The Banquet

The Banquet

Year: 2006

Runtime: 131 mins

Language: Chinese

Director: Feng Xiaogang

DramaFantasyHistoryAction

Nothing is more poisonous than the human heart. Crown Prince Wu Luan loves Little Wan, but she is wed to his father, the emperor, leaving him shattered. When the emperor’s brother Li murders the ruler, Wu Luan vows revenge, plunging himself into a deadly struggle to avenge his father's death.

The Banquet (2006) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

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In the waning twilight of the Tang dynasty, an empire teeters on the brink of collapse, its grand palaces and icy courtyards echoing with whispers of ambition and longing. The imperial court is a gilded theater where every glance can conceal a threat, and the line between performance and reality blurs beneath the weight of tradition. A cold wind sweeps through marble corridors, carrying the scent of incense and the promise of change, setting a tone that is both hauntingly beautiful and foreboding.

At the heart of this fragile world stands Crown Prince Wu Luan, a talented musician and dancer whose heart has been shattered by an impossible love. Little Wan, a noblewoman bound by duty to the throne, becomes the focal point of his yearning, pushing him toward a path that intertwines art and vengeance. Across the throne sits the Emperor, a ruler whose decisions shape the kingdom’s fate, while his brother Li quietly eyes the seat of power, hinting at a looming upheaval that could reshape the court’s delicate balance.

As alliances shift like the shadows of lantern light, Wu Luan finds himself torn between his devotion to his craft and the pull of a deeper, darker purpose. The palace becomes a stage for tangled loyalties, where whispered confidences and masked performances hint at underlying currents of intrigue. Amidst soaring drums, silk banners, and the ever‑present scent of incense, the characters navigate a world where love, duty, and the pursuit of power converge, leaving the audience to wonder what price will be paid when hearts and thrones collide.

Last Updated: October 14, 2025 at 03:48

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Courtly revenge tragedies like The Banquet

Bloody vengeance unfolds amidst the glittering poison of a royal court.If you enjoyed the deadly political games and tragic vengeance in The Banquet, explore more movies like it. This collection features similar epic history and literature stories centered on revenge, political corruption, and the collapse of dynasties within imperial settings.

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Narrative Summary

These stories follow a protagonist's quest for vengeance against a powerful figure who has wronged them, typically within a highly structured and ornate setting like a palace. The plot is advanced through a series of betrayals, assassinations, and strategic manipulations, where personal revenge becomes inseparable from a larger power struggle, ultimately consuming the avenger and those around them.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on revenge as a primary narrative engine within a morally bankrupt, high-society setting. They share a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and a steady pacing that builds suspense towards an inevitably tragic and bloody resolution.

Doomed dynasty epics similar to The Banquet

Grand, melancholic stories of a ruling house collapsing under the weight of its own corruption.Fans of The Banquet looking for similar movies will find more grand, tragic stories here. Discover epic dramas and fantasy histories that explore love triangles, power struggles, and the melancholic collapse of empires in a similarly dark and heavy style.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread chronicle the internal and external forces that lead to the destruction of a once-great ruling house. The story is driven by a mix of personal passions—like forbidden love or ambition—and systemic issues like political corruption. The pacing is steady, building a mounting dread as the foundations of power crumble, leading to a catastrophic and emotionally devastating conclusion for the characters and their world.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific blend of epic scale and intimate tragedy. They are united by a dark, somber tone, high emotional weight, and a focus on the dramatic, often operatic, collapse of a societal structure, making the viewing experience feel grand yet profoundly sad.

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The Banquet Summary

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The Banquet Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Banquet

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Banquet

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