Last year during Horrorthon, I reviewed the 80s Hong Kong classic, A CHINESE GHOST STORY. It took me a while, but I finally got around to watching the sequel this week. This was my first viewing of the film, and while I tried to keep my expectations in check, I hoped it would be a worthy follow-up to a film that I thoroughly enjoyed.
A CHINESE GHOST STORY II opens on scholar Ling Choi San (Leslie Cheung) just after the events of the first film. He’s depressed about losing his ghost lover Siu-sin (Joey Wong), but he doesn’t have a lot of time to focus on that, because he immediately finds himself arrested by bounty hunters and thrown in jail. Escaping jail just before his execution, Ling accidentally steals a horse belonging to Taoist priest Chi Chau (Jacky Cheung). This turns out to be a good thing, because Chau is an expert when it comes to fighting demons and ghosts, something that will come in very handy later. That night, while staying in an abandoned house, Ling and Chau are attacked by a gang of rebel warriors disguised as ghosts. Two of the rebels are sisters Moon (Michelle Reis) and Windy (Joey Wong again), a dead ringer for his lost love. Enraptured by this woman, Ling and Chau join the sisters in their quest to rescue their father, Lord Fu (Lau Siu-Ming) from the imperial army led by Swordsman Hu (Waise Lee). But this will not be easy as along the way they will take on a tall drooling demon, an evil sorcerer who’s taken the form of a Golden Buddha, and finally a giant demon that looks like a flying centipede. If they can somehow survive all of this, will Windy still marry the man she is betrothed to, but has never met? Or will she give her heart to Ling, who she has fallen in love with?
This sequel finds us back in the world of scholars, priests, warriors, sorcerers, demons and ghosts, but it takes a different approach than its predecessor. While the original presented many outrageous fantasy and horror elements, it never lost sight of the romance at its center. With the sequel, director Ching Siu-tung goes balls-to-the-wall with the fantasy action, horrific demon creatures, and silly comedy, so much so, that it barely slows down long enough for any meaningful romance until near the end. The film is filled with the kind of wirework, acrobatics, and supernatural mayhem that made Hong Kong fantasy action cinema so much fun during this period. The 80s monster special effects are somewhat goofy, but that’s part of the charm, and there’s so much energy and imagination on-screen that I found myself marveling at what I was watching. You just don’t see movies like this anywhere in the world these days. There’s no way to predict what insane image might show up on screen next.
It’s fun seeing Leslie Cheung return as scholar Ling. He’s not cool like some of my favorite Hong Kong film heroes played by actors like Chow Yun-fat and Lau Ching-wan. He’s actually a bit of a goofball, but that’s a part of his appeal. He’s not a fearless action hero, but he’s very brave in the way that he always puts the safety of others in front of himself. Joey Wong is still so beautiful, and even though she’s playing a different character this time around, she and Cheung still have a strong chemistry when the movie slows down long enough to focus on their relationship. Jacky Cheung is an excellent addition to the cast as Chi Chau. He brings real determination and likability to the role, while also being very funny. I’m not always a big fan of Jacky’s over-the-top performances, but he nails this one. And after he was so good in the original, it brought a big smile to my face when Wu Ma showed back up for the big climax with the flying demon centipede.
While the movie has a lot going for it, I personally didn’t enjoy A CHINESE GHOST STORY II quite as much as the original. While I still liked the characters and the fantastic action, my favorite part of the first one was the beautiful romance at its core that made me truly care about what happens to the characters. This sequel ups the ante with action, comedy and spectacle, but skimps on the more intimate character relationships that made the first film so special. They do try harder near the end, but it was a case of too little too late. Without the same emotional impact as the original, you could say that the film brings amazing sizzle, but just not as much steak.
Still, I’m not going to complain too much about a movie that gives me golden age Hong Kong fantasy fun, and ultimately, A CHINESE GHOST STORY II is a worthy follow-up to a Hong Kong classic. I enjoyed spending another couple of hours in this world. It may not be as romantic or emotionally satisfying as the original, but it still delivers wild, inventive entertainment in spades. And after all this fun, you never know, I may not wait an entire year before diving into A CHINESE GHOST STORY III!
