The interesting aspect of "Forbidden City" is its mix of Italian and Chinese to tell a story mostly set in Rome. The action optimizing Elisa Wong (known for the live action "Mulan") is fast and furious when it happens and yet the film is also balanced by the more cathartic Italian form of storytelling combined with a gangster picture. Written and directed by Gabriele Mainetti, it is an interesting mix since it moves different than a normal kung fu action film. There is a slickness and some Italian humor and yet retains a bit of the melodrama familiar in certain Far East cinema.

Creating an epic that can balance mythical and a sense of traditionalism, especially out of the Chinese market without falling into melodrama is a specific balance. This of course has to do with the nature of translation but when a sense of visual style and storytelling find a balance, it can really work.