It is currently the #2 film at the global box
office, nipping at the heels of The Force
Awakens. It is also the second adaptation of the bestselling Chinese Ghost Blows Out the Light series of
novels. In a weird distribution of rights, one consortium of film companies
optioned the first four novels, and another group of partners bought the latter
quartet. This is the one starring Shu Qi as American-born Chinese tomb raider
Shirley Yang, which partially explains its brisk business. Yang and her
associates will shimmy into crypts and flee hordes of zombies in Wuershan’s Mojin: the Lost Legend (trailer here), which is now playing
in New York.
Yang, the Byronic Hu Bayi, and the rubber-faced Wang Kaixuan are trained in Mojin, the art of grave “borrowing.”
As per their time honored practice, they carefully light a candle in the corner
of each tomb they visit. By blowing it out, the tomb’s ghost makes his displeasure
known, forcing the trio to leave accordingly. However, if the candle still
burns, then its all good. They are in for an exception to the rule. Things will
get bad, but Hu and Wang have seen worse during their first subterranean excursion.
Flashing back to the Cultural Revolution, Hu
and Wang are sent to Inner Mongolia as part of their re-education. Both fall in
love with the comrade Ding Sitian. She is still adorable, even though she
believes the revolutionary slogans far more than they do. Through a strange
chain of events, they stumble into an ancient tomb. Of course, the cadres urge
them to be “true materialists” and “smash the Four Olds.” Unfortunately, in
this case, the Olds are not merely ancient. They are undead.
Hu and Wang carry the scars of their
backstory. It is why Hu has never properly put the moves on the
super-interested Yang. Similarly, the more impulsive Wang will sign up with a
dodgy expedition financed Madame Ying, a Chinese born Japanese industrialist
and cult leader in search of the mythical Equinox Flower, hoping he can use it
to resurrect the late Ding. Putting aside their Tracy-and-Hepburn-esque
differences, Yang and Hu set out to save Wang from his bad judgement. Frankly,
they cannot completely blame Wang for the ensuing trouble. The whole deal was
brokered by their dodgy agent Grill. At least he will quickly cone to regret
it.
Believe it or not, Mojin’s narrative probably makes even less sense on screen, but it
hardly matters. Wuershan maintains enough breakneck energy and the all-star
cast exudes enough raw charisma to keep the film galloping forward, with or
without logic. The special effects are Hollywood tentpole quality and the Inner
Mongolian vistas are wildly cinematic. This is a big film, in many respects.
Yet, there were apparently risks involved,
starting with its very premise. Tomb-plundering is not exactly politically
correct in China these days, which reportedly caused more than a little
uncertainty during the development process. The scenes set during Cultural
Revolution are also a tad bit gutsy, especially when the Red Guards order the
young Hu’s detachment to smash the Kitian artifacts.
Shu Qi is one of the few movie stars working
today, who can quietly kneecap viewers with a single look (this has been her
specialty for Hou Hsiao Hsien, including the recent The Assassin). It must be noted, Shirley Yang is quite the heroine,
since it was Yao Chen filling her boots in Chronicles
of the Ghostly Tribe, which American audiences have yet to get a good look
at.
As Hu, Chen Kun puts his shaggy look and brooding
manner to good use, much as he did in Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal. Bo Huang mostly keeps the shtick in check as
Wang, but it is fair to say Xia Yu’s Grill lacks his reserve. However,
Angelebaby is acutely cute as Ding, while also bringing some tragic depth to
their ill-fated romantic interest. Yet, Cherry Ngan shows off some of the best
action chops as Madame Ying’s henchperson, Yoko.
