Black Mask 2: City of Masks

The original "Black Mask" was a gritty HK action film starring Jet Li. For the sake of Part 2, "City Of Masks", the exclusion of Li can be forgiven. Nothing ELSE can be, though.

First of all, the main plot consists of Black Mask (even though he GAVE UP crimefighting at the end of the first film) taking on a bunch of Pro-Wrestlers - yes, Pro Wrestlers - who have been infused with the DNA of animals... like a squid. No, I'm not kidding about the squid!

You would expect really fast-paced Martial Arts along the lines of those found in the first, but what you find instead are a bunch of oddly designed fight scenes involving animalistic people. In other words, people with semi-human bodies and prosthetic animal heads.

Tsui Hark and Yuen Wo-Ping were helming this project, which is really a major letdown considering that Hark is responsible for great movies like "Time and Tide" and "The Legend Of Zu". Wo-Ping is probably best known for his fight coreography on "The Matrix." The main problem here is that you have two great HK directors trying to do what they can with a poorly slapped-together American Movie idea. Simple as that.

Don't watch Black Mask 2. Please. If you did, I would hurt you - but odds are the movie beat me to it.

It's this movie, it stinks. I don't even know what to say. I bought this crap because I liked the first one a lot and figured it can't be that bad since the first one is no masterpiece. This movie is a steaming pile of dung. It is worth a rent just to see how bad it is but don't get ripped like me and buy this crap. I have to admit though, I laughed more during this movie than most comedies.

"Crashman 79" Jan 30 2003...and I quote.."All in all, the movie was excellent." What can ANY straight-thinking, HALF intelligent person say to that?

We're talking here arguably about one of the worst, insultingly stupid, juvenile, cruddy movies of all time! Little wonder Jet Li took a look at the script and said "You're kidding?" As a follow up to BLACK MASK (itself no Oscar contender) Hark has more than a LOT to answer for. Not far removed from a Japanese children's actioner of the 60's, this incomprehensible piece of CGI-enhanced buffoonery has no place even calling itself a "film," let alone a sequel. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the original...except for Tsui Hark's involvement. A few mutated world-wrestlers do not a storyline premise make. What the f---was Hark thinking? "Hey, this is a grabber?"

This is one film WORTH a zero rating!

come on, can any film with former Porn Star Traci Lords in a supporting role as a genetically modified pro-wrestler/reptilian creature be all that bad?

I've only seen the (apparently lousy) version of Jet Li's Black Mask, but this one is at least as good as that other piece of garbage. There are elements of Roller Ball here, a mixing of Australian and Thai cinematic cultures, and yeah, the whole thing loses me with its maudlin kid.

But didn't you giggle a little bit, if only unintentionally, at the Doctor who went paralytic whenever she was touched by a man?

A fine adolescent pass-time, worth it as the second DVD you rent.

Or maybe third.

OK, the dialogue blew.

ugh, and i mean UGH. dont see this, avoid at all costs. its a mix between the batman beyond "splicing" episode and universal soldier (the first black mask at least had real kung fu). altho porn queen traci lords shows us she can still kick ass, as seen in first wave and blade.

in this movie, jet li ran away, and for good reason, some fool picked up his role and took it, as best as he could i guess, he did look good. all that style was lost when he spoke tho. no wonder this came straight to video. get some real jet li movies if you want kung fu, or get universal soldier 1 if you want some killing soldier story...