IMDb RATING
6.7/10
7.7K
YOUR RATING
Master Wong and his disciples enroll in the 'Dancing Lion Competition' to stop an assassination plot and to battle an arrogant, deceitful opponent.Master Wong and his disciples enroll in the 'Dancing Lion Competition' to stop an assassination plot and to battle an arrogant, deceitful opponent.Master Wong and his disciples enroll in the 'Dancing Lion Competition' to stop an assassination plot and to battle an arrogant, deceitful opponent.
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFirst film of "Once Upon a Time in China" series presented in Dolby Stereo sound.
- Goofs(at around 1h 26 mins) The film that Aunt Yee plays using the projector is 90 degrees clockwise. However all the people who watch it turn their heads to the left (90 degrees counterclockwise).
- Alternate versionsThe UK cinema version was cut by 4 secs by the BBFC to remove a horse-fall, though a re-inspection proved it to have been a safe stunt and the cut was waived for the 2000 video release. However for the 2001 Medusa DVD the original cut print was released in error.
- ConnectionsFollowed by Once Upon a Time in China IV (1993)
Featured review
Good story-line but disappointing fighting
In order to unite the people of China and strengthen their spirit, the Qing government decides to hold a lion dance competition to promote the study of kung fu. This only leads to violence and conflict. Wong Fei Hung, who is visiting Beijing, sees this and is disgusted by the way it's being handled. However, his efforts to get through to the government are futile. He finds himself having to join the competition when he discovers a plot by the Russians to assassinate President Li Hung Chang.
This was the first movie in the OUATIC series that I saw. I was actually quite disappointed when I first saw it. I thought the fighting lacked intensity and the end seemed anti-climatic. It's not that the choreography is bad. Jet looks fit and is in great fighting shape for the film. However, there are no good one-on-one battles for him. His duel with Xiong Xin Xin in the street is short and disappointing, as is the finale against the head of the oil factory. The lion dance scenes are cool.
The story on the other hand, is really good. It has just the right amount of romance, humor, and historical background to sustain itself between the fight scenes. This would be the last of the truly historically relevant entries of the series, as the following films were either over-the-top or would not even focus on historical matters.
Overall, this is good watching. This is not one of Jet's greatest performances fighting-wise. The story makes up for it. Oh, and let me add that Rosamund Kwan is cuter than ever in this movie.
This was the first movie in the OUATIC series that I saw. I was actually quite disappointed when I first saw it. I thought the fighting lacked intensity and the end seemed anti-climatic. It's not that the choreography is bad. Jet looks fit and is in great fighting shape for the film. However, there are no good one-on-one battles for him. His duel with Xiong Xin Xin in the street is short and disappointing, as is the finale against the head of the oil factory. The lion dance scenes are cool.
The story on the other hand, is really good. It has just the right amount of romance, humor, and historical background to sustain itself between the fight scenes. This would be the last of the truly historically relevant entries of the series, as the following films were either over-the-top or would not even focus on historical matters.
Overall, this is good watching. This is not one of Jet's greatest performances fighting-wise. The story makes up for it. Oh, and let me add that Rosamund Kwan is cuter than ever in this movie.
helpful•40
- drngor
- Jun 22, 2001
Details
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- Also known as
- The Invincible Shaolin
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- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $3,560,604
- Runtime2 hours 5 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was Once Upon a Time in China III (1992) officially released in India in English?
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