Flying Swords of Dragon Gate

"Jet Li and Tsui Hark are back together."

2011 2h 5m ZH

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 256

ActionAdventureDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Three years after the infamous Dragon Inn was burnt down in the desert when its innkeeper Jade vanished. A new gang of marauders had taken over - innkeepers by day and treasure hunters by night. The inn is the rumoured location of a lost city buried under the desert, and its hidden treasure would only be revealed by a gigantic storm every 60 years. The gang used the inn as a front to locate the lost treasure.

“Jet Li and Tsui Hark are back together.”

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Cast

Jet Li
Chow Wai-on
Zhou Xun
Ling Yan Qiu
Chen Kun
Yu Huatian / Fengli Dao
Gwei Lun-Mei
Chang Xiao Wen
Chris Lee Yuchun
Gu Shaotang
Louis Fan Siu-Wong
Ma Jinliang
Mavis Fan
Su Huirong
Du Yiheng
Ji Xueyong

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tsui Hark
Writers: Tsui Hark, Ho Kei-ping, Yali Zhu
Languages: Mandarin
Countries: China, Hong Kong

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 0% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: China, Hong Kong.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Dragon Inn Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tsui Hark, shot by Choi Sung-Fai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by William Wu Wai-Lap. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Yau Chi-Wai shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jet Li and Zhou Xun and Chen Kun carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tsui Hark directs. Choi Sung-Fai behind the camera. William Wu Wai-Lap scores. Yau Chi-Wai cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in China, Hong Kong. Dialogue in Mandarin.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 0% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 15 years ago.
3International production across 2 countries: China, Hong Kong.
4Part of the "Dragon Inn Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Tsui Hark, shot by Choi Sung-Fai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by William Wu Wai-Lap. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Yau Chi-Wai shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Jet Li and Zhou Xun and Chen Kun carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Jet Li and Tsui Hark are back together.".
10IMDB entry: tt1686784 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Released under 13 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Choi Sung-Fai
Original score: William Wu Wai-Lap
Editing: Yau Chi-Wai
VFX supervisor: Frankie Chung Chi-Hang
Stunt coordinator: Allen Lan Hai-Han
Runtime: 125 min · 2h 5m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $35,000,000
Box office: $127,709
Return: 0% of budget
Original language: ZH
IMDB: Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011)

Awards

Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Part of

Dragon Inn Collection

The Dragon Inn trilogy revolves around an inn setting across different timeframes, featuring distinct characters with varied agendas. Each film showcases enemies or unwelcome guests entering the inn, prompting the protagonists to defend, fight, or ambush them. Despite fantastical elements like dragons and flying swords, the narratives focus on power dynamics and personal battles rather than typical fantasy tropes, exploring the mental and emotional effects of violence on characters. The inn serves as a haven, safe-house, or battlefield, with its owner often playing a central role in protecting it from harm while pursuing personal motives. Despite different settings and characters, all films end with significant ramifications for the inn, its owners, and the factions involved.