Movies Like The Assassin (2015)

The Assassin is a 2015 action, drama, history film from Hou Hsiao-hsien with a MovieMagicScore of 6.4/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Curse of the Golden Flower and The Great Battle.

Action Drama History

Curse of the Golden Flower

2006

During China's Tang dynasty the emperor has taken the princess of a neighboring province as his wife. She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. Now his control over his dominion is complete, including the royal family itself.

6.9

MagicScore

The Great Battle

2018

Kingdom of Goguryeo, ancient Korea, 645. The ruthless Emperor Taizong of Tang invades the country and leads his armies towards the capital, achieving one victory after another, but on his way is the stronghold of Ansi, protected by General Yang Man-chu, who will do everything possible to stop the invasion, even if his troops are outnumbered by thousands of enemies.

6.8

MagicScore

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame

2010

When the future empress Wu Zetian's two courtiers die in a mysterious fire, she gets Di Renjie, a former detective and rebel, released from prison to solve the mystery of the fire.

6.5

MagicScore

Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings

2018

Dee, the detective serving Chinese empress Wu Zetian, is called upon to investigate a series of strange events in Loyang, including the appearance of mysterious warriors wearing Chiyou ghost masks, foxes that speak human language and the pillar sculptures in the palace coming alive.

6.2

MagicScore

Lady of the Dynasty

2015

The tragic story of a Tang Dynasty imperial consort who was the favorite of the Emperor Xuanzong.

4.4

MagicScore

House of Flying Daggers

2004

In 9th century China, a corrupt government wages war against a rebel army called the Flying Daggers. A romantic warrior breaks a beautiful rebel out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem.

7.3

MagicScore

Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain

1983

In the fifth century, constant civil war scars western China. To escape death, Ti, a young scout, jumps through a crevice in the Zu mountains where he gets entangled in a great battle against the Blood Demon, a supernatural entity seeking to wreak havoc upon the world.

6.8

MagicScore

Killer Clans

1976

Based on a popular swordplay novel, this colorful and complex saga (whose Chinese title literally translates into the poetic Meteor, Butterfly, Sword) has enough conspiracies, stratagems, and sword fights to fascinate even novice kung-fu cinema viewers. The cast of Shaw Brothers' leading swordsmen and swordswomen are masterfully staged by Yuen Cheung-yan, the brother of Matrix and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping. The result is both a great action movie and an exceptional dramatic film.

6.3

MagicScore

Desert Warrior

2026

In 7th-century Arabia, Princess Hind becomes a warrior to defy the ruthless Emperor Kisra. Forged into a warrior and aided by legendary bandit Hanzala, Hind unites warring tribes for a last stand—the historic Battle of Dhi Qar—that will change history.

5.8

MagicScore

#10

Magellan

2025

At the dawn of the modern era, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan leads an expedition under the Spanish crown in search of the first westward route to the Spice Islands. He embarks on a perilous journey across the uncharted Pacific, where his fleet faces starvation, mutiny, and the psychological toll of endless seas. Upon reaching the shores of Cebu, Magellan is pulled into a fatal conflict with the natives by his drive to spread Catholicism, culminating in his tragic doom.

6.5

MagicScore

#11

Princess Yang Kwei-fei

1955

In eighth century China, the Emperor is grieving over the death of his wife. The Yang family wants to provide the Emperor with a consort so that they may consolidate their influence over the court. General An Lushan finds a distant relative working in their kitchen whom they groom to present to the Emperor. The Emperor falls in love with her and she becomes the Princess Yang Kwei-fei. The Yangs are then appointed important ministers, though An Lushan is not given the court position he covets. The ministers misuse their power so much that there is a popular revolt against the Yangs, fueled by An Lushan.

6.7

MagicScore

#12

The Robbers

2009

Set during the Tang Dynasty, The Robbers tells the story of two robbers' adventures in a seemingly peaceful Bitter Bamboo Village, where they encounter a beautiful woman, a group of soldiers and a village head scheming to kill the duo.

6.0

MagicScore

#13

Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon

2013

Young Dee Renjie arrives in the empire's capital to join the Supreme Court as police judge of his region. He wants to become a prosecutor. Empress Wu, who is at the beginning of her reign, has commissioned the fierce detective Yuchi to investigate a sea monster that stalks the city at night and makes it unsafe.

6.3

MagicScore

#14

A Brighter Summer Day

1991

A boy experiences first love, friendships and injustices growing up in 1960s Taiwan.

8.2

MagicScore

#15

The Turin Horse

2011

A monumental windstorm and an abused horse's refusal to work or eat signal the beginning of the end for a poor farmer and his daughter.

7.6

MagicScore

#16

Drive My Car

2021

Yusuke Kafuku, a stage actor and director, still unable, after two years, to cope with the loss of his beloved wife, accepts to direct Uncle Vanya at a theater festival in Hiroshima. There he meets Misaki, an introverted young woman, appointed to drive his car. In between rides, secrets from the past and heartfelt confessions will be unveiled.

7.4

MagicScore

#17

Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles

1976

A lonely widowed housewife does her daily chores and takes care of her apartment where she lives with her teenage son, and turns the occasional trick to make ends meet. Slowly, her ritualized daily routines begin to fall apart.

7.4

MagicScore

#18

Goodbye, Dragon Inn

2003

On a dark and rainy night, a historic and regal Taipei cinema sees its final film: 1967 martial arts feature "Dragon Inn".

6.7

MagicScore

#19

Halley

2012

Alberto is dead and can no longer hide it. Make-up and perfume can no longer conceal his quickly decomposing body. Dismayed, he decides to withdraw from the world, whilst forming an unusual friendship with Luly, the manager of the 24-hour gym where he works as a night guard.

5.7

MagicScore

#20

In a Violent Nature

2024

The enigmatic resurrection, rampage, and retribution of an undead monster in a remote wilderness unleashes an iconic new killer after a locket is removed from a collapsed fire tower that entombed its rotting corpse.

5.6

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Assassin?

The top films similar to The Assassin by MovieMagicScore are Curse of the Golden Flower (6.9), The Great Battle (6.8), Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (6.5). Each shares action/drama/history themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Assassin worth watching?

The Assassin holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.4/10 from 531 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is The Assassin?

The Assassin (2015) is a action, drama, history film directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien, starring Chang Chen, Shu Qi, Zhou Yun.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Assassin?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more action recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Curse of the Golden Flower Movies like The Great Battle Movies like Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame Movies like Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings Movies like Lady of the Dynasty Movies like House of Flying Daggers

About movies like The Assassin

This ranked list pairs The Assassin (2015), a action and drama and history film from Hou Hsiao-hsien, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Chang Chen take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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