9 Kinds of Films That China Lacks

Sep 12, 2025 CFM Report, Trends 0

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BY Wang Yunian

 

In China, more and more films get made but most are rough works.

In recent years, genre film has been one of the most-discussed topics and some breakthroughs are visible. Still, many genres and sub-genres are yet to pass censorship.

Here are some of the possible directions, once the policy restriction goes loose.

 

1. Sex comedy

Reference: American Pie, The Hangover

The Chinese audience, the younger generation in particular, is already open enough for sex-related topics. In urban comedies like Sophie’s Revenge and Tiny Times 2.0, suggestive lines are noticeable.

Upcoming films that are very likely to fill in this gap are Breakup Buddies and My Girlfriend Is Sick. In My Girlfriend’s trailer, words popping up like “to improve women’s health via making love” and “unhappy sexual life”, etc.

 

2. Action film featuring a metropolis landmark

Reference: The Bourne Identity

Hong Kong director Benny Chan answered “Shooting is banned on the Square”, when asked why he did not shoot police-gangster action movies in Mainland China.

Jet Li has a film named Zhongnanhai Baobiao (The Bodyguard from Beijing). Although it was not made in Zhongnanhai, the name sounds intriguing. Foreign filmmakers, however, have been assiduous in utilizing Chinese landmarks: Mission: Impossible III featured Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai while Transformers: Age of Extinction pictured Beijing’s Pangu Plaza.

Zhang Yimou’s Great Wall is much expected. It sounds fun to fight against aliens with the Great Wall.

 

3. Hardcore sci-fi film

Reference: Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell

Too many fake sci-fi films have been produced in China, like Hong Kong director Jeffery Lau’s Metallic Attraction: Kungfu Cyborg.

In an interview I did with Director Ning Hao, he said:“I keep looking for a sci-fi film that grows out of our context, but failed. The contemporary Chinese culture is not characterized by ingenuity in science and technology. We are still at the transitional stage from the Agricultural Period to urbanization, namely, from the Third World to a developed world. The spirit of science and technology had weak presence in the Agricultural Period. Sci-fi films are the product of the immigration wave and the Oceanic Period. Therefore, it is only normal that a quality local sci-fi film is nowhere to find.”

It has been reported that Ning is shooting Village Teachers, an adaptation of China’s most established sci-fi writer Liu Cixin. Besides, Zhang Fanfan has built a film project of Liu’s Three Body Trilogy. However, whether these two projects would have innovations in technology, industrial production and in-depth development remains a question.

 

4. Political film

Reference: Forrest Gump, Remember

With a history of military dictatorship, South Korea enjoys a strong presence of political films that attract attention from all walks.

In contrast, Chinese films rarely touch upon the political subject matter explicitly or implicitly. Films of this sort from the early 1990’s like Farewell My Concubine, The Blue Kite, To Live are remembered as classics, but in recent years such films hardly exist. On the contrary, China’s TV series production has made many breakthroughs.

 

5. Monster film and disaster film

Reference: King Kong, Final Days of Planet Earth

Among the recent local movies of such topics, only Super Typhoon and Million Dollar Crocodile are noteworthy. However, the former literally became an inside joke while the latter’s fun ideas were ruined by Barbie Hsu’s lousy acting and careless production.

 

China’s audiences are generally very fond of disaster movies although the Korean ones like Haeundae and Deranged enjoyed little appreciation in China. Some years ago, even a low-budget disaster film could be very profitable. The recent Godzilla had a fine box office although the film was not that good as expected.

 

Nowadays, the Chinese investors wish to harvest huge box office revenue with low budgets. The low-budget and ill-made horror films are quite common. However, it falls short of spectacular and thought-provoking disaster movies. Actually, even without a big budget, such films can at least incorporate some brilliant ideas. Have a look at Sharknado, for God’s sake!

 

6. High concept film

Reference: Memento, Paprika

 

Rigorous plots, strict logic, a complex yet reasonable story line, unique concepts are needed in such films – each element is somewhat absent in current Chinese films.

The local suspense-horror The Great Hypnotist is a good example despite its many loopholes.

The Coffin in the Mountain is an amazing production by a talented young Chinese director, a high concept film with a vivid depiction of China’s social reality and rural living.

 

7. Live-action film adapted from comics or animation

Reference: Transformers

 

Films of this genre still have a long way to develop in China because fabulous animations are yet to be produced. Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf and Boonie Bears are hard to go global.

In terms of films adapted from video games, except Silent Hill, other successful adaptations are hard to find either in China or other countries. It is worth waiting to see whether the much-talked Halo and Warcraft can be ground-breaking.

 

8. Film about different occupations

Reference: Departures, The Weather Man, The Chef of South Polar

It is a pity that few Chinese films aim at presenting specific features of different occupations. Those finished ones seldom feature the leading characters’ occupational nature.

Recent impressive works are As The Light Goes Out, directed by Hong Kong director Derek Kwok, and The Great Hypnotist. Other cases tend to be quite boring. On the list of the 2014 Chinese films, no other such films seem to be special.

Since there are so many inventive and interesting occupations in China, this kind of film really is worth developing.

 

9. Softcore porno

Reference: Way too many examples!

The major problem of this genre-film-making in China is not the lack of a rating system or censorship, but the shortage of photographers capable of presenting sex scenes in a beautiful and luscious way. The current ones are too clichéd and obscene to watch.

 

 

 

 

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