Terrorizers

Terrorizers

Year: 1986

Runtime: 109 mins

Language: Chinese

Director: Edward Yang

DramaCrimeHumanity and the world around usMoving relationship storiesSurreal and thought-provoking visions of life and death

An uncompromising look into urban life from the eyes of a voyeuristic photographer, a rebellious teenager, and a married couple teetering on the edge of adultery.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Terrorizers (1986)

Trace every key event in Terrorizers (1986) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Shu and Shun flee during the raid

The raid on the gang's apartment forces Shu An and her criminal boyfriend Shun to flee. Shu injures her leg by jumping from a balcony during the escape. They vanish into the night, trying to avoid capture.

During the raid Gang's apartment hideout
2

Qiang photographs Shun's arrest

Unemployed photographer Qiang snaps photos as Shun is arrested, with Shu watching the scene from a distance. The images heighten Qiang's fascination with Shu and pull them into a risky entanglement. The arrest sets off a visible thread between their lives.

Shortly after the raid Streets outside the gang's hideout
3

Zhou Yufen's struggle and writing

Zhou Yufen, still haunted by a miscarriage years earlier, sinks into depression and fights to write a novel about a troubled marriage. Her personal pain bleeds into her fiction as she searches for authentic material. This background frames her relationships and decisions moving forward.

Earlier in the timeline Zhou's home
4

Hospital chief dies; Li's promotion clash

The section chief at Li Lizhong's hospital dies, triggering a scramble for the vacancy among Li, his longtime friend Jing, and a third man. Li falsely implicates Jing in a crime the chief committed, causing Jing to quit in protest. The maneuvering heightens tension around careers and loyalties.

Early in the sequence Hospital
5

Shen rehired Zhou; affair begins

Shen, Zhou's former boss at the newspaper, rehires her, offering a fresh start. Their professional relationship deepens into a developing affair as Shen shows genuine interest in Zhou's life and stories. The affair adds personal risk to Zhou's marriage and career.

After Zhou is rehired Shen's newspaper office
6

Qiang's girlfriend's suicide attempt

Qiang's girlfriend, enraged by the Shu photos on the apartment wall, attempts suicide while Qiang is away shooting. The crisis underscores the danger surrounding Shu and the gang. It presses Qiang to confront the consequences of his growing obsession.

While Qiang is out shooting Qiang's apartment
7

Shu's prank calls; Zhou encounters Qiang

Shu, immobilized by her healing leg, makes prank calls to the gang's apartment and to Li. Zhou answers one call and Shu asks to meet at the apartment for 'something to be settled', but her mother interrupts. Suspicious, Zhou goes to the apartment and unexpectedly encounters Qiang.

Evening Gang's apartment
8

Zhou disappears; Li left behind

Zhou goes missing for several days and returns to her apartment, choosing to leave Li because his ignorance of her pain has become unbearable. The separation strains Li's work and personal life, sowing seeds for future conflicts. The two drift further apart as events unfold.

Several days later Zhou and Li's home
9

Shu seduces and robs at the club

A recovered Shu goes to a club where the gang hangs out and seduces a man, robbing him of valuables. The act shows her growing boldness and willingness to manipulate others for survival. This move pulls more players into Shu's dangerous orbit.

Night Gang's club
10

Qiang's collage reveals Shu; obsession grows

Back at the gang's apartment, Qiang has hung a collage of Shu's photos on the wall. He confesses his obsession and shares a kiss, asking to be with her when he returns. Shu steals and pawns Qiang's camera, buys a cheaper one, and leaves with the released Shun.

Evening Gang's apartment
11

Qiang drafts notice; reconciliation with girlfriend

After spending time with a wealthy family, Qiang receives a draft notice and reconciles with his girlfriend, attempting to stabilize his personal life. He remains entangled with Shu's circle even as he tries to maintain other relationships. The tension between loyalty and desire remains unresolved.

Later Qiang's life; girlfriend's home
12

Zhou's novel wins; Li's suspicions grow

Zhou's novel wins an award, and Qiang recognizes her picture in the paper. The public framing of infidelity unsettles Li, who becomes suspicious of Shu's involvement. Someone furnishes Li with photos of Shu and Shun, intensifying his paranoia and driving further actions.

Award day Zhou's home
13

Li confronts Zhou; push toward confrontation

Li pleads with Zhou to take him back and tries to coerce her, but she resists. The separation harms his promotion prospects and deepens resentment. Tensions between the couple escalate as the pressure mounts.

After the award Zhou's apartment
14

Li's gun, murder, and pursuit to Shen's apartment

Li drinks with his police chief friend Gu, steals Gu's gun, and kills the hospital director before heading toward Shen's apartment. He shoots Shen, though Zhou later reflects on the meaning. Li then wanders the streets as Shu continues to lure him toward danger with Shun nearby.

Evening to night Hospital and Shen's apartment
15

Ambiguous ending: Li, Shu, and Zhou

Li confronts Shu at a hotel with police converging on the location. Blood splatters as Shu holds a knife; Li's fate remains uncertain. Gu wakes to find Li has apparently shot himself, while Zhou wakes with Shen and vomits, leaving the ending ambiguous about who shot whom or whether Zhou might be pregnant.

Night City streets / hotel area

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 20:33

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Terrorizers Summary

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Terrorizers Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Terrorizers

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