My Lucky Stars
The boys are back in this follow up to Winners
and Sinners and it is directed again by Sammo Hung. What is a bit peculiar
though is that it seems that they are playing different characters. In
most ways the characters have very similar traits to those in Winners and
Sinners, but they have different names here and their background is quite
dissimilar to the previous film. Certainly Stanley Fung is a different
character and Eric Tsang steps in for John Sham.
Otherwise though the film is very similar in tone
and style to the first one. The focus is on the comedy again with some
terrific action sequences throughout. Though the action is equal if not
better than the first film, the comedy feels much weaker. The comedy again
often centers on the boys trying to get fresh with women, but it feels
very uninspired and immature.
Thankfully the film starts off with some action
that holds the attention of the viewer for a while. Jackie Chan and Yuen
Biao are following a HK crook (Lam Ching-Ying) on the Tokyo subways
but when they are spotted a chase is on through the streets of the city.
The chase ends up at an amusement park where Jackie and Yuen battle a group
of ninjas. There are a number of great bits here – in particular I loved
a backward flip that Yuen performs. In the end though Yuen is knocked out
and kidnapped by the ninjas. Jackie needs some assistance from HK, but
doesn’t want any cops sent over. So they turn to Sammo and company.
Needless to say the boys are not thrilled to help
out, but they are put in a position where they are have to. The fact that
Sibelle Hu is on the assignment with them makes it a little less painful.
Here though is where the film bogs down as the boys spend an excruciating
amount of time trying to sneak a feel with Sibelle. It’s just not very
funny and goes on way too long.
Eventually they turn back to the action and the
last thirty minutes of the film is great fun. First Sammo and Jackie team
up to take on a roomful of Ninjas and then later they all come together
for the final confrontation.
Before getting there though Jackie has one of
his more interesting action scenes as he finds himself in the Horror House
at the amusement park where he must overcome trap doors, illusions and
deadly hidden Ninjas. It is a wonderful surrealistic sequence and it feels
as if Orson Welles had stepped in to film this section.
The final fight is very good with an excellent
one on one between Jackie and Dick Wei and then the classic confrontation
between Sibelle and Michiko Nishawaki. Michiko going from kimono
to leotards is a picture perfect moment. This was Michiko’s HK film debut
after having been the female body building champion of Japan for a few
years and though it is short it is memorable.
This is a difficult film to judge overall – certainly
worth watching for the action, but getting through the so-called comedic
bits felt like more of a chore than cleaning your clothes at the laundromat.
My rating for this film: 7.0
