From Vegas to Macau II (2015)

aka The Man from Macau II

What it states in the synopsis printed on the back cover of the box does actually happen, but there's so much bullshit between those times that picking out what's important is a struggle not worth the effort required.

0½ a prayer out of 5

Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon (2013)

Unfortunately, no one stopped Tsui and so he made a sequel that's a prequel to The Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010). It was inevitable, I suppose, seeing as how the first one made millions of dollars for many pockets. It’s another CGI-heavy actioner with wild reasoning, aka 'detective' work. Some islanders want to bring down the entire Tang Dynasty. Elsewhere, on a more personal scale, there's a Beauty and the Beast scenario that plays out exactly like you imagine it will. The film looks pretty, but it left me colder than a witch’s tit and dropped a similarly sour taste in the mouth.

1½ cups of tea out of 5

Project A: Part II (1987)

Undeterred by actual near death whilst filming the first Project A (1983) film, Jackie's back behind and in front of the camera for more of the same that's... well... more of the same. If you didn't like the first one, then you'll find nothing here to change your mind.
Jackie's direction makes some very difficult set pieces seem effortless, and I don't just mean the action scenes.

3 hiding places out of 5

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010)

Dee is a kind of Chinese Sherlock that exists in a world based in reality that has a large dose of fantasy heaped on top. He’s tasked with uncovering the cause of some seemingly supernatural murders, all the while juggling political beliefs that differ from that of his employer.
Dee was a real individual (Di Renjie) that lived during the Tang Dynasty, but I'm confident in saying he couldn't do the things he does here.
It’s Tsui Hark through and through, but it has problems. The most obvious being the great Sammo Hung choreography gets smothered by a thick layer of unnecessary CGI; it does a good job hiding the wires but it cheapens the final product.  Stop with the CGI, Tsui; please, please, please stop.

2½ cases of extreme sunburn out of 5

2046 (2004)

A sequel for the Chow Mo-wan character from Wong's superior In the Mood for Love (2000). Thanks to some rewrites of a script that was unconnected in any way it’s both a companion piece and a mirror to the previous film.
There are some sci-fi elements, which were intended to fill almost half the running time but were scaled down for budgetary reasons; it’s a shame because that part is fascinating visually and the most emotionally engaging.
I would rather have seen the Cannes version because this one left me cold and longing for the heart that warmed the previous film.

2½ train rides out of 5