March 17, 2026 (NYC)– The Forbidden City is on Fire!  The Forbidden City (2026) , is the latest release from Well Go USA Entertainment.  It is a terrific Italian, martial arts movie that is sure to please martial arts movie fans around the world.  Check it out  starting March 17, 2026.

SYNOPSIS:

From Gabriele Mainetti, director of They Call Me Jeeg Robot and Freaks Out, comes the action-packed tale of two strangers seeking the truth and vengeance. Mei arrives in Rome looking for her missing sister and, along the way, meets Marcello, who is desperate to find his father. Together, they will fight their way through the Roman underworld. Filled with lightning-paced martial arts, The Forbidden City is an action epic not to be missed.

REVIEW:

The Forbidden City (2026) will surprise you in many ways.  The title, the setting, and the lead actress would lead you to believe it is a Chinese made Kung Fu and action drama.   It is not.  It is Italian made, and Directed by Gabriele Mainetti.  The film’s original title was La città proibita.  

The country of origin is important here.  If you start watching the film it is cleverly disguised, and pays tribute to, many of the great Hong Kong action films of the past.   However, its elevation of the adult themes, visuals, and gritty violence quickly tip off the viewer that this film was not made in China or Hong Kong.  The blending of Italian Western style with Hong Kong themes and action really works in this film.

The Forbidden City has a a good story.   Like many martial arts films it is grounded in a theme of revenge.  However, there is more to the film than that.  There is a solid story here, and solid character development.  There are twists and turns in the main plot, and there is, even, some romantic elements.  It is a very complete film.

The martial arts action is well choreographed and very original.   While it hails from the base of Kung Fu action, it takes on a more brutal and visceral quality, and that really works in this film.  The fights are very, very good.

I don’t know much about the film’s star, Yaxi Liu, but she is very good.   She plays the role of the hidden child turned revenge driven killer very well.   Her ability to capture the screen in the martial arts fight scenes is beyond the ordinary.  She also captures the dramatic scenes with great poise.  She is a star.  I look forward to seeing more of her work.

“Already, one of the best martial arts action films of 2026”

The rest of the cast is also very strong.   The Chinese and Italian underworld figures woven into this Italian Chinatown story are all very engaging.  They help make this film, even in the dramatic scenes, very watchable.

The sets, the costumes, the cinematography are all well integrated to make this a visual winner as well.  The result of the elements is synergistic.

I highly recommend The Forbidden City.   This is the best Italian Martial Arts film since Bruce Lee’s Return of the Dragon, and, already, one of the best martial arts action films of 2026.  It would not surprise me of this one makes our year end “Best of” analysis.  It is that good.

DETAILS

The Forbidden City (2026), from Well Go USA Entertainment, release on March 17, 2026.  The film contains English subtitles.  The film is listed as Not Rated, but it does have adult content.

–review by Marc Zirogiannis