The Assassin (1993) is one of the few Hong Kong movies to earn a category III rating just for it's shear brutality. Usually a CAT. III is awarded for excessive sex, nudity or violence but this one was earned for it's bloody carnage. Rosamund Kwan co-stars as the former love of Fengyi Zhang. Kwan and Zheng are two lovers who's love for each other is forbidden. When Zheng refuses to acknowledge this, he's imprisoned and brutally punished. While in prison, he becomes an assassin for an evil eunuch. Upon his release, he tutors an up and coming assassin (Max Mok). while under his wing, Mok slowly turns into something that Zheng could never be.

Highly recommended for H.K. Cinema fans. Be warned because this film is violent!!

The Assassin is a very violent and well done swordplay epic. The tone and storytelling are very consistent in this film. Zhang Fengyi, Max Mok, Rosamund Kwan and the rest of the cast did a real good job in bringing this story and world to life. The film has little humor and maintains a cold and bleak tone to show the harsh and unforgiving lives of assassins(and their victims) in Ming Dynasty China. The Assassin looks beautiful, but maintains a gritty tone and style. The fight choreography is not very flashy here, but very effective and at times very brutal. The action is quite savage and the violence gets real graphic with brutal beheadings, disembowelments and other assorted kung fu carnage. There are nods to Japanese samurai films as well as American westerns. Overall, The Assassin is very well done and is a top notch Chinese swordsman movie.

I was impressed of Hong Kong Movies, this film is full of swordplay that will entertain you. Even when the emperor fought with his maidens and he ripped them apart one by one or the torture, when they used a needle to close his eyes and it was hard to watch. This film is great, well the problem is the acting. Max Mok acting was a bit silly but the others were fine. Do you know what bothers me about this movie, is when Rasmond screams like a cat front of his lover. Really, watch it with your family and besides, the movie that were nominated Oscar and Golden are all crap. Even the people have bad taste, don't listen to your grandma or grandpa. You have to choose and don't let anyone stop you. Watch it, its entertaining.