Review of Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010) by Stephanus W — 14 Dec 2011

Legendary Hong Kong filmmaker Tsui Hark returns to the director's chair and brings along his trademark sumptuous photography and martial arts action (directed by another legend, Sammo Hung) in a martial arts mystery that evokes the Hong Kong cinema of the 80s and 90s.

.. although never equalling it. Phantom Flame tells the story of imprisoned Detective Dee, a Sherlock Holmes-like crime solver who is freed from jail to solve a mystery involving the spontaneous combustion of some gov't officials.

What Dee finds is a devious conspiracy where people and things are not what they appear. Hong Kong flick is entertaining and there is enough action and intrigue to keep one interested. Hark brings his patented mix of martial arts and fantasy to the screen with some beautiful visuals and impressive SPFX but, he never quite gives the film the energy that made his past classics like Once upon a Time in China and the Chinese Ghost Story series so special.

This isn't to say the film is not well made. The production is quite lavish. The cast does a good job, especially Hong Kong star Andy Lau as the formidable Dee and Sammo Hung keeps things moving when directing the action but, the film never reaches the intensity or life that made Hark a household name among Hong Kong film fans.

It's still a good flick. It is certainly entertaining. It's just not as special as we'd like it to be considering who's behind the lens.