Hot Picks
|
|
|
The Twins Effect
Vampire Effect
Hong Kong 2003
produced by Carl Chang, Bey Logan, Albert Yeung (executive) for Empire Multimedia Group (EMG), Million Channel Ltd
directed by Dante Lam, Donnie Yen (co)
starring Ekin Cheng, Twins (= Charlene Choi, Gillian Chung), Edison Chen, Anthony Wong, Jackie Chan, Mickey Hardt, Josie Ho, Ricardo Mamood-Vega, Maggie Lau, Karen Mok, Winnie Leung, Mandy Chiang, Digger Mesch, Marky Lee Campbell, Mark Strange, Philip Chen, Daniel Whyte, Simon Robida, Daniel O'Neill, Bey Logan, Robert Meister, Michael Clements
written by Jack Ng, music by Chan Kwong Wing, action direction by Donnie Yen
review by Mike Haberfelner
|
|
|
|
Available on DVD! To buy, click on link(s) below and help keep this site afloat (commissions earned) |
Always make sure of DVD-compatibility!!!
|
|
|
|
|
Reeve (Ekin Cheng) is a vampire hunter, and the best there is, thing
is, in this film, vampire hunters need to drink vampire blood to be
powerful enough to fight vampires, but they have to take the antidote in
time to not become a vampire.
Gypsy (Gillian Chung) is Reeve's new partner. Of course the two fall in
love, even if she at one point almost turns him into a vampire when she
has forgotten his antidote.
Helen (Charlene Choi) is Reeve's sister, and she has madly fallen in
love. Unfortunately she has fallen in love with Kazaf (Edison Chen), a
vampire prince.
Kazaf might be a vampire, but he refrains from sucking blood (his
father sends him blood in bottles) and is sentimental at heart. He also
possesses some holy vampire shrine which everybody wants to get his hands
on, especially Duke Dekotes (Mickey Hardt), a real badass vampire.
After much of the typical (and mostly comical) to and fro, Duke Dekotes
has taken Reeve captive, and since Reeve doesn't get the antidote in time
he turns intop a vampire. Still, good vampire Kazaf tries to get Dekotes
to release him any which way but proves no match for him. Gypsy and Helen
meanwhile try to free Reeve their own way but have to realize his
vampirism has become irreversible and ultimately they have to kill
him.Then they go after Dekotes and his vampire hordes, and with combined
forces, they kill all the vampires and even Dekotes, even if Gypsy is
turned into a semi-vampire in the process ...
From now on, Gypsy, Helen and Kazaf will fight vampires as a team.
Action icon Jackie Chan has an amusing supporting role as ambulance
driver with an alcoholic wife-to-be (Karen Mok).
Mindless Hong Kong fantasy cinema at its best: A nonsense script that
doesn't take itself seriously at all, some great physical comedy and
exhilarating action setpieces, combined in a fast-paced high adrenaline
film that dares to be self-consciously silly, that at times even comes across as inventive, and that
succeeds in remaining highly entertaining throughout. Sure, the film is no
classic of vampire cinema as such, but it's highly entertaining
nevertheless.
Recommended.
|