8 Amazing 2016 Films You've Already Missed
4. The Assassin
Directed by Taiwanese film-maker Hou Hsiao-Hsien, The Assassin is a martial arts film loosely based on the late ninth century story Nie Yinniang, an iconic story in Chinese “wuxia” fiction, which are stories based on martial arts heroes.
The film stars Qi Shu as the titular assassin, living in eighth century China and who is commanded to kill a series of corrupt government officials. When she fails, however, her master Jiaxin sends her on a brutal mission of absolution that involves assassinating military governer Tian Ji'an, who it's soon revealed is her cousin to whom she was once set to marry.
The Assassin released at the beginning of 2016 in the West and was praised by critics for its breath-taking spectacle, gorgeous aesthetic and overall enigmatic nature, but its sporadic distribution stopped it from really taking off.