Okay, rewind your minds, fellow tape travelers. Remember that feeling? Standing in the video store aisle, maybe a little late on a Friday night, and seeing that cover – the familiar faces, the promise of more spectral romance and high-flying swordplay. You grab the sequel, hoping it captures even half the magic of the first. Hitting play on A Chinese Ghost Story II (1990) felt like jumping right back into that beautifully chaotic, supernaturally charged ancient China, fuzz lines and all. And boy, does this one deliver the kinetic energy we craved back then.
Released fairly hot on the heels of the 1987 original – a testament to how big a hit that first film was across Asia – this sequel throws our beloved, perpetually bewildered scholar Ling Choi-san (Leslie Cheung, returning with that same earnest charm) straight back into the fire. Framed for crimes he didn’t commit and tossed into a truly grim prison, he soon finds himself entangled not just with ghosts, but with rebels, corrupt officials, and a giant demonic centipede. You know, standard Tuesday.
More Mayhem, More Magic
What hits you immediately is director Ching Siu-tung (who also choreographed the action on the first film and directed classics like Swordsman II) doubling down on the sheer movement. If the first film was a haunting romance wrapped in fantasy action, this one feels like a fantasy action film peppered with romance and political intrigue. The wire-fu here feels even more ambitious, characters zipping across rooftops, bouncing off walls, and engaging in mid-air sword clashes that must have looked absolutely mind-blowing on our flickering CRTs. Remember trying to pause the tape just right to figure out how they did it? Good luck. It's pure practical wizardry.
One of the smart, slightly strange choices was bringing back the luminous Joey Wong. But wait – isn't Nip Siu-sin gone? Yes, but here she plays Windy Fu, a noblewoman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Ling's lost love, adding a layer of poignant confusion for our hero. It’s a classic Hong Kong cinema move – why let a star go when you can just give them a new, almost identical role? Joining the fray is the always-entertaining Jacky Cheung as Autumn, a Taoist priest whose supernatural skills involve a lot of chanting, glowing swords, and frantic energy. He brings a welcome comedic and action-oriented presence, contrasting nicely with Leslie Cheung's more melancholic scholar.
Practical Effects Power Hour
Let's talk about those effects, because that's where the VHS charm truly glows. Forget seamless CGI; this is the era of tangible magic. When monsters appear, they're often elaborate puppets or actors in incredible costumes, possessing a weight and presence that digital creations sometimes lack. That massive Centipede Demon? Pure nightmare fuel achieved through practical means, a triumph of physical construction and clever camerawork. You can almost feel the slime. The spell effects, the glowing swords, the phantom limbs – it’s all achieved with optical printing, clever lighting, and in-camera tricks that feel incredibly inventive, even endearingly rough around the edges by today's standards. Wasn't there something thrilling about seeing the wires, just for a split second, knowing real people were flying through the air?
It wasn't all smooth sailing behind the scenes, either. The pressure to follow up the massive success of the original meant a relatively quick production schedule. Yet, they managed to pack it with elaborate sets – the dilapidated prison, the eerie forest paths, the opulent-yet-corrupt official's residence – all contributing to a rich visual tapestry. And we can't forget the score, often incorporating themes from the legendary James Wong's work on the first film, instantly transporting you back to this specific fantasy world.
Still Got That Ghostly Grip?
While A Chinese Ghost Story II maybe doesn't quite capture the perfect, haunting romanticism of the original (a film considered a landmark of the genre), it compensates with sheer, unadulterated energy. It’s funnier, faster, and arguably packs in even more action sequences. The plot feels a bit more scattershot, juggling political commentary (the monstrous officials aren't exactly subtle), romantic longing, prison break shenanigans, and Taoist monster-hunting, but somehow, Ching Siu-tung’s energetic direction holds it all together in a whirlwind of colour and motion. It leans more heavily into the wu xia action elements, feeling like a thrilling ride from start to finish. Watching it again takes me right back to being glued to the screen, wide-eyed at the spectacle unfolding.
It was a hit back in the day, proving the appetite for this unique blend of Hong Kong fantasy was far from satisfied. Critics might have noted it wasn't quite the lightning-in-a-bottle the first one was, but audiences lapped up the continued adventures and imaginative visuals.
VHS Heaven Rating: 8/10
Justification: While it slightly misses the melancholic perfection of Part 1, A Chinese Ghost Story II is a fantastic sequel that ramps up the action, comedy, and imaginative practical effects. Leslie Cheung is reliably great, Joey Wong is captivating even as a near-clone, and Jacky Cheung adds fantastic energy. It’s a prime example of Hong Kong fantasy filmmaking firing on all cylinders, delivering non-stop entertainment with that inimitable practical effects charm. The frantic energy and visual invention hold up remarkably well.
Final Thought: For a pure hit of high-flying, ghost-battling, wire-fu insanity fueled by sheer practical ingenuity, A Chinese Ghost Story II is pure, uncut VHS-era Hong Kong gold – a beautiful, chaotic whirlwind that still absolutely dazzles.