Year: 2005
Runtime: 118 mins
Language: Chinese
Director: Stanley Tong Gwai-Lai
A thrilling time‑bending adventure follows Jack when a fellow scientist enlists his help to find the tomb of China’s first emperor. As they dig into the ancient mausoleum, the boundary between past and present shatters, forcing Jack to confront the reality behind his extraordinary visions.
Warning: spoilers below!
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Read the complete plot breakdown of The Myth (2005), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
During the Qin dynasty, the general Meng Yi, Jackie Chan, is tasked with escorting the Korean princess Ok-Soo, Kim Hee-seon, back to China to become the Qin emperor’s concubine. Along the way, Meng Yi is wounded while protecting Ok-Soo, and the two develop a deep, emotional bond that challenges their duties yet never breaks the loyalty owed to their roles. As they travel through hostile lands and navigate dangerous political entanglements, their connection grows more real, even as they remain dedicated to their respective responsibilities and the fate that history has laid out for them.
When the Qin emperor falls gravely ill, he sends Meng Yi on a perilous quest to obtain the elixir of life—the only thing that might save him. Before departing, Meng Yi openly confesses his love for Ok-Soo, and she vows to await his return. On the ambush-filled journey, Meng Yi entrusts the elixir to his deputy, Nangong Yan, Shao Bing, before he succumbs to his wounds. Nangong Yan succeeds in delivering the elixir to the emperor, but the prince and the chancellor force Nangong Yan and Ok-Soo to test its authenticity by drinking it. The two achieve immortality, yet their triumph condemns them to imprisonment within the Qin emperor’s mausoleum for eternity.
In the present day, Meng Yi has been reborn as Jack, an archaeologist who often dreams of his past life. He, along with his friend Tony Leung Ka Fai, travels to the floating tomb of a Dasar prince in India to locate a rare material capable of creating a zero-gravity field. When William accidentally causes the tomb to collapse, Jack falls into the river and is saved by Samantha, Mallika Sherawat, who takes him to meet her uncle, a Kalaripayattu guru. While dueling with one of the guru’s students, Jack experiences a vivid vision of Meng Yi duelling the Dasar prince, gaining a new understanding of his mesmerizing past life. He and William eventually return home and donate the sword to the National Museum of China. Their bold actions anger Professor Koo, Sun Zhou, the leader of the syndicate funding their treasure hunt.
After extensive research, they conclude that the material creating the zero-gravity field is a fragment of a meteorite that fell to Earth during the Qin dynasty. They determine the mausoleum of the Qin emperor lies behind a waterfall, and the tomb—now a massive, gravity-defying chamber—appears as a floating palace powered by that meteorite fragment. Inside, Jack encounters Ok-Soo and Nangong Yan, who mistake him for Meng Yi. Professor Koo and his men soon enter and attempt to seize the elixir, triggering an aerial confrontation. William’s careless move disrupts the balance of the field, causing the tomb to collapse; he drowns in mercury as Jack fights to escape. As the structure buckles, Ok-Soo declines to join him once realizing he is not the man she once knew as Meng Yi. Nangong Yan seizes Koo, and the two fall to their deaths.
Back at home, Jack reveals a published copy of The Myth—a book he wrote about his extraordinary adventures—and dedicates it to his late friend, William.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:14
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.
Fast-paced quests that intertwine love and destiny across different eras.If you liked the blend of ancient quests and modern action in The Myth, explore these movies. This collection features similar stories of love and destiny unfolding across different time periods, combining fast-paced adventure with a bittersweet, romantic core.
Stories in this thread often feature a dual-timeline structure, where events in the past directly influence or mirror the present. The protagonist is typically pulled into an ancient mystery or legend, discovering a personal connection to a historical love story. The plot is driven by a race against time, weaving action and emotion into a tapestry of fate and loss.
These movies are grouped together because they share a specific mix of fast-paced adventure, a central time-spanning romance, and a bittersweet emotional tone. They create a unique experience where the excitement of a quest is deepened by the melancholy of a love that cannot be fully realized.
Journeys to conquer death that result in profound, tragic separation.Fans of The Myth's exploration of an ancient emperor's tomb and the price of immortality will find similar themes here. These films feature high-stakes adventures where the pursuit of a legendary power leads to a bittersweet or tragic conclusion, especially for the central romance.
The narrative follows a protagonist on a high-stakes mission tied to an ancient myth or object of power, such as immortality. The pursuit is fraught with danger and moral quandaries. The central conflict often involves a fated love that is sacrificed or lost as a direct consequence of the quest's outcome, leaving the protagonist with a hollow victory.
These films are united by their focus on the theme of immortality or ultimate power, and the inevitable personal tragedy that accompanies it. They share a high-intensity, adventurous feel with a deeply melancholic and bittersweet core, making the action meaningful and emotionally resonant.
Don't stop at just watching — explore The Myth in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Myth is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of The Myth with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape The Myth. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Myth that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Myth: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.
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