The Sin City (Crush The Wicked) (2026) Review: A Cat-and-Mouse Chase Across a Corrupt City

This The Sin City review covers the 2026 Chinese crime-action film, also known as Crush the Wicked (扫恶), directed by Cheng Siyi. It pairs a long-running manhunt with car chases and a handful of shootouts. Critical coverage is thin, so this verdict leans on the film itself and on early audience reactions.

The Sin City Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Sin City plot centres on detective Wu Xiaoguang, who has spent years failing to catch a serial carjacker and killer. When that criminal, Zhang Bin, comes back to the city with a fresh target, Wu is dragged back into the case he thought he had lost. Every move now carries the weight of old failure.

A second thread runs alongside the police hunt. A young man who survived one of the gang's earlier crimes has grown up and wants payback, and he trails the detective as the net tightens. The film is built around that chase and the pressure it puts on everyone involved.

The setup is simple and easy to follow, even if you have never watched a Chinese crime film before. It promises a three-way tug of war between law, vengeance and a killer who refuses to stay caught.

What Works in The Sin City

The action is the main draw. Early viewers single out the car chases and fight scenes, plus a few shootouts that break up the investigation. For fans of the action genre, those set pieces are the best reason to press play.

The villain is the other strength. One viewer described him as an unusually layered character, and that matters, because a crime story lives or dies on its antagonist. A killer with some shading makes the long chase feel less mechanical.

The structure also helps. Having both a weary detective and a vengeful survivor circling the same target creates tension, since their goals overlap without being identical.

The Sin City Cast and Performances

The Sin City cast is led by Pan Binlong as detective Wu Xiaoguang. Bao Bei'er plays the killer Zhang Bin, and Zhao Runnan plays Guan Chao, the young man seeking revenge.

The supporting players include:

• Clara Lee as Wu Qianqian

• Zhou Dayong as Liu Xiaoming

• Yu Bolin as Da Yu

The villain role seems to be where the film puts its character work. The detective is the familiar haunted-cop type, but the pairing of the pursuer and the killer gives the performances something to push against.

Where The Sin City Stumbles

The biggest complaint is pacing. Another early reviewer noted that the film spends more time on investigation and murder mystery than on martial arts, and found the detective work slow. If you come for non-stop fighting, the quieter stretches may test you.

The audience scores point the same way. IMDb users give it roughly 5.8 out of 10 according to FilmFlow, and Simkl shows 5.3 from a small pool of 33 votes. These are modest numbers from few voters, so treat them as a rough signal, not a ruling.

The premise is also well-worn. The obsessed detective and the one-that-got-away killer are familiar crime tropes, so the film depends on execution more than surprise.

Is The Sin City Worth Watching?

Yes, if you like crime thrillers with a few strong action sequences and can tolerate a slower middle. It is not a standout, but it offers enough chases and a compelling villain to justify its runtime of about 107 minutes.

The film is available through iQiyi in China, where it was released on 20 March 2026. Its release elsewhere is unclear, so check local listings. For background, see the MyDramaList page for the film. If this style appeals to you, our crime movie reviews cover similar titles, and Citizen Vigilante is a related pick for revenge-driven thrills.

Who Will Enjoy The Sin City

• Fans of Chinese crime and action films who like car chases and shootouts.

• Viewers who enjoy a detective hunting a killer he failed to stop before.

• Audiences who value a layered villain over non-stop martial arts.