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Chinese Zodiac poster

Movies that feel likeChinese Zodiac (2012)

Asian Hawk leads a mercenary team to recover several lost artifacts from the Old Summer Palace, the bronze heads of the twelve Chinese Zodiac animals which were sacked by the French and British armies from the imperial Summer Palace in Beijing in 1860. Assisted by a Chinese student and a Parisian woman, Hawk stops at nothing to accomplish the mission.

If you loved Chinese Zodiac, the closest films we have are The Assassin (2015), Ong Bak 3 (2010) and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). All three share Chinese Zodiac's kinetic and epic feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is Come Drink with Me (1966).

πŸ… 25% Rotten Tomatoesβ˜… 6 IMDb β†—TMDB β†—dir. Jackie Chankineticepic
9 of 12 streaming nowHBO Max Β· Amazon Prime Video Β· Disney Plus

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See it on the Mood Map

If Chinese Zodiac hit the spot, these will too

Looking for the series itself? Also in this series: Armour of God (1986) Β· Operation Condor (1991)

The Assassin poster
The Assassin
2015 Β· dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien
πŸ… 80%β˜… 6.3action Β· adventure Β· historyPrime Video

The same mix in both: momentum, then scale

The difference: Critics rated this one higher still

9th century China. Ten year old general’s daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. One day, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised – a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories and her long-repressed feelings.

Ong Bak 3 poster
Ong Bak 3
2010 Β· dir. Tony Jaa
πŸ… 63%β˜… 4.9action Β· adventure Β· historyPrime Video

Action with a pulse of momentum, in both cases

The difference: Leans harder into history than Chinese Zodiac does

Tien is captured and almost beaten to death before he is saved and brought back to the Kana Khone villagers. There he is taught meditation and how to deal with his Karma, but very soon his arch rival returns challenging Tien for a final duel.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny poster
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
2023 Β· dir. James Mangold
πŸ… 71%β˜… 6.5adventure Β· actionDisney+

Both lean on scale more than on adventure

Finding himself in a new era, and approaching retirement, Indy wrestles with fitting into a world that seems to have outgrown him. But as the tentacles of an all-too-familiar evil return in the form of an old rival, Indy must don his hat and pick up his whip once more to make sure an ancient and powerful artifact doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin poster
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
1978 Β· dir. Lau Kar-leung
πŸ… 83%β˜… 7.6action Β· adventurePrime Video

Kinetic action in both cases

The difference: 34 years apart, and the 1970s show

During the Qing Dynasty, a fishmonger is killed by the reigning Manchu government for supporting the anti-government movement; his son manages to escape to Shaolin Temple, where he plans to learn its secretive brand of martial arts to seek revenge.

Come Drink with Me poster
Come Drink with Me
1966 Β· dir. King Hu
πŸ… 100%β˜… 6.9action Β· adventure

Adventure built on scale, twice over

Golden Sparrow is a fighter-for-hire who has been contracted by the local government to retrieve the governor's kidnapped son. Holding him is a group of rebels who are demanding that their leader be released from prison in return for the captured son. After a brief encounter with the gang at a local restaurant, Golden Sparrow is joined by an inebriated wanderer Drunken Cat who aids her in her mission.

The Grandmaster poster
The Grandmaster
2013 Β· dir. Wong Kar-Wai
πŸ… 78%β˜… 6.6action Β· drama Β· history

The same action instincts

The fall of China's last dynasty, a time of chaos, division and war, is the golden age of Chinese martial arts. Legendary kung fu master Ip Man, who will eventually train Bruce Lee, finds his peaceful life interrupted by vengeance.

Major Grom: Plague Doctor poster
Major Grom: Plague Doctor
2021 Β· dir. Oleg Trofim
β˜… 6.3action Β· adventureRent or buy

The adventure is handled with the same confidence

In present day St. Petersburg, police major Igor Grom, an honest and skilled cop with unconventional methods, pursues a vigilante murderer in the mask of a plague doctor.

Hercules poster
Hercules
2014 Β· dir. Brett Ratner
πŸ… 58%β˜… 6action Β· adventure

Cut from the same action cloth

When a new enemy threatens the innocent, Hercules must lead his fearless team of warriors in a battle against overwhelming odds.

Mulan: Rise of a Warrior poster
Mulan: Rise of a Warrior
2009 Β· dir. Jingle Ma Choh-Sing
β˜… 6.6adventure Β· drama Β· action

Adventure of the same temperament

When barbarian hordes threaten her homeland, the brave and cunning Mulan disguises herself as a male soldier to swell the ranks in her aging father's stead. The warrior's remarkable courage drives her through powerful battle scenes and brutal wartime strategy. Mulan loses dear friends to the enemy's blade as she rises to become one of her country's most valuable leaders β€” but can she win the war before her secret is exposed?

Robin Hood poster
Robin Hood
2010 Β· dir. Ridley Scott
πŸ… 43%β˜… 6.6action Β· adventure Β· historyMax

Both working the same action territory

When soldier Robin happens upon the dying Robert of Loxley, he promises to return the man's sword to his family in Nottingham. There, he assumes Robert's identity; romances his widow, Marion; and draws the ire of the town's sheriff and King John's henchman, Godfrey.

Bodyguards and Assassins poster
Bodyguards and Assassins
2009 Β· dir. Teddy Chan
πŸ… 50%β˜… 6.8drama Β· action Β· history

Both are action through and through

In 1905, revolutionist Sun Yat-sen came to Hong Kong to meet revolutionary comrades. The Qing government sent a group of killers to murder him. Ordinary citizens from all walks of life joined together, blocking the streets and fighting off the assassins to keep Sun Yat-sen safe.

The Legend Is Born: Ip Man poster
The Legend Is Born: Ip Man
2010 Β· dir. Herman Yau
β˜… 7drama Β· action Β· history

Both know what they want from action

The remarkable true story of the early life of Ip Man, the formidable kung fu genius who would become Bruce Lee's mentor; beginning at the start of his journey from his initial training through to the ultimate battle to become supreme master of the art of Wing Chun.

In the mood for more kinetic?

all kinetic movies β†’

The best-reviewed films that share Chinese Zodiac’s defining feeling.