Detective Chinatown 1900 backdrop
Detective Chinatown 1900 logo
2025·Comedy·2h 15m
7.0
In 1900, the mysterious murder of a white woman and a Native American man in San Francisco's Chinatown triggers a race against time as the Chinese suspect and the Native American's adopted Chinese son work to uncover the truth while a politician seeks to leverage the Chinese Exclusion Bill as well as the prevailing xenophobia and racism to close down Chinatown and elect himself as the mayor.
Directed by Chen Sicheng and Dai Mo
san francisco, california
chinatown
prequel
murder
buddy comedy
1900s
action comedy
20th century

Cast

Wang Baoqiang
Wang Baoqiang
Ah Gui
Liu Haoran
Liu Haoran
Qin Fu
Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-Fat
Bai Xuanling
White-K
White-K
Zheng Shiliang
Zhang Xincheng
Zhang Xincheng
Bai Zhenbang
Yue Yunpeng
Yue Yunpeng
Fei Yanggu
John Cusack
John Cusack
Grant
Tai Bo
Tai Bo
Uncle Si
Wang Yutian
Wang Yutian
Ren Wu
Zhang Aoyue
Zhang Aoyue
Ren Liu
Scotty Cox
Scotty Cox
Weyman
Sam Hayden-Smith
Sam Hayden-Smith
Lance

Crew

Chen Sicheng
Chen Sicheng
Director
Dai Mo
Dai Mo
Director
Chen Sicheng
Chen Sicheng
Writer
Nathan Wang
Nathan Wang
Original Music Composer
Du Jie
Du Jie
Director of Photography
Chen Sicheng
Chen Sicheng
Producer

Popular Reviews

16 reviews
Javier
Javier
Detective Chinatown 1900
Ok, so as someone who isn’t Native American, I can see that the depiction of them here is really problematic. That alone takes away quite a bit of the film’s quality for me.

Their role in the story is small, though, so what’s left is mainly about the racism and struggles faced by Chinese people in early 1900s America. I can’t say how accurate it is, but the movie clearly leans toward a strong ideological stance that favors the Chinese perspective.

Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. Movies have always been used as propaganda or political statements. And while the white villains here are over-the-top and almost cartoonish, their racism and behavior aren’t completely unrealistic either.

I’ve seen a lot of American films that are considered propaganda in many parts of the world, does that make them bad films per se? Not really. The bad ones are the ones with awful quality. There are plenty of great films that also serve as propaganda, like Top Gun, American Sniper, Zero Dark Thirty, or even Argo. They still work as entertaining, well-made movies, even if their political messaging is very clear.

I just wish the Native American parts weren’t handled so poorly, because the rest of the movie is actually pretty enjoyable, even with its mix of exaggerated comedy and its proud celebration of Chinese resilience and identity.
Ok, so as someone who isn’t Native American, I can see that the depiction of them here is really problematic. That alone takes away quite a bit of the film’s quality for me.

Their role in the story is small, though, so what’s left is mainly about the racism and struggles faced by Chinese people in early 1900s America. I can’t say how accurate it is, but the movie clearly leans toward a strong ideological stance that favors the Chinese perspective.

Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. Movies have always been used as propaganda or political statements. And while the white villains here are over-the-top and almost cartoonish, their racism and behavior aren’t completely unrealistic either.

I’ve seen a lot of American films that are considered propaganda in many parts of the world, does that make them bad films per se? Not really. The bad ones are the ones with awful quality. There are plenty of great films that also serve as propaganda, like Top Gun, American Sniper, Zero Dark Thirty, or even Argo. They still work as entertaining, well-made movies, even if their political messaging is very clear.

I just wish the Native American parts weren’t handled so poorly, because the rest of the movie is actually pretty enjoyable, even with its mix of exaggerated comedy and its proud celebration of Chinese resilience and identity.
Favorite
Comment
fla
fla
Detective Chinatown 1900
"WHERE IS EQUALITY?"
"WHERE IS EQUALITY?"
Favorite
Comment
rukuzii
rukuzii
Detective Chinatown 1900
Predictable, but didn't expect about the politics (not the one in the story) and beefing the American this hard.
Predictable, but didn't expect about the politics (not the one in the story) and beefing the American this hard.
Favorite
Comment
Emily Wu
Emily Wu
Detective Chinatown 1900
could have excused the propaganda if it was at least funny <3
could have excused the propaganda if it was at least funny <3
Favorite
Comment
Eliana Lacroix
Eliana Lacroix
Detective Chinatown 1900
Fuck it, best film of the year ! Go argue with the wall.

It's a perfect mix of like Sherlock Holmes and John wick made into a comedy with politics but made refreshing (clowning on USA is a big yes in my books)

Nah but seriously I haven't enjoyed a film as much as this in ages and if you ask me it is absolutely a Must Watch!

Later losers x
Fuck it, best film of the year ! Go argue with the wall.

It's a perfect mix of like Sherlock Holmes and John wick made into a comedy with politics but made refreshing (clowning on USA is a big yes in my books)

Nah but seriously I haven't enjoyed a film as much as this in ages and if you ask me it is absolutely a Must Watch!

Later losers x
Favorite
Comment