FORBIDDEN CITY, THE

(director/writer: Gabriele Mainetti; screenwriters:
story and script by Mainetti, Stefano Bises, Davide Serino; cinematographer: Paolo Carnera; editors:
Francesco di Stefano, Francesca Addonizio; music:
Fabio Amurri; cast: Yaxi Liu (Mei), Enrico Borello (Marcello), Sofia Liu (young Yun), Haijin Ye (Yun),  Sabrina Ferilli (Lorella), Marco Giallini (Annibale), Shansan Chunyu (Mr. Wang); Runtime: 140; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Sonia Roval, Lorenzo Gangarossa, Mario Gianani; Goon Films; 2025-Italy-in Italian, Chinese)

“Kung Fu action pic.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Italian filmmaker Gabriele Mainetti (“They Call Me Jeeg Robot”/”Freaks Out”) directs this Kung Fu action pic. It’s co-written by Stefano Bises and Davide Serino.

The Chinese 30-something Mei (Yaxi Liu) goes to Rome in 2025 to look for her missing older sister Yun (Haijin Ye), who was snatched by an underworld crime gang to be forced into a prostitution ring. She visits Mr. Wang (Shansan Chunyu), the restaurant owner of the Forbidden City. He refers her to seek out the cook Marcello (Enrico Borello) for info. His father also has disappeared. Mei tells Marcello, “I must have revenge.”

Being a great martial arts fighter, Mei kicks ass when she finds the crime lords in a brothel.

It’s a predictable story with great Kung Fu fighting sequences. It’s probably a good flick if you are not concerned with the quality of the story.

It played at the Karlovy Vara Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 6/2/2026  GRADE: C+
dennisschwartzreviews.com