Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings
(Di Renjie zhi Sidatianwang)

For his loyal services to the Tang dynasty, Dee has received the magic dragon-taming mace as a gift. But he is now accused by Empress Wu, who doubts his loyalty. Dee discovers that her suspicions stem from a plot organised by wicked magicians who are determined to take their revenge on the Tang dynasty and steal the mace… By introducing multiple characters, enemies and court intrigues, this third film strips down the main storyline of the detective to clearly depict the historical and political context. Like Once Upon a Time in China, the spectacle (albeit dazzling) does not rely on the pretext of a fantastical adaptation of history but stands as the necessary metaphor for the turmoil of the wars and intrigues that have constantly agitated the country. MM