The film covers much of Ying Zheng's career, recalling his early experiences as a hostage and foreshadowing his dominance over China. He is essentially depicted as an idealist seeking to impose a peace or unity on the world. However, his experiencing of various betrayals and losses slowly turn him into a mad tyrant. The story consists of three main incidents: the attempt by Jing Ke to assassinate Ying Zheng in 227 BCE; the (fictitious) rumour of a Chief Minister's having sired the latter before transferring his concubine to become the Queen Dowager; and the story of an official having sired children by the Queen Dowager herself. The first incident is the climax of the film, with earlier scenes foreshadowing it; the other two incidents occur between the fictional genesis and historical manifestation of the first.
Movie's ratings
The Emperor and the Assassin
(1998)Jing Ke ci Qin Wang
Country | |
Runtime | 2 hr 43 min |
Budget | $15 000 000 |
Premiere: World | October 8, 1998 |
Box Office – Budget | – $13 732 761 |
Premiere: USA | $1 267 239 December 17, 1999 |
theaters | 37 |
rollout | 383 days |
Digital: World | September 16, 2008 |
Production Companies | |
Also Known As | 荆轲刺秦王 (China) L'empereur et l'assassin (France) Shikôtei ansatsu (Japan) |