Hidden Man

{{Infobox film

| image = Hidden Man film poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| name = Hidden Man

| native_name= {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes|t = 邪不壓正

| s = 邪不压正

| p = }}

| director = Jiang Wen

| producer = Zhou Yun

| writer = Jiang Wen
He Jiping
Li Fei
Sun Yue

| based_on = Xia Yin by Zhang Beihai

| starring = Eddie Peng
Liao Fan
Zhou Yun
Xu Qing
Kenya Sawada
Jiang Wen

| music = Nicolas Errèra

| cinematography = Xie Zhengyu

| editing = Zhang Qi
Cao Weijie
Jiang Wen

| studio = Wuxi Zizai Film and Television Company Limited

| distributor = Wuxi Zizai Film and Television Company Limited

| released = {{Film date|df=y|2018|07|13|China}}

| runtime = 137 minutes

| country = China
Hong Kong

| language = Mandarin

| budget =

| gross = {{USD|85.2 million}}{{Cite Box Office Mojo |id=8434380|title= Hidden Man (2018) |access-date=July 21, 2023}}

}}

Hidden Man ({{zh|c=邪不压正}}) is a 2018 action comedy film co-written and directed by Jiang Wen and starring Eddie Peng, Liao Fan, Jiang Wen, Zhou Yun, and Xu Qing.{{cite news |author1=Clarence Tsui |title='Hidden Man' ('Xie Bu Ya Zheng'): Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/hidden-man-xie-bu-ya-zheng-film-review-1129698 |accessdate=27 September 2018 |work=hollywoodreporter |date=27 July 2018}}{{cite news |author1=JOHN BERRA |title=REVIEWS 'Hidden Man': Toronto Review |url=https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/hidden-man-toronto-review/5132453.article |accessdate=27 September 2018 |work=screendaily |date=8 September 2018}}{{cite news |author1=PATRICK FRATER |title=Warner Boards Jiang Wen's 'Hidden Man' |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/asia/warner-jiang-wenhidden-man-1202809465/ |accessdate=27 September 2018 |work=variety.com |date=14 May 2018}}{{cite news |author1=JESSICA KIANG |title=Film Review: 'Hidden Man' |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/hidden-man-review-1202943487/ |accessdate=27 September 2018 |work=variety.com |date=23 September 2018}} A Chinese-Hong Kong co-production,{{Cite web |url=https://sino-cinema.com/2018/08/30/review-hidden-man-2018/ |title=Review: Hidden Man (2018) |date=30 August 2018 |website=Sino-Cinema |last=Elley |first=Derek |author-link=Derek Elley |access-date=18 May 2025}} the film is an adaptation of Zhang Beihai's wuxia novel Xia Yin. After Let the Bullets Fly and Gone with the Bullets, it completes Jiang Wen's gangster Beiyang trilogy.{{cite web |title=姜文谈《一步之遥》故事源自北洋阎瑞生案 |trans-title=Jiang Wen talks about "One Step Away" The story is based on the Beiyang Yan Ruisheng case |language=zh|url=http://ent.163.com/14/0519/08/9SJJMPLO000300B1.html |publisher=NetEase Entertainment |access-date=5 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710170045/http://ent.163.com/14/0519/08/9SJJMPLO000300B1.html |archive-date=10 July 2019 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=IMAX China |title=Jiang Wen's Hidden Man to be Released in IMAX Theatres Across China on July 13 |url=https://en.prnasia.com/releases/apac/jiang-wen-s-hidden-man-to-be-released-in-imax-theatres-across-china-on-july-13-214433.shtml |access-date=5 November 2024 |agency=PR Newswire |publisher=PR Newswire Asia Ltd |date=June 20, 2018 |location=Beijing |language=English}}{{cite web |last1=Elley |first1=Derek |title=Review: Hidden Man (2018) |url=https://sino-cinema.com/2018/08/30/review-hidden-man-2018/ |website=Sino-Cinema |publisher=WordPress |access-date=5 November 2024 |language=English |date=30 August 2018 }}

The film was released on July 13, 2018, in China. It was selected as the Chinese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.{{cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/news/87-countries-competition-2018-foreign-language-film-oscar |title=87 Countries In Competition for 2018 Foreign Language Film Oscar |work=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |accessdate=8 October 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscars-87-countries-submit-films-foreign-language-category-1150191 |title=Oscars: 87 Countries Submit Films in Foreign-Language Category |work=The Hollywood Reporter |first=Gregg |last=Kilday |date=8 October 2018 |accessdate=8 October 2018}}

Plot

During the Beiyang period, north of Beiping, a young martial artist named Li Tianran witnesses his senior fellow disciple, Zhu Qianlong, colluding with Japanese spy Ichiro Nemoto to massacre their master's entire family. Li narrowly escapes death and is rescued by an American doctor named Hendler. After recovering from his injuries, Li is sent to America, where he studies medicine for years while simultaneously receiving espionage training. In early 1937, Li is suddenly ordered to return to China.

On the eve of the Marco Polo Bridge incident, Beiping is a city crawling with spies from all over the world, a chaotic mix of Chinese and foreigners, rival factions, constant temptations, and lurking dangers. Driven by revenge, Li Tianran has no idea he's being pulled into a grand conspiracy, disrupting a delicate game already in motion. Lan Qingfeng, a mysterious martial artist from the former dynasty, is closely connected to Zhu Qianlong and Ichiro Nemoto. He also shares a deep brotherly bond with Hendler, but whether he is friend or foe remains a mystery.

As tensions between China and Japan escalate, power struggles intensify. Misled by lies and having missed several crucial opportunities, Li Tianran finally makes up his mind to launch a full-scale revenge mission, with the help of a tailor Guan Qiaohong, exposing the truth behind the massacre and the secrets of everyone involved.

Cast

Eddie Peng as Li Tianran
Liao Fan as Zhu Qianlong
Zhou Yun as Guan Qiaohong
Xu Qing as Tang Fengyi
Kenya Sawada as Nemoto Ichiro
Andy Friend as Hendler
Jiang Wen as Lan Qingfeng
Yuan Shanshan as Shi Jie
Ding Jiali as Shi Mu
Li Meng as Lan Lan
Junichi Kajioka as Tank squad leader
Shi Hang as Pan

Production

Wuxi Zizai Film and Television Company Limited bought the film rights to the wuxia novel Xia Yin ({{zh|s=侠隐|t=|links=no}}) written by Zhang Beihai.

The film became the third in a trilogy, with two prequels, Let the Bullets Fly (2010) and Gone with the Bullets (2014).{{cite news|url=http://zj.qq.com/a/20180723/036586.htm#p=1 |script-title=zh:深扒《邪不压正》取景地高度还原北平的星光小镇 |work=qq.com |date=2018-07-26 |language=zh}}

Filming locations included Xi'an, Beijing, and Yunnan.{{cite news|url=https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1606203207755803808&wfr=spider&for=pc |script-title=zh:电影《邪不压正》取景地，除了在北京取景，还在这几个地方！ |work=Baidu |date=17 July 2018 |language=zh}}{{cite news|url=http://tech.ifeng.com/a/20180717/45066485_0.shtml |script-title=zh:邪不压正》幕后：揭密"飞檐走壁"等拍摄场景 |work=ifeng |date=2018-07-17 |language=zh}}{{cite news|url=http://www.sohu.com/a/240946836_100021071 |script-title=zh:《邪不压正》取景地古北水镇，重温张北海《侠隐》中的北平记忆 |work=Sohu |date=2018-07-13 |language=zh}}

American actor Kevin Spacey was supposed to appear in a scene, but this was cut after Spacey's sexual assault allegations came to light.{{Cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/in-profile-the-87-foreign-language-oscar-2019-contenders/5131442.article|title=In profile: the 87 foreign language Oscar 2019 contenders|last=Dalton|first=Ben|date=2018-10-12|website=Screen Daily|language=en|access-date=2019-03-30}}

Release

On May 15, 2018, the producers announced that the film was scheduled for release on July 13, 2018. The film premiered in Beijing on July 10 with wide-release in China on July 13. The film earned $17.9 million on opening day, totaling $46.5 million after three days.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/asia/china-box-office-dying-to-survive-hidden-man-asura-1202873776/|title=China Box Office: 'Dying to Survive' Scores $69 Million, Holds Off 'Hidden Man' and 'Asura'|last=Frater|first=Patrick|date=2018-07-15|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-03-30}}

Awards and nominations

Award ! Category ! Recipients ! Result
class="wikitable"
rowspan=6\| 55th Golden Horse Awards	Best Director	Jiang Wen	{{nom}}
Best Supporting Actress	Xu Qing	{{nom}}
Best Visual Effects	Wang Shaoshuai and Yang Yuejuan	{{nom}}
Best Art Direction	Liu Qing	{{nom}}
Best Makeup & Costume Design	Dong Zhongmin, Uma Wang and Zhang Shuping	{{nom}}
Best Action Choreography	He Jun, Kenji Tanigaki and Yan Hua	{{won}}
38th Hong Kong Film Awards	Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan	Hidden Man	{{nom}}
rowspan=4\| 13th Asian Film Awards	Best Supporting Actress	Xu Qing	{{nom}}
Best Costume Design	Dong Zhongmin, Uma Wang and Zhang Shuping	{{nom}}
Best Visual Effects	Wang Shaoshuai and Yang Yuejuan	{{nom}}
Best Production Design	Liu Qing	{{nom}}

Reception

Variety called the film a "good-looking but convoluted period romp."{{Cite web |last=Kiang |first=Jessica |date=2018-09-24 |title=Film Review: 'Hidden Man' |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/hidden-man-review-1202943487/ |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}