Plot: What’s it about?
Once again, Wong Fei-Hung (Jet Li) finds himself in the middle of turmoil and this time, it will be tougher than ever to overcome the situation. Fei-Hung has returned to Canton with his assistant and beloved aunt, to attend a medical conference, where he plans to demonstrate the technique of acupuncture. But Canton is under extreme duress, as both loyalists and rebels seem to equally dismantle things, not a good scene, to say the least. Now Fei-Hung must choose his partners well and fight like never before, both in terms of political battles and martial arts encounters. He will not have an easy path to travel either, as some of the forces of White Lotus Clan are very skilled, setting the stage for an epic conflict. With the fate of his own aunt, a band of small children, and perhaps an entire city at stake, can Fei-Hung and his partners settle the issues?
I have to say, it is nice to see so many Hong Kong films released these days, but it seems few studios take the time to issue great discs, as evidenced here. Unlike their usual releases, Columbia/Tristar has given this film average audio & video specs and few extras, which is a real shame indeed. I like that the original language track has been included, but this is a terrific movie and as such, deserves a better treatment. With a new version soon to be issued (or out, depending on when you read this) in the UK by Hong Kong Legends, you’d think Columbia/Tristar would want to keep pace, but I’ll be adding the HKL edition to my collection, instead of this one. The lackluster disc is a real let down, as this is a good flick and one I think most Hong Kong cinema fans would be proud to own, if the disc were good, that is. Jet Li turns in a solid performance here, filling his screen time with not only his martial arts skills, but also some traditional acting as well. This movie is highly recommended to genre fans, but since this disc lacks in several respects, I think a rental will suffice in most cases.
Back for a second turn as Wong Fei-Hung is Jet Li, who is of course, an international superstar and actor in many excellent pictures. I think his performance here is very good, but be prepared for more acting in the traditional sense, as opposed to wall to wall action. Li is a master of martial arts and it shows when he fires up here, but he has less fight scenes than usual. I don’t think it hurts the film however, as the storyline unfolds well and when the action does spark, it is awesome and a couple scenes will have you hitting the rewind button, since you won’t believe your eyes. Li is able to handle all the demands here and once again, proves he is one of the best action stars in the world. Li can also be seen in such films as Fist of Legend, Black Mask, Once Upon A Time In China, The Bodyguard From Beijing, and Swordsman II. The cast here also includes Rosamund Kwan (Armour of God, Project A II), David Chaing (Twin Dragons, 7 Golden Vampires), and Donnie Yen (Iron Monkey, Highlander: Endgame).
Video: How does it look?
Once Upon A Time In China II is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is a more than decent treatment, but shows some signs of flaws and in the end, offers little improvement over existing editions. I saw some ghosting more than a few times and that was a let down, while various other compression errors also surfaced before the end credits. These errors are not fatal by any means, but the process used to create this transfer must have been mishandled, as Columbia/Tristar editions usually never look this weak. I mean, this is a midlevel overall effort, but I wish some more care were taken to produce a better looking image. In comparison, the included English language version looks sharper and more refined, which forces me to raise an eyebrow at the theatrical version’s less than impressive transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc includes Cantonese and Mandarin tracks in Dolby Digital 5.1 options, which produce a more than solid audio experience. These mixes won’t push your home theater to the limits, but they sound good and of course, handle the material well. The surrounds are used to enhance atmosphere and add impact, as well as thickening the musical score. I do think the sound effects were mixed a little too loud at times, but not enough to throw off the entire operation, per se. The dialogue is clean and at a proper volume, no errors to report in that area. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some talent files, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer. You can also view the English language edition, presented in anamorphic widescreen and with mono audio, not too bad at all. I think it is cool to watch this one to note the differences, but if I were you, I’d stick with the original theatrical edition, to be sure.
