Detective Chinatown 1900

{{Infobox film

| name = Detective Chinatown 1900

| image = DetectiveChinatown1900 Poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| native_name = {{Infobox Chinese/Chinese|child=yes|hide=no|order=st|header=none|c =唐探1900 | p =Tángtàn 1900}}

| director = {{plainlist|

Chen Sicheng
Dai Mo

}}

| producer = Chen Sicheng

| writer = Chen Sicheng

| based_on =

| starring = {{plainlist|

}}

| music = Nathan Wang

| cinematography = Du Jie

| editing = Tang Jongjia

| studio = {{plainlist|

Wanda Film
Beijing Yitong Legend Film Culture Co., Ltd.
China Film Co.,Ltd.

}}

| distributor = Wanda Pictures

| released = {{Film date|df=y|2025|01|29}}

| runtime = 135 minutes

| country = China

| language = {{plainlist|

Mandarin
English

}}

| budget =

| gross = $496 million{{Cite web |title= Daily Box Office |url=http://english.entgroup.cn/boxoffice/cn/daily/?date=03%20/15%20/2025|website=Entgroup|access-date=February 22, 2025}}

}}

Detective Chinatown 1900 ({{zh|c=唐探1900}}) is a 2025 Chinese comedy mystery buddy film directed by Chen Sicheng and Dai Mo, starring Wang Baoqiang, Liu Haoran, with a special appearance by Chow Yun-fat.{{cite news |url=https://www.sohu.com/a/794580975_114733 |script-title=zh:陈思诚担任编剧电影《唐探1900》立项故事聚焦1900年旧金山唐人街凶杀案 |work=Sohu |date=19 July 2024 |access-date=21 December 2024 |language=zh}} It is the fourth installment in the Detective Chinatown franchise.{{cite news |author1=Patrick Brzeski |title=Chinese Tentpole "Detective Chinatown 1900" Sets Theatrical Release in U.S., Europe (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/detective-chinatown-1900-theatrical-release-us-europe-1236105004/ |access-date=23 January 2025 |work=hollywoodreporter.com |date=8 January 2025}} The film, which is set in San Francisco in 1900, follows the story of Qin Fu and Ah Gui's investigation into the murder of a white woman in Chinatown.{{cite news |author1=Xing Wen |title=Prequel to Detective Chinatown series hits screens on New Year's Day |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202501/22/WS67909d97a310a2ab06ea89f5.html |access-date=23 January 2025 |work=Chinadaily.com |date=22 January 2025}} The film premiered on 29 January 2025 during the Spring Festival.{{cite news |url=https://finance.sina.com.cn/tech/digi/2024-12-19/doc-inczzcmr6706605.shtml |script-title=zh:电影《唐探 1900》定档海报发布，2025 年大年初一上映 |work=sina |date=19 December 2024 |access-date=21 December 2024 |language=zh}}

Plot

In 1900, Fei Yanggu, a Manchu official of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), on the orders of Empress Dowager Cixi, led two bodyguards to San Francisco to capture the revolutionaries Sun Wen and Zheng Shiliang. The daughter of U.S. Congressman Grant, Alice, was disemboweled and murdered in San Francisco's Chinatown. An elderly Native American man was also killed at the same time. The suspect was Bai Zhenbang, the son of Bai Xuanling, the leader of Chinatown’s Xiesheng Hall. Since Grant hates Chinese people in the United States, he is planning to push for a stronger Chinese exclusion bill in Congress. In order to save his son and prevent the Chinese from suffering large-scale persecution, Bai Xuanling invited Qin Fu, a young reasoning master, to help solve the case and find the real murderer.

On the other hand, Ah Gui, a Chinese-Native American hunter, came to San Francisco to avenge his adoptive father and met Qin Fu. The two began to work together to find the truth, but later two young women were disemboweled and killed. Since Zheng Shiliang is a good friend of Bai Zhenbang, the young master of Xieshengtang, Fei Yanggu's arrest operation did not go smoothly. In order to prepare for the revolution, Zheng Shiliang and Bai Zhenbang stole a batch of firearms from the Irish gang, thus offending the Irish. Zheng Shiliang and Bai Zhenbang hid the firearms in the Chinese Theater where their friend, the Chinese magician Jin Lingfu, worked. Following this, they were caught in the machinery, causing the show to be a success.

After that, Qin Fu meets with Bai Zhenbang, and Bai Zhenbang tells him that he was trying to elope to Europe. After that, they visit the autopsy of Alice, finding that the killer was good with a knife and also discovering wood in Alice's head and hair. Qin Fu proceeds to question Congressman Grant, but does not receive any information. After being removed from the premises, Ah Gui and Qin Fu look in Grant's house. They find a banister matching the wood in Alice's hair.

Meanwhile, Fei Yanggu makes an alliance with the Americans, after a brawl in a bar.

Cast

Wang Baoqiang as Ah Gui, of Chinese and Native American descent.
Liu Haoran as Qin Fu, a traditional Chinese medicine physician.
Chow Yun-fat as Bai Xuanling
{{ill|Bai Ke|zh|白客}} as Zheng Shiliang
Zhang Xincheng as Bai Zhenbang
Yue Yunpeng as Fei Yanggu
Yin Zheng as Feng Ma
John Cusack as Grant
Li Xuejian as Chan

Production

Production started in July 2024 in Laoling Film Studio and ended in October of the same year.{{cite news |url=https://www.sohu.com/a/818068850_121771652 |script-title=zh:《唐探1900》杀青照曝光，导演陈思成意外缺席，上映时间成焦点 |work=Sohu |date=19 October 2024 |access-date=21 December 2024 |language=zh}}

Music

This film is composed by Nathan Wang.

Marketing

Release

Reception

Phil Hoad of The Guardian gave Detective Chinatown 1900 3/5 stars, describing it as "tightly paced and snappily directed", with a charming cultural message and effective humor that adequately explores anti-Chinese xenophobia without excessive patriotism, though he believes it ultimately undermines its themes with an "oddly pointed" political coda at the end.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/30/detective-chinatown-1900-review-blockbusting-chinese-franchise-goes-back-in-time |title=Detective Chinatown 1900 review – blockbusting Chinese franchise goes back in time |date=30 January 2025 |website=The Guardian |last=Hoad |first=Phil |access-date=4 February 2025}} Wen Yen of Guangming Daily praised the film for "skillfully blending realism and romanticism", delivering a compelling narrative rooted in historical truths that resonate with the collective aspirations of the Chinese, while innovatively incorporating traditional elements to create a unique cultural dialogue on justice and identity.{{Cite web |url=https://culture.gmw.cn/2025-01/29/content_37826717.htm |title=《唐探1900》：以公平正义与世界对话，书写中国故事的世界表达 |date=29 January 2025 |website=Guangming Daily |last=Wen |first=Yen |access-date=4 February 2025 |language=zh}}

James Marsh of Deadline Hollywood found the film to be visually opulent yet "sometimes preachy", tackling themes of racism and immigration while delivering engaging performances, particularly from Chow Yun-fat, but it ultimately falls short of its potential due to a predictable plot and a lackluster villain.{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/detective-chinatown-1900-movie-review-chinese-new-year-1236274320/ |title='Detective Chinatown 1900' Review: Chow Yun-Fat & John Cusack Join Blockbuster Franchise In Whodunnit Romp With A Cultural Message |date=31 January 2025 |website=Deadline Hollywood |last=Marsh |first=James |access-date=4 February 2025}} Alan Ng of Film Threat gave the film 5/10 and considered it to be ambitious but ultimately disappointing, as it struggles to balance its slapstick comedy with an "over-bloated cast and subplots", leaving little room for the promised buddy-cop dynamic, despite some impressive production design and gruesome humor.{{Cite web |url=https://filmthreat.com/reviews/detective-chinatown-1900/ |title=Detective Chinatown 1900 |date=30 January 2025 |website=Film Threat |last=Ng |first=Alan |access-date=4 February 2025}}