Thus, says Shih, the true theme of Hu's films is the search for spiritual enlightenment, and such factors as martial arts, historical settings and even the Chinese flavor of Hu's films are merely the means to an end.
因此石琪認為，胡氏電影真正主題不是他個人一直強調的民族、歷史、俠道、儒道、禪鬼等，這些只是他追尋逍遙自由的「動態」借力點而已。