| The first films that got me interested in Chinese cinema were actioneers. Films like Hard Boiled, Drunken Master 2, and the Police Story series gave me a good showing of what the Chinese could do with that genre. Given time, I have moved on to drama, romance, science fiction, and comedy. I was fully introduced to the comedic side of things with Stephen Chow's Shaolin Soccer and have gobbled up most of his outings since. I have also enjoyed the occasional laugh getter by Andy Lau as well as the numerous Kung Fu comedies (Sammo Hung pops up a lot there) available. I have found that the majority of these are a lot of fun with gags that transcend the cultural divide.
At least for now, Ronald Cheng gives much hope towards the future of the Chinese comedy genre. Dragon Loaded 2003 is his first salvo, and it is a good one. He plays a well meaning but mincing dope named Dragon. Flanked by the often ludicrously dressed Wong and Ng, you might be fooled into thinking of the old saw "three heads are better than one." Then you speedily realize that adding three zeroes together still equals zero!
Seriously though, Ronald Cheng is pretty hilarious by himself, but he gets a tremendous boost from cohorts Sam Lee and Cheung Tat Ming. At times, they cause you to recall some famous American comedy trios. Comparing them to the Three Stooges or the Marx Brothers would be stretching it a bit, though. Because the regalement you'll get from Dragon Loaded 2003 don't come from eye gouges and quickly uttered jests. This movie is humerous because it's one big string of absurdities and assorted takeoffs of popular cinema (Matrix is a prominent example).
In one instance, Dragon gets promoted to a brief position as TV host of a crime show in the America's Most Wanted vein. Those bizarre dramatizations of crimes on that show become even more so at the hands of Dragon and Company. He proceeds to narrate and afterwards participate in an insane recreation of a crime revolving around a con artist who sells human lungs to unsuspecting old ladies! The cad! Has he no shame! Ronald Cheng is a riot as the passing by airline stewardess.
Hong Kong cinema fans should keep an eye out for Eric Tsang (Accidental Spy, Infernal Affairs) as Dragon's commanding officer,Jacky Cheung as a Tuba playing cop, Law Kar-Ling (God of Cookery, Forbidden City Cop) as Dragon's dad, and Vincent Kok (God of Cookery, Shaolin Soccer) as Dragon's karate instructor and arms dealer (you'll see).
Don't miss Dragon Loaded 2003. It's a lot of fun! |
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