What to know

critics consensus

Well-acted and beautifully filmed, Shanghai Triad deftly depicts a young man's coming of age against the backdrop of mob violence and its punishing legacy. Read critic reviews

You might also like

Where to watch

Show all services

Rate And Review

User image

Verified

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Step 2 of 2

    How did you buy your ticket?

    Let's get your review verified.

    • Fandango

    • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

    • Cinemark Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Theater box office or somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

    You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • How did you buy your ticket?

    • Fandango

    • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

    • Cinemark Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Theater box office or somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

Shanghai Triad Photos

View All Photos (14)

Movie Info

When teenager Shuisheng (Wang Xiaoxiao Cuihua) arrives to Shanghai from the country, he is brought by his uncle (Li Xuejian) to work for gang leader Tang (Baotian Li). Tang assigns Shuisheng to aid his girlfriend Xiao Jinbao (Gong Li), a nightclub singer. After a rival gang kills some of Tang's men, he takes Shuisheng and Jinbao to an island hideout. Here Jinbao forms a friendship with peasant Cuihau (Jiang Baoying), while Tang attempts to determine if there are traitors in his ranks.
  • Rating:
    R
  • Genre:
    crime, drama
  • Original Language:
    Chinese
  • Director:
    Yimou Zhang
  • Producer:
    Yves Marmion, Jean-Louis Piel, Yigong Wu
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $2.1M
  • Runtime:
  • Production Co:
    Alpha Films
  • Sound Mix:
    Surround

Cast & Crew

Gong Li
Xiao Jingbao
Baotian Li
Tang
Li Xuejian
Liu
Chun Sun
Song
Wang Xiaoxiao Cuihua
Shuisheng
Jiang Baoying
Cuihua
Yimou Zhang
Director
Bi Feiyu
Writer (Screenplay)
Li Xiao
Writer (Screenplay)
Yves Marmion
Producer
Jean-Louis Piel
Producer
Yigong Wu
Producer
Yongde Zhu
Executive Producer
Wang Wei
Executive Producer
Zhang Guangtian
Music
Juiping Cao
Production Designer
Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for Shanghai Triad

Zhang Yimou’s 10 Best Movies
"Crash" Producer’s Magic Turns "Illusionist" Into Gold
Zhang Yimou to Enlist 20,000 Soldiers for His Next Epic
View All

Critic Reviews for Shanghai Triad

All Critics (29) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (26) | Rotten (3)

View All Critic Reviews (29)

Audience Reviews for Shanghai Triad

  • Sep 28, 2012
    Another great effort by Zhang Yimou. The greatest Asian mob movie that I have seen thus far. Very entertaining.
    John B Super Reviewer
  • Nov 11, 2008
    Good movie, ending is horrible (as in, it's a horrible story - not bad). I don't generally watch mob movies, and I tend to associate that genre as Italian (probably incorrectly - so sue me, it's not a type of movie I generally seek out), so this Chinese movie set in the past was something different to me. The settings are beautiful as is the lead actress. Different to see through the eyes of a poor young boy sent to work for them. Felt so sorry for him, especially on that horrible ending. Poor kid.
    Nicki M Super Reviewer
  • Sep 15, 2008
    A gangster flick in the eastern tradition,Yimou is not ashamed to produce vivid landscapes and some morbid ones in the first part.It's a mid-90's Yimou,compared to the heartless Hero and Curse of the Golden Flower,this one possesses a terrific strength/narration recent gangster flicks (in general) will never have.
    Dimitris S Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

Shanghai Triad (Yao a yao yao dao waipo qiao) Quotes

There are no approved quotes yet for this movie.

Movie & TV guides