More Thoughts on Chinese Odyssey 2002

I just watched Chinese Odyssey 2002 for the second time, and my appreciation for this little film continues to grow. A lot of people will dismiss this film as silly fluff, and they’re absolutely right. It’s one of those movies that’s pure cinematic candy, and I love it.

First off, it’s got Tony Leung (one of the world’s greatest actors), Faye Wong (who could give Audrey Tatou a run for her money in the charm department), Chang Cheh (the bandit from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and Zhao Wei (who is so cute she’ll make your teeth rot). Second, it’s got amazing costumes and sets, gorgeous cinematography, and some very lively and infectious musical numbers (which both parody and pay homage to traditional Chinese opera). Third, it’s produced by Wong Kar-Wai and also features some hilarious parodies of Kar-Wai’s films, like Ashes of Time, Fallen Angels, and Chungking Express.

Most importantly, however, it’s incredibly humorous. Some of the comedy is laugh out loud funny, such as the fight scenes, some is sophomoric and over the top (I kept looking for Stephen Chow to have a cameo), some is tender and heartwarming, and some is just plain zany. Even when the film gets melodramatic, I half-expected Leung to throw a sly wink or Wong to flash a dazzling smile at the camera as if to remind me I shouldn’t take it too seriously. There are some scenes that feel very forced, but the rest of film has so much zip and zeal that any slow moments are carried away before they can leave a bad taste in the mouth.

I’m sure I missed a lot due to cultural differences, and I’m certain a fair amount of it didn’t survive translation, but that which did is great. It’s a perfect film to throw in when you don’t want to think about what you’re watching, but rather just want to enjoy it for all it’s worth.

My only real complaint about the movie has to do with the dubbing. It seems like part of the film is in Cantonese and part is in Mandarin, depending on which actor or actress is onscreen at the time. For example, the guy they got to dub Leung’s voice into Mandarin is very noticeable, especially when you’ve seen enough of Leung’s films to know his voice. (It’s just odd to hear him launch into song in full-blown Mandarin, that’s all.) But that’s a minor little quibble with an otherwise engaging little flick.