January 21, 2026 (NYC)– Back to The Past is Genre Bending Fun.  Back to the Past (2025) , is the latest theatrical release from Well Go USA Entertainment.  It is a great blend of science-fiction, history, and martial arts.  Check it out in theaters starting January 30, 2026.

SYNOPSIS:

REVIEW:

Back to the Past is an engaging historically based, science-fiction, martial arts film coming out of China.  It is a follow up the a two decade old, popular Chinese television show, A Step into the Past.  This show, featuring the same principle cast was based upon a Wong Lee novel called, The Chronicles of Searching Qin.

While I never read the novel, or saw the original series, I do not feel those facts hindered my understanding, or enjoyment of this larger than life film.   The story is laid out coherently, and the flashbacks help support those who never saw the original, but also act as a nostalgic reminder to those that were fans.

The story picks up our cast and characters years after being stranded in the past, in the Qin Dynasty of China (around 230BC).  Louis Koo picks up where the show left off.  He is living a life of peace and tranquility, in hiding, and trapped in the past after traveling back in time.  As the result of a time traveling mission to unseat he Emperor and take his place, Koo’s tranquil life is upended as he must make unlikely alliances to stop the altering of history.

Koo is a terrific, modern action star and very good actor.  While I understand he had no formal martial arts training he does a great job in his films working with fight choreographers to create believable action and fights.  The legendary, Sammy Hung, is the fight choreographer on this film and it works well.

There is a large cast in this film, and they all do a good job.  The fact that it is a period piece helps to manage expectations about some of the martial arts action, but there is some great use of the underlying time travel themes to work in guns and gadgets that are well utilized.

The film, like many Chinese films, has a strong message.  This film warns about the dangers of trying to change history.  The premise being that we, as mortals, may be just playing out the parts that have been written for us.  Whether you accept that or not, it still is a good movie.

I recommend Back to the Past.   See this in theaters, but see it again when it gets released on demand and digitally.

DETAILS

Back to the Past (2025), from Well Go USA Entertainment is in theaters January 30, 2026.  The film contains English subtitles.  

 

–review by Marc Zirogiannis