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Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit (1989) movie poster

Timeline

Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit (1989) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1989 · 103 mins · Cantonese
Directed by
Lau Kar-Leung
Starring
Danny Lee, Jim James, Leslie Cheung, Conan Lee, Xiong Xinxin, Maria Cordero

Two friends who own an investment firm turn to a policeman friend for help when they are framed for robbery by a gang of antiquities smugglers.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (11)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit (1989)

Where can you watch Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video Free and Shout! Factory TV: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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11 events in order · contains spoilers

Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit (1989) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Thailand mission ends in a split

    King Kong and Baldy team up for a mission in Thailand to kidnap a woman on her way to marry a wealthy man. The operation goes sour, forcing the two to part ways and pursue their own paths. The fallout marks the end of their partnership as the Aces.

    When
    1986
    Where
    Thailand
  2. Stolen artefacts spark the heist controversy

    Three years after the Thailand mission, pictures surface showing the Terracotta Army figures and the Qin Excalibur sword being stolen during transport to a Hong Kong exhibition. The media exposure leads officials to accuse Kong and Baldy of masterminding the heist. The two men become wanted as the case dominates headlines.

    When
    1989
    Where
    Hong Kong
  3. Kong and Baldy on the run in Hong Kong

    Kong runs an investment company that is deeply in the red, while Baldy hides on a Sai Kung houseboat to avoid creditors. Both are desperate to clear their names and survive financially.

    When
    1989
    Where
    Sai Kung, Hong Kong
  4. Chinese Rambo surfaces to reopen the case

    The MSS operative Chinese Rambo visits Baldy and King Kong separately, with indirect approval from the Hong Kong Police Force. They decide to find those who framed them to clear their names.

    When
    1989
    Where
    Hong Kong
  5. New Aces revealed

    They discover a brother-sister duo calling themselves the New Aces took the photos and wore masks resembling Kong and Baldy. They interrogate them inside Baldy's houseboat, but the siblings escape into the water as the houseboat is towed by a Chinese ship.

    When
    1989
    Where
    Baldy's houseboat, Sai Kung
  6. Beijing prison camp

    All four Aces are sent to Beijing prison camp to answer for the crime. They are forced to undergo a staged execution.

    When
    1989
    Where
    Beijing prison camp
  7. Rambo offers escape in exchange for help

    The Chinese Rambo offers them a chance to get out of prison in exchange for helping recover the figures. They accept the offer and prepare to undertake the mission.

    When
    1989
    Where
    Beijing prison camp
  8. Training begins

    They begin martial arts training as Beijing orders that the figures must not be damaged. The training is designed to equip them for a careful retrieval.

    When
    1989
    Where
    Beijing
  9. Diplomatic route considered, but the plan continues

    The Chinese Rambo calls off the training, explaining that the government will pursue the figures through diplomatic means. Despite this change, the Aces decide to press ahead with the mission.

    When
    1989
    Where
    Beijing
  10. Battle at the White Gloves hideout

    A fierce battle erupts inside the White Gloves' hideout, and the Chinese Excalibur is used during the fight. The quartet successfully recovers the stolen figures.

    When
    1989
    Where
    White Gloves hideout
  11. Shipment back to China secured

    With the figures recovered, Kong, Baldy, and the New Aces join the Hong Kong police in coordinating the shipment back to China. The operation concludes as the artefacts are safeguarded for delivery.

    When
    1989
    Where
    Hong Kong

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:32

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Timeline questions answered

Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit (1989): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why were King Kong and Baldy framed for the Terracotta Army heist?

King Kong and Baldy were framed because a brother-sister duo calling themselves the New Aces deliberately stole photos while wearing masks that resembled King Kong and Baldy. The media published these pictures, leading police and the public to believe the two former partners were behind the heist. The real thieves wanted to throw investigators off their own trail while keeping the stolen artifacts.

  • framed
  • terracotta army
  • king kong
  • baldy
  • new aces
  • masked thieves
Q2

Who are the New Aces in the movie?

The New Aces are a brother-sister duo named Brother Thief and Sister Thief, portrayed by Leslie Cheung and Nina Li Chi. They deliberately impersonated King Kong and Baldy by wearing masks with their likenesses during the heist, making it appear as if the original Aces were responsible for stealing the Terracotta Army figures and the Qin Dynasty bronze sword.

  • new aces
  • brother thief
  • sister thief
  • leslie cheung
  • nina li chi
  • impersonate
Q3

What caused King Kong and Baldy to split up after the Thailand mission?

In 1986, King Kong and Baldy attempted a kidnapping mission in Thailand for a wealthy man who wanted to stop a woman from marrying someone else. The operation went wrong, causing a falling out between the two partners. This botched mission led them to part ways and pursue separate lives until they were reunited when framed for the Terracotta heist.

  • thailand mission
  • 1986
  • kidnapping
  • partners split
  • bothy king kong
Q4

Why did the Chinese Rambo help King Kong and Baldy?

The Chinese Rambo was an MSS operative who intervened because the Hong Kong Police Force had washed its hands of King Kong and Baldy, leaving them vulnerable to the framing. Rambo pressured them to face the accusations and clear their names, indirectly authorized by Hong Kong police. His goal was to recover the stolen Terracotta Army figures using whoever he could trust.

  • chinese rambo
  • mss
  • operative
  • hong kong police
  • clear names
Q5

What was the purpose of the staged execution in Beijing prison camp?

The staged execution was a psychological tactic used by the Chinese authorities to break the spirits of King Kong, Baldy, and the New Aces while they were detained in Beijing. It was meant to intimidate them into cooperation. After the ordeal, the Chinese Rambo offered them a chance at freedom in exchange for helping recover the stolen Terracotta Army figures.

  • beijing prison
  • staged execution
  • psychological torture
  • cooperation
Q6

How did the Aces recover the stolen Terracotta Army figures?

Despite the Chinese Rambo calling off their martial arts training to pursue diplomatic channels, the four Aces decided to continue the mission on their own. They infiltrated the White Gloves syndicate hideout, engaged in a fierce battle, and used the Qin Dynasty bronze sword known as the Chinese Excalibur to defeat the criminals and recover the stolen artifacts.

  • white gloves
  • syndicates
  • chinese excalibur
  • qin dynasty sword
  • battle
  • recover artifacts
Q7

What happened to Brother Thief and Sister Thief at the end of the movie?

Brother Thief and Sister Thief, the actual thieves who framed King Kong and Baldy, were eventually captured and joined forces with the heroes. In the end, all four Aces, King Kong, Baldy, and the New Aces, worked together alongside Hong Kong police to escort the recovered Terracotta Army figures back to China, achieving redemption and clearing their names.

  • brother thief
  • sister thief
  • captured
  • redemption
  • join forces
  • police escort
Q8

Why did the Chinese Rambo call off the martial arts training?

The Chinese Rambo halted the Aces' martial arts training after receiving orders from Beijing that the government would pursue diplomatic means to reclaim the stolen artifacts. However, the Aces chose to ignore this directive and proceeded with their own mission to infiltrate the White Gloves hideout and recover the figures by force.

  • training halted
  • diplomatic route
  • beijing orders
  • ignore orders
  • mission continued
Q9

What was King Kong doing with his investment company?

After splitting from Baldy, King Kong ran an investment company that was deeply in the red, essentially burning money while struggling financially. Meanwhile, Baldy hid on a Sai Kung houseboat to avoid his own creditors. Their desperate financial situations made clearing their names even more urgent.

  • investment company
  • debt
  • money
  • burn money
  • creditors
  • houseboat
Q10

What is the significance of the Chinese Excalibur in the movie?

The Chinese Excalibur is a Qin Dynasty bronze sword, one of the priceless artifacts stolen alongside the Terracotta Army figures. It plays a crucial role in the final showdown at the White Gloves hideout, where the Aces use it to defeat the criminals and secure the recovered artifacts. The sword is portrayed as a powerful symbolic weapon.

  • chinese excalibur
  • qin dynasty
  • bronze sword
  • weapon
  • final battle

Movie threads

More Movies Like Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

High-Octane Buddy Action Comedies like Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit

Fast-paced adventures where a duo uses wit and action to overcome ridiculous odds. If you liked the energetic partnership and comedic action in Aces Go Places V, explore more movies like it. These films feature dynamic duos, fast-paced plots, and a perfect mix of humor and thrilling set pieces, delivering an entertaining and breezy watch.

  • wacky
  • action-packed
  • comradely
  • slapstick
  • energetic
  • playful
  • Tone: light, playful
  • Pacing: fast, energetic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories typically follow a core partnership—often friends or mismatched allies—who get caught up in a high-stakes situation like a heist or frame-up. The plot is a vehicle for their interactions, combining daring physical feats with witty dialogue and a series of escalating, often absurd, challenges that they overcome together.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here based on their shared emphasis on a central comedic partnership, a fast and energetic pace, and a tone that prioritizes fun and excitement over dark drama. The experience is defined by camaraderie and action-packed fun.

Movies about Framed Heroes like in Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit

Stories of characters wrongly accused who must clear their name through action. Fans of Aces Go Places V's plot about being framed for a crime will enjoy these similar stories. Discover movies where the main characters are wrongfully accused and must use their skills and wits in a thrilling quest for redemption and justice.

  • wrongly accused
  • redemption
  • investigation
  • high stakes
  • action-packed
  • justice
  • Tone: light to tense, ultimately hopeful
  • Pacing: fast, investigative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern begins with an inciting incident that wrongly implicates the hero, turning their life upside down. The central journey involves investigating the frame-up, often while being pursued by authorities, leading to a final confrontation where the truth is revealed and the hero's name is cleared.

Why they belong together: These films share a specific plot engine—the 'framed for a crime' trope—which creates immediate stakes and a clear goal for the protagonist. This setup reliably generates a mix of tension, investigation, and cathartic redemption, regardless of the specific genre execution.

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Every angle

Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit (1989) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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