The Best Zhang Yimou Movies, Ranked
20 credits from 1986 to 2024, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Cliff Walkers (2021) comes out on top with a score of 71. The biggest box office hit is Article 20 (2024) with $307M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Biggest Zhang Yimou Box Office Hits
Zhang Yimou's films have made $955M worldwide in total. Article 20 (2024) is the biggest hit at $307M, ahead of My Country, My Parents (2021) ($222M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1
Article 20 2024 · Drama $307M - 2
My Country, My Parents 2021 · Drama $222M $177K dom. - 3
Under the Light 2023 · Drama $189M - 4
Cliff Walkers 2021 · Thriller $181M $153K dom. - 5
Under the Hawthorn Tree 2010 · Romance $23M - 6
Lady of the Dynasty 2015 · History $20.8M - 7
The Road Home 1999 · Romance $6.78M $1.28M dom. - 8
Raise the Red Lantern 1991 · Drama $2.6M $2.6M dom. - 9
To Live 1994 · Romance $2.33M $2.33M dom. - 10
Red Sorghum 1988 · History $108K
The Best Zhang Yimou Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre Zhang Yimou has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Drama leads with 6 films, and Article 20 (2024) is the pick of them.
The Best Zhang Yimou Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of Zhang Yimou's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1980s to 2020s.
The Latest Zhang Yimou Movies
The most recent films Zhang Yimou is credited on, newest first — starting with Article 20 (2024). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
- Article 20 2024 · Director
- Under the Light 2023 · Director
- My Country, My Parents 2021 · TV Station Director (segment "Duck Prophet")
- Cliff Walkers 2021 · Director
- Lady of the Dynasty 2015 · Director
- Under the Hawthorn Tree 2010 · Director
- The Road Home 1999 · Director
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Keep Cool 1997 · Poet Reader - To Live 1994 · Director
- Raise the Red Lantern 1991 · Director
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Ju Dou 1990 · Director -
A Terra-Cotta Warrior 1989 · General Meng Tianfang
The Best Zhang Yimou Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest Zhang Yimou films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best Zhang Yimou movie?
Cliff Walkers (2021) is the best-rated Zhang Yimou film, with a Movie Echo Score of 71. The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
Cliff Walkers: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing Zhang Yimou movie?
Article 20 (2024) made the most at the box office, with $307M worldwide, followed by My Country, My Parents (2021) with $222M. Together, Zhang Yimou's films with box office figures have made $955M.
What is the best Zhang Yimou drama movie?
Article 20 (2024) is the best-rated of Zhang Yimou's drama films. In other genres: Under the Hawthorn Tree (romance), Cliff Walkers (thriller) and Lady of the Dynasty (history).
What is the newest Zhang Yimou movie?
The newest film on Zhang Yimou's filmography is Article 20 (2024), directed by Zhang Yimou.
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