Review of Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010) by Trent R — 16 Oct 2010

Extremely fun reprise of classic themes for Hark and Nansun Shi, addressing feminine power within the context of a hard-boiled wuxia mystery. The immortal Andy Lau is great, as of course is Tony Leung Ka Fai. But Carina Lau and Li Binbing are featured even more well, in much more weighty roles for a change - but with an edge of wry self-knowledge and some lighter turns.

The supporting roles/comedic relief by Richard Ng and Teddy Robin Kwan as Dr. Donkey Wang are worked in quite cleverly. Such parts are often too broad or grating, but here they struck me as genuinely fun yet with a slightly dark aspect. The abundant CGI opener had me quite worried, but as soon as the investigation gets underway and these characters introduce a subterranean set piece, that all changed.

Sammo Hung's choreography is of course spectacular, and to some extent he revisits plum blossom fights and water/chi energy explosions that are not unfamiliar, (Moon Warriors, Zu, Blade of Fury). But Hark's love of CGI actually enhances the aesthetic of many sequences, balancing the frame and providing a clear sequence of movements from opponents that might otherwise be edited down.

There is one later set piece involving some deceptive Taoist magic that goes to some absurd lengths to make its point. Not in the same way as later CGS entries, but using traditional symbols of heavenly power in a very odd way. The satire is not heavy-handed, though, rather an oddly amusing return to form that is not so pointed as to enrage censors. Hark and Nansun Shi mess around with their usual gender role and anti-authoritarian themes, depicting transformative romance and playing with the body freely. It's not only a fun throwback to classic HK cinema, but explores riskier thematic directions and combinations of CGI, choreography and mixed genre tropes that are promising.