight sequences are like poetry in motion. While sometimes out of the ordinary, the fighting moves are not as odd looking as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." The storyline is average but not horrible. In the Chinese version (subtitles), you get more details about the storyline than in the English version. Overall, this movie is awesome. I would suggest it to anybody. The fighting is very dramatic and impressive, and that's what counts the most in a movie like this.

Craig A. gave it a 10:
Probably the best martial arts movie of the nineties.

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