Sammy-Jo Cervantes There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Falconeer Seeing as how "Once Upon A Time In Shanghai" is a remake of my all-time favorite martial arts movie, "Boxer From Shantung," of course I held this one up against high standards. Well for the most part it succeeds, with it's many elegant, artistic touches. Here we have a visually impressive period piece, about a poor laborer who comes to the big city to find his fortune. What he finds is friendship, corruption, and ultimately betrayal. Here martial artist Philip Ng replaces the legendary Chen Kuan Tai in the role of Ma Yongzhen, the immensely likable peasant who yearns for power, but despises corruption. Ng is a great choice to play Ma, as he is a charismatic and handsome actor. It's not easy to compare to Chen Kuan Tai, but Philip Ng comes close. The fight scenes are fast and furious, and very well-staged, and for once we have a good story to compliment the action. The sets and the period costumes are beautiful and detailed as well, although I wasn't so crazy about the digital video look of this film. The colors are very washed out, and the film almost looks like it was shot in black and white. Still I highly recommend this remake, as there are so few good martial arts films being produced today. Fans of the classic 70's stuff should really appreciate this. I also strongly recommend searching out the original "Boxer From Shantung" from 1972. It is a true masterpiece of the genre, and surpasses this film in quality and artistry..

Mulloway69 . This modern take on The Boxer from Shantung from 1972 from Ching-Po Wong was a chance find for myself but I'm glad I did.Set in 30's crime ridden Shanghai the film is shot in black and white with splashes of colour.Excellent cinematography, flawless sets, not too over the top cgi and a classic albeit very predictable storyline. Once Upon a Time in Shanghai delivers where it needs to most - lots of quality choreographed action.A must for any kung-fu movie nut and the casual fan alike, if you're not already a fan of Philip Ng prepare to become one.

Paul Magne Haakonsen As much as I enjoy Asian movie, "Once Upon a Time in Shanghai" just never caught my interest. The movie was pointless and it was lacking a proper storyline, which meant the movie lost my interest fast and was drifting further and further away.40 minutes into the strenuous ordeal I simply gave up, seeing no point in suffering through this movie anymore and I went to watch something else.The story, at least from what I caught from what I watched, was about people coming to Shanghai to make a living for themselves, but many ended up as gangsters and in a world of violence. And a young man with a particularly strong right hand, leaves you to wonder how that hand got to strong, is about to set them all straight.Right, nothing overly interesting there. And it didn't help one bit that the characters were one-dimension and never once really invoked any kind of bond with the audience.The fight scenes were alright, though. Not memorable, but adequate. But it was hardly enough to make it worth suffering through this movie.If you enjoy Asian movies, there are far better choices available on the market, and I can't really find a single reason for recommending "Once Upon a Time in Shanghai" to anyone.A mere 2 out of 10 stars from me.

pak-37-472137 First off all i cant believe its not released here in The U S yet! Great homage.throwback to hong kong Kung Fu Movies. IF u are a Bruce Lee fan.Do not miss this movie.i don't care download or rent DVD. From the story Line The Big boss..Fists of Fury..game of death and enter the dragon. Director Wong Jin wrote a great tribute.Phillip Ng's portray is so similar to Bruce its crazy. He has his haircut.clothes..moves and charasmastic flow like Lee did.Chen is a newcomer to Shanghai looking for laborer job. But soon he is against the Japanese spies..local thugs and corrupt town officials. It also mixes in humor and awesome fight scenes. PHILLIP NG is the next Bruce Lee. He studied under bruce's real kmaster Sifu. He also has over 150 schools that train in jujitsu.. see it now!!