ASSASSIN Review: When Good Action Meets Bad Balance

Introduction

I really dislike a movie that does not know what it is. Is it an action film, a comedy, a drama? Sometimes a film can be all of those things, but that balance is rare. Assassin, also known as
Assassination: 1932, never finds it. To borrow from Marlon Brando, it “coulda been a contender,” but it collapses under the weight of its own competing ideas.

Synopsis

Set during the Japanese occupation of China in 1932, the film opens strongly. A group of Chinese guerrilla fighters launches an attack on a Japanese gathering, and the sequence is genuinely gripping. The choreography is sharp, the violence has weight, and the tension feels earned. For a stretch, the film locks you in and suggests you are in for something serious and engaging. Then Hu Ba shows up, and everything changes.

Discussion

Hu Ba, played by Ray Lui, is clearly meant to evoke a Jackie Chan-style presence. The issue is not the performance. Lui does what he can. The problem is the way the film reshapes itself around him. The tone shifts abruptly. The music turns playful, the tension dissolves, and grounded action gives way to pratfalls and exaggerated beats. It feels like a different movie barging in mid-scene. And this is not a one-time issue.

The film repeatedly builds momentum through strong, serious action, only to derail itself with tonal whiplash. Each time it happens, the impact of what came before is weakened. Instead of layering tones, the film replaces them.

At the center of the resistance is Zhang Mubai (Jinhao Guo), a straightforward, no nonsense leader who embodies the seriousness the film works best in. He is focused, driven, and committed to the fight. Alongside him is Su Qian, played by Cheng Qi, who thankfully avoids being reduced to comic relief. She is a capable fighter and holds her own in the action, even as Hu Ba’s sudden infatuation with her adds another uneven tonal note.

Further Analysis

The portrayal of the Japanese forces is just as inconsistent. At times, they are brutal and effective, particularly through a pair of torturers who carry real menace. In those moments, the film hints at a stronger, more grounded antagonist. Just as quickly, they are reduced to caricatures. They become inept, exaggerated, and closer to mid century comic book villains than believable threats. The film never lets them settle.

That inconsistency runs through everything. The film attempts to depict the real horrors of the occupation, and in those moments, it finds some footing. But it cannot sustain that tone. The violence swings from visceral to almost cartoonish within seconds. There is gore, but it rarely lands with impact because the surrounding tone undercuts it.

There are also choices that pull you out of the film. A wedding scene staged like a Western Christian ceremony, complete with familiar music and imagery, feels historically off and tonally disconnected. Instead of adding depth, it plays like a distraction and another moment where the film loses its footing.

Conclusion

I almost feel bad for director Zhou Jiuqin. There are clear signs of a better film here. The action, when played straight, is effective and engaging. The dramatic elements are believable. The cast, for the most part, delivers solid performances. But none of it comes together. The film feels pulled in multiple directions and never commits long enough to make any one approach work.

In the end, Assassin is a frustrating experience. There are moments where it genuinely works, where the action hits, the stakes feel real, and the story has weight. Those moments are constantly undercut by tonal shifts that drain the film of its impact. It does not build. It resets. Had it trusted its more serious instincts, this could have been a strong, focused action drama.
Instead, it is a film at war with itself, and that’s a battle it never wins.

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