倩女幽魂

A Chinese Ghost Story

Cast:

Liu YiFei, Louis Koo, Yu Shao Qun

The original tale, written by 17th century 

Chinese author Pu Song Ling, 

is a love story between Ning Cai Chen 

and a beautiful spirit Nie Xiao Qian.

Many would remember it made stars out of 

Joey Wong & Leslie Cheung in 1980s.

2011, Wilson introduced his version, stressing it's not a remake,

just a selection of a famous story,

make into a romantic love story instead of a ghost story.

Just how romantic can he get?

Love is blossoming...

Story:


The story starts with love story between
demon hunter Louis Koo (Yan Chixia)
& spirit Liu Yifei (Nie Xiaoqian).
Instead of killing Yifei, Louis erased the memory in her brain,
hoping to put an end to their impossible romance
between a human & spirit.

Yrs later, a govt official Yu Shao Qun (Ning Caichen)
goes on a trip to the mountain,
where he meets beautiful Yifei and falls in love with her.

At the same time, a tree demon, captured in a tree for yrs,
regains her prowess,
and seeks revenge for her lost years.

How will this complicated love story
& the monstrous fight unfold?

Louis unable to believe why a cheapo sweet can win a heart?

How I feel:

Despite an impossible love story between human & spirit,
the director worsens it
by creating a love rival for Ning Caichen.
Of all person- the demon hunter Yan Chixia.

Such complexity & deviation tat
it got me worried at some point-
will the tree demon turns out a lesbian instead?

 Louis Koo & Liu Yifei deciding where to go for dinner

I'll touch on the deviation in my conclusion.

Before tat, the flow is still smooth & simple,
considering they have to talk abt two romance.

The romance between the two china actors
Yifei and Shao Qun is sufficient,
just enuff to break a tear in the end perhaps.

But for the earlier one between Yifei & Louis,
is quite brief and unromantic
for us to touch a nerve when things turn sour.

Thought the director wants this to be a 'lovey affair'?

 sorry TL, u still need to photoshop leh!

Shao Qun+ Lui Yifei

Action-wise not much complain,
since he has the 'IP man' experience.

However, fast-forward-type-of-action
reigns on the big screen yet again.

The final battle between human & demon
is laden with special effects,
turning into a hairy-fight.

trapped by threads & coins

Cast-wise, Lui Yifei as the chinese ghost
is simply beautiful and innocent enough.
No complain on tat, although
Louis as her 1st lover seems more to me like a brotherly love.

It adds sparks from the inclusion of Louis,
humor plus a proven audience-drawer.

The worst repel comes frm the main cast-Shao Qun.
Not a familiar face at least locally yet,
he certainly does not have the suave or eye-catching look,
to take on a role already illuminated by late Leslie Cheung.

Personally would prefer one who can be more compatible 
and can be an eye-candy for the romance.

"It's ok, call 'mum' next tme instead of '姥姥'"

My Review:

TWO OUT OF FIVE

To me, the director wants to hit the jackpot
by trying to concoct a new mixture~
A teary three legged korean love drama
from a classical love story,
hopefully with some actions involved.


His new deviation turns out
to be a korean drama,
dresses in anicent chinese clothings,
in an ancient setting,
trying to playing ghost.

Unknown to him,
the mixture can gets sticky if not formulated well.

Making turns instead of going 

a good straight road once accessible,

does not always bring u to paradise.

I am sure to forget his love story soon.

The old classical love story still immutable & indelible in my mind.

Would still prefer him to continue making IP Man, 

or perhaps remaking Iron Man if he desire that change.