Movies like Shanghai Affairs (1998)
The best movies like Shanghai Affairs (1998) are Sahara (1983), Duel to the Death (1983) and Supercross (2005). If Shanghai Affairs hooked you with its action and drama, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedBeast (2026)7.5/10 from 227 votes
- NewestBeast (2026)Released 2026
Sahara (1983)
Intent on winning a competition in place of her distinguished late father, beautiful young heiress Dale takes on the guise of a man and competes in his spot, embarking on a car race that crosses the unforgiving Sahara desert.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisDuel to the Death (1983)
In 16th century, during the Ming dynasty era, every ten years the greatest swordsman from Japan faces the greatest swordsman from China in a duel to the death for their nation's honor. As a duel approaches, Chinese champion Bo Ching-Wan and Japanese champion Miyamoto uncover a plot to rig the fight.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSupercross (2005)
Faced with the suspicious death of their father, two brothers must motivate one another to get back on their bikes and take the Las Vegas Motocross Championships by storm.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Program (1993)
Several players from different backgrounds try to cope with the pressures of playing football at a major university. Each deals with the pressure differently, some turn to drinking, others to drugs, and some to studying.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Moment of Romance (1990)
After a young Triad member takes an upper-class girl hostage during his escape from a jewelry heist, the two find themselves falling in love, in spite of the repercussions caused by their forbidden relationship.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & romance
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Bride with White Hair (1993)
The sensitive swordsman Cho Yi-Hang is tired of his life. He is the unwilling successor to the Wu-Tang clan throne and the unsure commander of the clan's forces in a war against foreign tribes and an evil cult. One day, he meets the beautiful Lien, a killer for the evil cult who is equally unsatisfied with her situation, but their love angers both the Wu-Tang clan and the evil cult.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMexicali (2026)
A former special forces contractor is forced out of retirement as an avocado farmer in Mexico when local gangsters try to force him and his family off their farm.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDirt (2018)
In search of a lifeline for his struggling off road racing team, a man takes on a young car thief looking for a second chance, but as their worlds collide, they must struggle to forge a successful alliance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)
The Yangs are betrayed by a government official conspiring with the Mongols. All of the Yang family males except the 5th and 6th brother are killed. Fu Sheng loses his mind after the death of his family, while the other brother takes refuge in a Buddhist temple.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Mission (1999)
Triad boss Lung, who has just escaped being killed in an assassination attempt hires the killers Curtis, James, Mike, Roy and Shin for his protection.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisGreen Snake (1993)
Two snake spirits become human and learn about love and suffering. A monk discovers his own weaknesses and finds that morality is not as simple as he had thought.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & romance
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Bride with White Hair 2 (1993)
For ten years, Cho has been in the snow of Mount Shin Fung waiting for a rare flower to blossom that will cure his wife who, back in Chung Yuan, is slowly killing all of the members of the Eight Big Clans. Something Cho did to her early in their marriage has turned her hair white and driven her mad. Cho's nephew, Kit, marries Lyre; they are deeply in love. On their wedding night, Ni-Chang, the bride with white hair, kidnaps Lyre and takes her to her harem of fighting women to indoctrinate her against Kit. Kit tries to lead a rescue party, but they are up against formidable opponents. Can Cho come in time with the blossom to soften Ni-Chang's heart?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & romance
SnoozefestMovies like thisThrow Down (2004)
A former Judo champion is given the chance to redeem himself after he befriends a competitor and an aspiring singer.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisChristmas Cottage (2008)
Inspired by the picturesque paintings of Thomas Kinkade, The Christmas Cottage tells the semi-autobiographical tale of how a young boy is propelled to launch a career as an artist after he learns that his mother is in danger of losing the family home.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKiller Heat (2024)
An expat PI is hired to investigate a suspicious death in Crete, Greece, where jealousies run deep amongst the victim's powerful family.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
SnoozefestMovies like thisBeast (2026)
MMA legend Patton James, now a commercial fisherman, is pulled back into the cage when his brother is in danger. Reuniting with his old coach Sammy, he commits to one final fight in one championship against the brutal champion Xavier Grau.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Fugitive Kind (1960)
Val Xavier, a drifter of obscure origins, arrives at a small town and gets a job in a store run by Lady Torrence. Her husband, Jabe M. Torrance, is dying of cancer. Val is pursued by Carol Cutere, the enigmatic local tramp-of-good-family.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWild Search (1989)
While conducting a raid of an illegal arms deal, detective Mew Mew discovers the body of a dead woman and her daughter who witnessed the murder. Believing that the girl may be in danger, Mew Mew seeks out her aunt Cher, and the three develop a bond, but Cher's ex-husband and a vengeful gunrunner soon show up to disrupt their short-lived peace.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe White Storm 2: Drug Lords (2019)
A financial tycoon, once a triad member, tries to eradicate the drug market while an old accomplice aims to be Hong Kong's first drug lord.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMaster Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018)
Following his defeat by Master Ip, Cheung Tin Chi tries to make a life with his young son in Hong Kong, waiting tables at a bar that caters to expats. But it's not long before the mix of foreigners, money, and triad leaders draw him once again to the fight.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & drama
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Shanghai Affairs?
The closest matches to Shanghai Affairs are Sahara (1983), Duel to the Death (1983) and Supercross (2005). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Shanghai Affairs?
Start with Sahara (1983), the closest match to Shanghai Affairs.
What is the highest-rated movie like Shanghai Affairs?
Beast (2026), rated 7.5/10 by 227 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Shanghai Affairs?
Beast (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
How are movies similar to Shanghai Affairs chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Shanghai Affairs, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.