Please choose a different delivery location. Outside of the platform hung red and white drapes that were full of scriptures. [4][5] It was followed by two prequels, Rise of the Sea Dragon (2013) and The Four Heavenly Kings (2018), also directed by Tsui and starring Carina Lau, and with Mark Chao as a young Detective Di.[6][7][8][9][10]. Glorious sets and beautiful technicolour make this a sumptuous blockbuster. In 689 A.D., the Empress Wu Zetian is building a 66 m high statue of Buddha for her inauguration as the first empress of China under the objections and conspiracy of the other clans. The only mis-step here is the ending, which, like many HK films, allows space for a sequel – though in fact, Andy Lau did not show up for a sequel, the producers instead opting for a "prequel" with a different actor – when the logic of the script itself clearly indicates a full-stop ending. Sammo Hung's choreography is impeccably designed and flawlessly edited, and loaded with the kind of soaring wireworked wuxia you may not realize you sorely missed in Hong Kong/Chinese action movies because so many people have knocked it nearly every time it has been used in the last decade. Empress Wu assigns her loyal assistant Shangguan Jing'er to release the exiled Detective Dee from his imprisonment to investigate with Donglai and Jing'er the mystery of the deaths. In the year 690 A.D. a towering, sixty-six yard tall Buddha statue is in its finishing stages of completion, erected to commemorate the coronation of the Dowager Empress Wu. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2015. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Donkey Wang reveals that he was the court physician and tried to use fire beetles as medicine for the late Emperor. After Jing'er and Pei fight him, Pei pursues him to the Abbot's forbidden residence. Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame is a 2010 Chinese-Hong Kong action-adventure mystery film directed and produced by Tsui Hark. She stumbles into a trap set by the assassins and is mortally wounded. I have read all the Van Gulik Judge Dee books and loved them. He points Di to Donkey Wang, who is hiding in a network of caverns called the Phantom Bazaar. Di saves Wu from the collapsing statue and warns her of the rebel army. The screenplay was written by Chen Kuofu, the Chinese screenwriter of the 2008 films Forever Enthralled and If You Are the One. An action-thriller centered on a vampire-like woman who eats the skins and hearts of her lovers. Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2016. They ride in a mystic and epic adventure to unravel the mystery. Wuxia detective story - Fun, gorgeous film. Set three years after Dragon Inn, innkeeper Jade has disappeared and a new inn has risen from the ashes - one that's staffed by marauders masquerading as law-abiding citizens, who hope to unearth the fabled lost city buried in the desert. A Hong Kong version of a summer blockbuster, this one is an enjoyable ride, as long as you don't approach with strict logic in mind. If you are looking for an absorbing story with interesting characters you won't find it here. Use the HTML below. The CG is clunky at times, but the movie as a whole still looks great. As Di and Shatuo fight, Di is drenched in the fire beetle poison. Seven warriors come together to protect a village from a diabolical General. Cue spectacular three-way martial arts fights between three protagonists with very different skillsets. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. [14], Tsui first announced production plans in 2008, while promoting his previous film, All About Women, at the 13th Pusan International Film Festival. [25] Time Magazine considered it the third best film of 2011, after The Artist and Hugo. When the engineer responsible for the construction mysteriously dies by spontaneous combustion, the superstitious workers are afraid since the man removed the good luck charms from the main pillar. I don't remember if this ever played in US theaters, but I'm so happy to have found it on blu-ray. [3], The film grossed US$51.7 million and won six awards at the 30th Hong Kong Film Awards, more than any other film, including Best Director and Best Actress for Lau; it was also nominated for the Golden Lion at the 2010 Venice Film Festival. Di is able to divert the statue, and Shatuo heads to the coronation to poison Wu. Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2019. They ride in a mystic and epic adventure to unravel the mystery. Discover what to watch this November including a Marvel docu-series, a '90s reboot, and a Star Wars holiday celebration. [26] Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 80% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on 50 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10.[27]. One of Tsui HArk best films and definitely his best in years. This FAQ is empty. The film tells the story of Di Renjie (Andy Lau), one of the most celebrated officials of the Tang dynasty, who is tasked by the Empress Wu Zetian (Carina Lau) to solve a series of inexplicable murders in which victims suddenly burst into flames. The Best TV Shows About Being in Your 30s. A tale full of mystery, suspense & Murder a very welcome return of actor Tony Leung..A strange plot line that sees several characters killed off in a very imaginative way, any budding entomologists out there may catch on earlier than most. DETECTIVE DEE trots out Di Renjie (or Detective Dee) as the main protagonist, and even though Dee is a real life character, this period narrative climbs to fanciful heights. Wonderful scenery, beautifully filmed, a few cliffhanging situations throughout the film and fantastic character portrayals make this one of the best period chinese detective stories I've seen....:), I would say that this film is one for the collector. Di suspects the Abbot's involvement, but Wu warns him that he will be killed if he attempts to enter the monastery. Great sets, a maze-like plot, an interesting cast of characters, and plenty of action make for an enjoyable 2 hours of escapist Saturday matinee type of viewing. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2018. Philippines", "Detective Dee Cast Announced - Wu-Jing.org", HKSAR Film No Top 10 Box Office: [2009.06.12] ANDY LAU STUDIES CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY, "Detective Dee Press Conference in Hengdian - Wu-Jing.org", Tsui Hark to Direct Judge Dee in May 2009 - Wu-Jing.org, "Tsui Hark Ponders Over Doing New Dragon Inn or Di Ren Jie First - Wu-Jing.org", Tsui Hark: Di Ren Jie is "internationally known" | AndyLauSounds, "Detective Dee Investigates Mysterious Deaths in Tsui Hark's Upcoming Film - Wu-Jing.org", "Tsui Hark to Direct Judge Dee in May 2009 - Wu-Jing.org", "Tsui Hark Talks Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, Goes 3-D", Di Ren Jie started shooting in Hengdian | AndyLauSounds, "Detective Dee Concept Art - Wu-Jing.org", HKSAR Film No Top 10 Box Office: [2006.06.13] SAMMO HUNG HOPES TO PROVIDE THE BEST VISUAL ENTERTAINMENT, HKSAR Film No Top 10 Box Office: [2009.06.04] DETECTIVE DEE CAST HAS TO TAKE A BEATING BEFORE GIVING A BEATING, https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=zh-CN&sp=nmt4&u=https://book.douban.com/subject/5242202/&usg=ALkJrhjxWA-Azz83rz_DmJUgsO-PP-8tXA, "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2011)", "Detective Dee leads Hong Kong Film Awards", Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon, A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon, Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Detective_Dee_and_the_Mystery_of_the_Phantom_Flame&oldid=974085428, All Wikipedia articles written in Hong Kong English, Articles containing Chinese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 21 August 2020, at 01:03. This movie contained virtually none of the qualities that make the books so fine. OMG! Dr Dee, a rebel against the empress, is released from prison and charged with solving the mystery. One of their fellow guardsmen goes bad. Huayi Brothers to produce unfilmed Akira Kurosawa script, Cine-Sunday: ‘Detective Dee – Mystery of the Phantom Flame’ Review. His former companions must now forget their ... See full summary ». Opulent palace interiors have been seen in countless Chinese films and TV series over the years, but feel fresh here -- I don't know if it's simply new sets, new set dressing or new camera angles, but it all feels purpose-built for this production (perhaps it was?). Of the fight sequences for the film, Tsui commented that they would be similar to that of Ip Man, as they would aim for realism with actual punches and kicks. Now here's a film that's a half-step outside your average martial arts Hong Kong flick. Strange underground thieves dens where nothing is what it seems and some classic wirework as fighters pirouette off pillars and walls. Tsui never divulged most of the changes that he made to the original script, but did mention that the character Shangguan Jing'er was previously a man. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Detective Dee is forced to defend himself against the accusations of Empress Wu while investigating a crime spree. This item cannot be shipped to your selected delivery location. At the time, Tsui had pondered on whether to make Detective Dee or remake the 1966 film Dragon Gate Inn.[15]. He also took the late Prince Li's authority to use Li's army to invade the city and kill Wu if she survives. The record was over 70 wires for one scene. The film's original language is Cantonese, but it was then dubbed into Mandarin Chinese for Mainland China and international release. From legendary action director Tsui Hark and the creators of international smash hit Detective Dee - Mystery Of The Phantom Flame comes the captivating tale of Dee Renjie's beginnings in ... See full summary ». This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame is a 2010 Chinese-Hong Kong action-adventure mystery film directed and produced by Tsui Hark. Before he dies, Pei directs Di to the diagrams, which implicate Shatuo. Li mentioned while promoting Tsui's other film, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate, that he had a chance to read the script though he wasn't able to be part of the project due to some unknown reason.