Witch from Nepal

I have the feeling that some viewers go into this one with unfair expectations. If you think it's going to be an action flick just because Chow Yun Fat is the star, or think it's going to be horrific just because it has the word "witch" in the title, you're probably going to be disappointed.

One problem western viewers may have with Witch from Nepal is its inconsistency of mode. The beginning and end are action and horror oriented, while most of the middle portion has the leisurely pace of a romantic drama. Once the viewer adjusts to the unfamiliar genre hybrid nature of the proceedings, however, there's more than enough cuteness, action, and spooky stuff to keep an open-minded audience pleasantly occupied.

Chow Yun Fat stars in a film about an artist chosen to take up the mantle of the protector of a magic necklace and knife in a small village in Nepal. A movie that has a good performance from Chow, some excellent, but nonsensical action sequences, and drive that keeps you watching to the end even though there's a point about half way in when the film stops making any sense what so ever. To be honest the film is close to being a complete and utter mess, but at the same time you can't help but watch because you keep hoping that the film will make sense at some point. It never does. Rationally I should hate the film, but there is there are a couple of things that make it intriguing, the fact that Chow fights some zombies during the later part of the film, something I never thought I'd see in one of his films, that make me begrudging like its incomprehensibility. I can't really recommend it as such, but those who want to see an amusing bit of Hong Kong Nonsense will have a good time.

The Witch From Nepal was a pre A Better Tommorrow vehicle for Chow Yun Fat , at this time was a popular television actor, but had a hard time with success on the big screen. The film itself is a weird mix of fantasy, horror and romance and is held together by director Ching Sui Tung who (at this point) was best known for making cult swordplay/martial arts masterpiece Duel To The Death, as well as being action choreographer on a lot of the Hong Kong movies that you like. Sometimes the film gets a little confusing or hard to follow, but visually looks great with excellent action choreography. Chow Yun Fat's performance and screen presence is good. The Witch From Nepal is not the best film or the easiest to get into, but is still a decent watch and one of Chow Yun Fat's most unusual films.

As a die-hard Chow Yun-Fat fan, I had to see this film just to be completist. Unless you're in the same category, forget it. An embarrassing attempt at a mystic fantasy, this film seemed to be made by people who couldn't decide whether they really wanted to take it seriously or not. As a result you have a film which is so bad that it's scary - not only because of the enchanted testicles which the main character wears around his neck, either. The final battle atop a skyscraper is okay, but the film's only real (albeit momentary) saving grace is the steamy sex scenes between Chow Yun-Fat and Chu Po Yee.

This film is rated as Category II (not for children).

Joe and his girlfriend Ida are on safari in Nepal, and he comes across the beautiful stranger Sheila. Unknowingly to him, his been chosen to take over the possession of a very important necklace and ancient knife that was held by mystical chief, which if the former item gets in hands of evil could be disastrous. After a bad accident and returning to Honk Kong, he encounters Sheila again and through her he miraculously recovers. Also he has gained some supernatural powers, and Sheila happens to be there for him. They fall in love and Joe harmlessly dabbles in his new abilities, until the actual demon comes looking for him and a battle eventuates for those powerful belongings.

Director Ching Siu Tung (from the beautifully erotic "A Chinese Ghost Story" series) loves to demonstrate a dream-like, supernatural-fantasy filled with mythical magic and rampantly high-flying stunts. The Honk Kong feature "Witch From Nepal" mostly provides on that quality. Arresting visuals amongst a thickly misty atmosphere is captured by fluently inventive photography, vividly penetrating lighting and a lingering score of adaptable moodiness. The flashy stunt work is over-the-top and fanatic, but staged with skilled rigour by Ching Siu Tung and the same can be said about the intense martial arts sequences (like the final thunderous showdown). Accompanying the no gravity bound leaps, are plenty of swoosh sounds. Some things did get laughable, because of the very serious nature placed upon something very silly and slight in detail. However they're one or two impressively creepy sequences involving a dog out-of-its-league and definitely the murky graveyard ambush. Covering the screen are many stylish images that rattle along, which are well-organised and illustrated handsomely. These aspects help a lot, but want makes this one a very ordinary offering, is that it's pretty slow to get to the business end. The premise idea (which maybe looked better on paper) is sidetracked by uninteresting filler and succumbs to a meandering pace. It takes a good hour or so, to break out of that pattern. The plot is hazy and extremely convenient in stretches, but really hurting it is a real lack of urgency and very little concentration on the offbeat developments. FX is cheap and dated, but looks able enough and it's worked into the feature with decent restraint. The always-formidable Chow Yun-Fat is in what you call a star vehicle does a fine job. The delightful Kit Ying Lam and stunning Emily Chu supply reasonable support. Dick Wei's does the action well and his wild appearance (albeit with the hokey cat screaming/roaring that became grating) is sound enough as the demon warrior.

The film richly looks the part with its mystical awe and swiftly frenetic stunts, but fiddly uneven story telling brings it down a couple of notches. Undemanding fantasy-action fodder.