The Lion Roars
Director: Joe Ma
Year: 2002
Rating: 6.5
I tried watching this about six months ago and
after ten minutes I turned it off. It was too exaggerated, there was a visual
punchline every minute and the two main leads annoyed when they were supposed
to charm me. But this time around I found myself laughing at all those silly
punchlines and found the entire film to be a visual treat. It is all about
being in the right mood and last time I wasn't and this time I was. Who knows
why. This Hong Kong period comedy is pure nonsense but affectionately so.
There isn't a mean bone in its body and when it changes course and becomes
somewhat serious, it is surprisingly effective. It had built up so much good
will that it sucked you in and made you care about what happened to these
two nutty people. It is directed by Joe Ma who knows how to make a film look
slick as if it glistens. He directed those Feel 100% films and a few other
nicely laid out comedies. The sets are bright and colorful, the special effects
comically fun but where he really excels is in the close-ups of his two stars.
One after the other from different angles, different expressions as if to
say to the audience, aren't they lovely. Both Cecilia Cheung and Louis Koo.
Cecilia was on fire at the time - the It Girl - after a number of prestigious
popular films and Koo was at the beginning of seemingly being in every Hong
Kong film. He wasn't but it felt that way. It still does,
The film is all slapstick and absurdities
with a twinkle in its eyes. Our two protagonists are both trying on members
of the opposite sex for a marriage possibility. Seasonal Chan (Koo) has a
series of women show up all extolling their various attributes - "I'm an
escort but don't worry; I don't do sex" and "I do sex but I don't play games".
Moth Liu (Cecilia) has been set up by her brother (Wyman Wong) to meet a
man who reeks of dullness and she puts him in his place leading to a fight
that goes out into the street. She picks up a pole - a street light pole
about 20 feet long - and goes to battle. Seasonal intervenes and calms everything
down. He is a poet and she a kung fu quick tempered wild cat who likes hitting
things and people. A perfect match. Or so the Emperor thinks and orders them
to be married.
It all goes along swimmingly as she demands
only a few things from him. "From now on, you will love no one but me. You
will spoil me and never lie to me. Fulfill all your promises. Never argue
with me. Have faith in me. Protect me. Stand up for me. Share my laughter.
Wipe away my tears." To which Seasonal's face drops with every edict. She
will beat the hell out of him if he doesn't. But he loves her madly. Still
when she has to go away for a few days, a ghost comes to him and convinces
him that if he doesn't have sex with her, she will be reincarnated as a dog.
And she looks like Fan Bingbing. Hell, sex with a ghost isn't really cheating,
right? The film takes a sudden dive into the serious after this as their
love for one another is tested with threats of beheading, a forget potion
and a ring full of fighters. Appearing also is Hui Siu-hung as his poet friend,
Emotion Cheung as his servant and Raymond Wong as the nasally cousin. In
the right mood, this is a treat, if not pass it by.
