"Detective Dee - Tongtian Hierarchy" is a 2021 Chinese historical action film that follows another adventure of Detective Dee as he and his cohort investigate the disappearance of an imprisoned cult leader and one of the rumors he’s spread regarding one of the Emperor’s wives plan to overthrow the Emperor.

The plot seemed very complicated. I’m not sure if you need prior knowledge of Detective Dee, but it felt like there was so much going on. The premise of the story had potential, but I think the pacing of the plot made everything feel rushed and unnatural. I also felt that the purpose of the film (investigating the political rumor) was lost because of how many elements were involved in the plot.

The characters were so terribly bland and one-dimensional. The genius detective main character, his loyal “bodyguard,” the headstrong female lead who joins the team. They were all so boring. I was actually surprised the detective couldn’t defend himself from anything; you would think that he would know some sort of basic self-defense moves. The acting didn’t help either, as all the actors’ performances felt wooden.

On top of all that, the script writing, especially the dialogue between characters, were plain and lacked any creativity or depth. For a detective movie, the deducing was very basic at best. The special effects were also low-budget, seen in the various slow-mo scenes.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this film at all. Not a rewatch for me.