Jacky Cheung

(In French, On Cable TV, May 2022) This third entry in the consistently enjoyable series A Chinese Ghost Story course-corrects slightly, going back to the smaller scale and more romantic underpinnings of the first film compared to the wilder, wider scope of the first sequel. The result may be a slight downgrade, but it’s certainly not dull or unenjoyable: With the dynamic camera muscling itself a place in the cast of characters, ambitious pre-digital special effects, fog-filled atmosphere and the wild swings of the film’s imagination, this third entry feels entirely consistent with the previous two films. The story focuses on two monks (the incomparable Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Jacky Cheung) as they go through many of the motions of the first film’s plot, focusing more on romance while not forgetting about the fantasy fighting along the way. I’m impressed at the way the film’s 1990s patina has endured quite well – A Chinese Ghost Story III is a great example of how in-your-face filmmaking can still manage to impress even the next generations of cinephiles. If you’re going to see any of the previous two films, make it a triple-bill. Or stretch the fun over several evenings.