With Dragon Inn, King Hu propelled himself and the kung-fu/swordfight genre to international prominence. Set in the middle of the Ming dynasty (1457), Dragon Inn is highlighted by the martial arts of a female knight who, along with her brother, attempts to defend the children of an assassinated minister after the children are exiled to the remote Dragon Gate Inn. Tension mounts at the inn as guests drift in and each is tested for his/her loyalties and martial arts skills. The final battle fought between the ruthless Eastern Agency (the imperial Gestapo) and the motley resistance is a spectacular display of martial arts and swordplay. Influenced by mainstream Hong Kong martial arts films, Hu incorporates a lyrical film language and painterly visuals to create the sense of an epic journey. "The inn is a staple ingredient of the Chinese action film, but Hu's use of its watering-hole qualities is consistently charged. (His) special gift (is) for the pregnant, violence-charged calm before the storm-precariously balanced between humor and drama" (Derek Elley).