The Revenge of Angel
Director: Richard Yeung Kuen
Year: 1990
Rating: 7.0
Coming across a Moon Lee film that I have never
seen is like a bright Christmas Day. Back when I got gifts for Christmas.
This film is a hoot; a little bit of everything. Romance, the supernatural,
martial arts, tragedy, comedy, sentiment, Chinese Opera - all wrapped in
a nice package. And lots of Moon Lee. Now admittedly, she is dead for most
of the film but she makes for an adorable ghost. One seeking revenge but
also falling in love. This isn't a Girls with Guns film - more Ghosts with
a Grudge film. Moon's athletic talents are on full display whether in the
action sequences, doing forms or performing Chinese Opera. A full slate of
Moon. Made back in 1990 when anything goes - logic be damned - with choreography
from Tsui Siu-ming who was to direct Moon the following year in the terrific
Bury Me High. I came across one review that stated, "the whole concept is
too much to take in, if this was a comedy it would be different.". Some people
should just not be allowed to watch Hong Kong films. Not to overblow this
film - it was just so nice to see Moon kicking ass and looking sweet.
The time period is back in the 1920s or
so and Angel (Moon) is the top performer in a Chinese Opera troupe headed
by Master Ma (Wu Ma). While performing outdoors, the town boss Chan Ping
(Chung Fat) shows up to settle with Angel. He had tried forcing her to have
sex with him and she knocked him and his guards around to get away. This
time he brings his gang and guns and starts killing the members and sets
fire to the props. Some good action in there but a beam falls on Angel and
she dies in the fire. Oh no! But she will be back. Eventually.
Like twenty years later. Another troupe
has come to the same town, now with Master Ma as the drummer, Alvina Kong
as the female performer and Ma's nephew Siu Man (Lau Ji-wai) has shown up
and taken over the lead male role. Lau Ji-wai was only in four films for
some reason but his athletic skills are amazing. When he first shows up,
he accidentally gets mixed up in some game like rugby except with a feathered
object and there are no rules. He jumps around, scales walls, leaps over
people and you have to wonder what happened to him.
One evening Siu Man is out by the water
practicing and he sees a woman showing him the moves. She becomes his sifu
- it takes him a while to realize she is a ghost and by then he has fallen
in love. It is Angel of course - unable to reincarnate all these years -
in danger of going to hell - and wanting her revenge. But she can't stray
far from the water unless she has help. Our boy and Master Ma are only too
happy to oblige. Lots of nutty stuff to follow. I always like films in which
ghosts are just accepted - oh you are talking to a ghost. Ok. Say hi for
me.
I enjoyed all of this - the China Opera
Troupe arriving in a small town and the people greeting it with enthusiasm,
the performances themselves are well done - comic and athletic, the Guardians
from Hell coming for Angel, trying to reincarnate but something always goes
wrong, the romance and some fine action set-pieces. Directed by Richard Yeung
Kuen, best known for Seeding of a Ghost. This kind of film rattles my chains.
