Review of Once Upon a Time in China 2

Introduction

Unsurprisingly, this is the sequel to Once Upon A Time In China, a film which did a lot for star Jet Li, who is better known in the Western world for his roles in Lethal Weapon 4 and Romeo Must Die. However, it is in films such as this that he built the reputation that brought him to the attention of a wider audience.

This sequel begins pretty much where its predecessor left off, as Wong Fei Hung (a doctor as well as a martial artist, which was quite common at the time) battles the evils of White Lotus, who are trying to stir up more anti-Western feelings by driving foreigners out of China. Their hatred of all that is not Chinese is symbolised very early in the film by the burning of "evil Western items" such as clocks, gramophones and even a dalmation! They also enjoy burning the British flag.

Video

Another fantastic restoration job from Hong Kong Legends, who give us an excellent 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer. The print is cleaner than Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, despite being 10 years older than that film, and you`ll be hard pressed to spot any damage. Detail levels are high, colour levels are good and grain and artefacts are nowhere to be seen. This really is a very good looking transfer.

As to what you`ll actually see on screen, there`s plenty of action from the high-kicking acupuncturist Wong Fei Hung, including an excellent staff fight, some interesting use of an umbrella, and a very innovative use of sheets tied together to form a "cloth staff". Who would have though that linen could be so deadly?

If you`re not a fan of wire work, then you might want to stay away as there`s plenty on display here, but it just adds to the brilliance of some of the fight scenes. And look out for the legendary "shadow kick", which will have you grinning from ear to ear.

Audio

A remixed DD5.1 soundtrack complements the visuals very nicely. There`s a choice of Cantonese or English, and you`ll know my feelings on this by now. I listened to the Cantonese track, but on the occasions when I dipped in to the English track, the dialogue sounded quite poor.

During the film there are some very plummy comedy English accents for all to hear, and I`m not surprised that White Lotus wanted them out if that`s the way they talked! Dialogue stays locked on to the centre channel, with other channels only being used for atmospherics and during the fight scenes. There are also some nice big bass moments too.

Not exactly reference quality audio, but certainly a good addition to the visuals. A very good score also helps the film along the way, and you`ll even hear Vivaldi and Mozart mixed in amongst the more traditional sounds.

Features

Another Hong Kong Legends DVD means another excellent audio commentary from Bey Logan. The man knows so much and is a joy to listen to, imparting information about the film, the stars, and also some of the background to the film. Fans of this film will definitely want to listen to this.

We also get interviews with Jet Li (recorded during the Romeo Must Die promotional tour) and Donnie Yen. Jet Li`s is a more general interview, which features him answering unseen/unheard questions, whilst Donnie Yen`s interview concentrates more on the film itself. Both are interesting to listen to.

There`s also a brief photo gallery, two trailers for the film (original and new HKL trailer), the usual trailers for other DVDs from the studio, and an animated biography section, which features an incredibly annoying "voiceover man".

Conclusion

This DVD is a must for fans of the series, fans of Jet Li, or fans of martial arts films in general. A competent storyline delivers some laughs, some surprises, and a nice selection of action, be it kicks, punches or staff fighting. The action scenes are overseen by the legendary Yuen Woo Ping, so you know that you`re in for a treat.

An excellent video transfer is backed up by good audio and a great commentary track, as well as some other extras. This DVD should find its way into the collections of most martial arts fans without delay!