Cat and Mouse

Quote - Justice Bao: "I finally found someone more boring than I."

Director: Gordon Chan

Action Director: Ma Yuk Sing (who often collaborates with Ching Siu Tung, but not this time)

Producer: Andrew Lau

Script: Gordon Chan

Cast:
Zhan Zhao - Andy Lau
Justice Bao - Anthony Wong
Bai Yu Tang - Cecilia Cheung
Emperor - Cheung Tat Ming

I won't pretend like I enjoyed one bit of this insult to filmmaking. This is possibly the most uninteresting movie I've ever seen in my life, and I dislike it with a vengeance.

The completely predictable story involves Zhan Zhao falling in love with Bai Yu Tang, who is now a woman. It starts when no cases have been reported to Justice Bao in three months, and everyone is as bored as hell. Zhan Zhao runs off to a Wulin meeting, only to run into a pathetically costumed Bai Yu Tang. She falls for him instantly, but he arrests her. The emperor makes use of her skills in an attempt to combat the imperial tutor - all of this only leading to the emperor's brother overthrowing the emperor.

I have seen plenty of Chinese New Year comedies, and none is nearly as embarassing. The movie is doomed by the Wholeheartedly unengaging story, excruciatingly unfunny gags, zero chemistry, embarassing choreography, and more. I need say no more. This is simply a disgrace to filmmaking. And no, I do not have anything nice to say about it.

The frustration is that there are people out there who will continue to watch this kind of tasteless junk. What is so satisfying about changing male characters into females, as in the case of Bai Yu Tang? If this piece of crap somehow indicates the future direction of Hong Kong cinema, then it sure is about to meet its greatest curse.