Spiritual Trinity

                                                                   
Director: Ng Min-kan
Year: 1991
Rating: 5.5
Coming off of the 1990 Spooky Family, Kent Cheng and Pauline Wong again play a ghost busting married couple in this period supernatural comedy. Much too much time is spent on family matters between two brothers bogging down the middle part like a limp wet dog. That part is neither funny nor supernatural. Audiences come for the fun part of these types of films - taking on ghosts, demons, zombies or vampires. Not a lot of that here. A decent action bit near the beginning and then a good one at the end. In between is a lot of talk and feeble comedy. A terrific cast though also with Gigi Lai, Peter Chan Lung and the great one, Lam Ching-ying. Any supernatural film with Lam is guaranteed a few good moments. But even he gets stuck in the family drama.



Kent and Pauline run a small shop with their teenage son played by Chin Shih-erh and their servant Peter Chan Lung who is losing his memory. Chin is experimenting with electricity and manages accidentally to bring down a female ghost (Bonnie Fu - Full Contact) who is on her way to the next world. The son wants to keep her - the parents say it is a rule of the family not to allow ghosts to stay with them. Ok, for a little while - until the Ghost Festival. Well, earlier dad took him to a brothel to lose his virginity and that didn't work out. Maybe this will be better.



Lam with his daughter Gigi is on their way back to his hometown to honor his ancestors. He and Kent are brothers who had a falling out 18-years earlier over Pauline. Pauline Wong has a face that isn't pretty but is so interesting with its elongated shape, prominent nose, high cheek bones and deep set eyes - the camera loves her - she became a favorite in many supernatural films - not Joey Wong popular but not far behind. On the way, Lam and Gigi capture a nasty Red Jacket Ghost after quite a tussle and bottle it up. Once they get to the home of Kent and Pauline, the film sinks fast as the two men bicker about everything and Kent thinks his brother is trying to steal away his wife. The film is saved by the Red Jacket Ghost and the Good Ghost being freed at the same time. A solid fifteen-minute set piece. There needed to be at least two other action bits. But a good group of actors to spend time with.