Title: The Forbidden City
MPA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Gabriele Mainetti
Starring: Yaxi Liu, Enrico Borello, Marco Giallini
Runtime: 2 hr 18 mins

What It Is: Marcello (Borello) works in his father’s Italian restaurant. However, no one has seen him since he walked out on the family to be with his Chinese girlfriend. Meanwhile, Mei (Liu) is looking for her sister, whom she hasn’t seen in some time. She will do whatever she must — including venturing into the dirty underworld of Rome and the gangs that inhabit it. When a uniting force brings these two together, they might be nigh unstoppable.

What We Think: This kicks so much ass. I had an amazing time with this one. Yaxi Liu is fantastic and really shines here. This thing could’ve easily fallen apart at a moment’s notice, but instead she’s fully up to the task — great in the quieter, emotional moments and even better when she unleashes hell on those who’ve wronged her (or whom she believes have).

When we’re dealing with the ugly underbelly of this film, there’s something to be said for the stakes it builds. There aren’t a lot of smart action films made, and the fact that this one operates in two different languages is simply incredible. Both Chinese and Italian are spoken here, and neither gets lost in translation.

Our Grade: B+, This absolutely kicks so much ass, and it’s just damn fun to watch. As Mainetti dips his very Italian toes into action film making, I definitely think he has a future in the genre. He understands how to shoot action and doesn’t fall into the Megaton-style shaky-cam shenanigans meant to hide what’s going on. Instead, he makes it look like a 2000s Hong Kong actioner. That’s about the highest compliment anyone can pay an action film.

Whenever this inevitably hits the States, if you’re a fan of action films, make sure you check this one out.

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