L'Arnaqueur de Hong Kong

Chow Yun Fat has 2 modes in his movies: super-cool & super-goofy. These 2 modes are often signalled by his hairstyle: the slicked-back hair (e.g., "The Killer") and the scruffy hair (e.g., "City on Fire.")

This movie is fun because it incorporates both modes, and the movie itself also veers from tragic to super-silly - and it works. There are things in this movie that are so wacky that you have to see it to believe it.

The gambling scenes in this movie, especially the earlier ones, are staged more like sporting events, and are the most entertaining gambling you'll ever see in a movie. Again, if you're hung up on realism, you'll find it preposterous.

But if you're prepared to loosen up and enjoy a fun movie, you won't be disappointed.

As one of the most recognised and coolest actors around, Chow Yun Fat is a master at facial expression, and his presence in such herioc bloodshed films as "A better tomorrow" and the magnificent "Hard Boiled" make him great to watch.

In this film, Chow plays the god of gamblers, a sort of card shark who has retired to France with his wife and child to be. Unfortuently a master gambler wants to play Chow in a life-or-death match, and forces him into gambling with him by killing his wife and child to be.

Chow goes after the wannabe-god of gamblers with help from various sources and with lots of guns, charm and sophistication that you expect from Chow.

Saying goodbye to Hong Kong audiences, Chow gives a masterful performance, espcially in the glossy, expensive gambling ending with a masterful twist that gets you thinking back over the course of the film.

Unfortuently the film relies too heavily on Chow and the John Woo, two-gun action and not enough on the other characters. Although there is plenty of comedy to get through the scenes, they feel slow and unmoving.

Fortuently towards the end, the characters are welcomed and respected. But the action scenes lack the depth of a John Woo feature nor the danger of Ringo Lam films.

Without comparing this film to other movies by other movie directors, this film is quite a good film, but an average movie is nothing more than an average movie.

Don't buy the DVD version, as this version, although in widescreen, has very few features.

Overall: 5/10.

God of Gambler's Return (1994) was one of the last movies Yuen-Fat Chow made before he returned to the U.S. for good. After two sequels featuring Stephen Chow, Jing Wong wanted to make a big budgeted direct sequel to the first film with the original actor. Andy Lau wasn't available so he brought along Ka Fai Leung to take his spot. Elvis Tsui and Sharla Cheung Man co-star along with Chien-Li Wu and the ever hot Chingmy Yau. The God of Guns also makes an appearance reprising his role as the God of Gamblers bodyguard.

This film is pretty grim but it's also funny as well. The God of Gamblers is in retirement but the new Devil of Gamblers wants to play a game with him and he wont take no for an answer and makes life a living hell for the G.O.G.

To describe this film wont do it justice. But if you have seen a Jing Wong movie or the first film you wont walk away from this movie disappointed. The slapstick comedy and farcical elements along with a huge helping of bloodshed will keep everyone highly entertained and it's one hell of a ride.

Jing Wong made a lot of money with this series and the gambling genre in general. After this film he started up the Saint of Gamblers series, a prequel to the God of Gamblers and a new series called the Conmen. In many interviews that Mr. Wong has given in the past he's stated that The Cincinatti Kid, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad World and Die Hard are his favorite movies. After watching this flick you'll understand why. As always, the U.S. is slow on the poker phenomenon. But films like these make gambling not as fun as it seems.

Highly Recommended!

xxx

(1994) God of Gamblers' Return (In Chinese with English subtitles) ACTION/ COMEDY

Written and directed by Wong Jing wanted to make some money and he knows how to do it, by making this nonsensical 2nd or 4th whatever you call it! Whatever what was shown on this film had already been shown before on other films whether it's action or comedy and was better! This was a total waste of time that despite doing really well at the box office making it the highest grossing movie of that year in Hong Kong, star Chow Yun Fat disapproved of Wong Jing's direction this time one reason that is apparent was that in the first film suave Chow Yun Fat always wore a suit and tie and in this one I don't remember him wearing one at all! The gags are not funny because of a lack of credibility where the jokes are forced as well as the action sequences meaning that director Wong Jing didn't put too much thought into this film and just wanted to make a fast buck! You can watch this for curiosity sake, if you like what you saw from the first three movies.

Chow was witty, funny and cool as cucumber. His whole charisma shows in this film. Under the jovial mask hides the God of Gambler. Force is just the means to an end, wits is the ultimate deciding factor.