Reign of Assassins is a 2010 wuxia film directed by Su Chao-pin and co-directed by John Woo. The film is shot in China and set during the Ming Dynasty. The film stars Michelle Yeoh, who plays an assassin who tries to return to a normal life after being counseled by a monk. After saving her husband and herself from a gang, she attracts the attention of her former assassin gang.
The film began production on October 30 and was shot in China and Taiwan. While shooting, John Woo was on set continually advising director Su Chao-pin, which led to Woo being credited as a co-director. Reign of Assassins had its premiere on September 3, 2010 at the 67th annual Venice Film Festival, where it met acclaim from critics. It premiered in China on September 28, 2010 and has been purchased by The Weinstein Company for North American release rights and by Lions Gate Pictures for United Kingdom release rights.
Synopsis:
The film begins with a narration of the legend of an Indian Buddhist monk and the widespread belief that his mummified remains has mystical powers. The Dark Stone gang, having found that half of the remains are in the prime minister Zhang's hands, sends assassins to kill him and his son Renfeng. Dark Stone's top assassin Drizzle steals the remains and flees. She encounters the monk Wisdom after dispatching a pursuing Renfeng at the top of a bridge. Wisdom is revealed to be an accomplished martial artist who demonstrates to Drizzle that her swordsmanship has four fatal flaws. Warning that she can be killed by a master, he attempts to persuade her to turn a new leaf and leave the life of an assassin. The three months of their association ends with him dying by her hands, a final demonstration intended to enlighten her. After Wisdom's death, Drizzle is burdened with sorrow and guilt and decides to leave her old way of life. She goes to a famous surgeon who changes her appearance and she assumes the identity of Zeng Jing, a common cloth merchant. She attracts the attention of the messenger Ah-sheng whom she eventually marries. The Dark Stone gang's leader, Wheel King, recruits and trains a new assassin, Turquoise, a merciless girl who murdered her fiance and in-laws on her wedding night. The Dark Stone, in the meantime, are still in pursuit of Drizzle and the mummified remains, and one of their top members (Fatty Chen) is mysteriously assassinated. Later, Zeng Jing and Ah-sheng are in the bank when robbers enter. As the gang draws their swords, Zeng Jing defeats them and saves both her and her husband's lives. This act reveals her whereabouts to Dark Stone. The Wheel King summons three assassins in his gang - Lei Bin, the Magician, and Turquoise - to hunt Drizzle down. They locate Drizzle despite her changed appearance. However, Drizzle (now as Zeng) state she just wants to live a normal life, and the Wheel King promises her freedom for Ah-sheng and herself in exchange for the half of the she took and help in collecting the other half. After the Dark Stone secure the remains, Drizzle hands over her half. The gang refuses to release her, and despite infighting that kills the Magician, she comes home wounded and collapses before Ah-sheng. Lei Bin and Turquoise follow her but are stopped by Ah-sheng, who surprises them by producing a pair of Cen-Ci swords. Lei Bin recognizes them as Renfeng's weapon. The two assassins are defeated and Ah-sheng takes Drizzle to the surgeon. The surgeon treats Drizzle's wounds and tells Renfeng everything is pre-destined. Flashbacks reveal that Ah-sheng's true identify is Renfeng, who did not die from Drizzle's sword because he has situs inversus. He has also changed his appearance so that he can avenge his father's death. Drizzle finds out the truth and asks Renfeng if he has ever loved her. An emotional Renfeng tells her that is impossible because of what she and Dark Stone have done to his family, but he cannot bring himself to kill her and tells her to leave.
The Wheel King, having obtained the remains, attempts to use the power to restore his bodily "defect": he was castrated as a boy and uses the cover of being a low ranking eunuch to hide his criminal activities. Turquoise discovers this as she seduces him and mocks him in anger and disappointment. The Wheel King is infuriated and buries her alive under a bridge. He sees the firework signal released by Drizzle, who has decided to engage him in a final battle. The Wheel King comes to a graveyard and finds Renfeng dead. Drizzle then battles him and wounds him fatally, using what Wisdom had taught her. Renfeng revives the next morning, since he was just given a tortiose powder by Drizzle in order to appear lifeless so he could witness Drizzle avenge his family with her life. He approaches her body to touch her and finds her still alive. Renfeng is overcome with joy and carries her in his arms. Drizzle whispers to him "divorce me after we get home." Renfeng laughs and tells her they have a long life ahead.
