Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010)
By thisguyoverhere | September 30, 2010
Cast: Andy Lau, Bingbing Li, Chao Deng
Directed by: Hark Tsui
Written by: Kuo-fu Chen, Jialu Zhang
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
In seventh century China, the first woman emperor is about to take the throne. In honor of her inauguration a sixty-six story Buddha is being built that overlooks the royal city. But days before the Empress assumes control of the government, strange deaths begin to occur in which people seem to spontaneously combust. To demonstrate her control over all things, the Empress decrees that an imprisoned detective be pardoned in order to solve the strange mystery encompassing her kingdom.
Advertisements for Detective Dee promised a blend between Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Sherlock Holmes. This description is accurate, and upon first thought seems like a surefire winner. However, it quickly becomes apparent how tonally different and incongruous they are. Because of this, the tone of Detective Dee wavers too often to allow the audience to grasp its intentions. Unlike Crouching Tiger, it uses the fantastical for novel purposes instead of poetic. Unlike Sherlock Holmes, it doesn’t seek a practical explanation for the extraordinary.
Andy Lau in Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010)
To its credit, the costumes and set design are beyond remarkable. I never cease to be amazed at the intricate detail in Hong Kong period pieces. However, the flashy design and spectacle of the special effects covers up a weak script filled with flat characters. Unnecessary action sequences distracts us from what could be an interesting mystery that is never given the chance to come to fruition.
The choreography, while admirable in its artistry, feels a bit pastiche. It’s loud and fast, but doesn’t deliver anything original, or even present what we’re already familiar with in a fresh way. It’s all too reminiscent of films like Iron Monkey, and quite honestly, pales in comparison.There is no real reason for any of the action in this film, and there is little justification that all of the characters are fluent in martial arts. It does little to further the characters or story, and honestly seems to exist only to sell tickets.
Detective Dee fails to live up to its potential. Compelling ideas are presented, but never fully explored and ultimately abandoned in favor of pageantry. I suspect it shall disappear into the obscure pages of history.
China, Hong Kong. 119 minutes. Rated PG-13.
