Movie Review: The Touch (Tian mai zhuan qi)

The Touch (2002)  (Tian mai zhuan qi) 

Aruze, China Film Co-Production Corporation, Han Entertainment, Media Asia Films, Mythical Films, Pandasia Entertainment, Tianjin Film Studio, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, 2002. 

Pak Yin Fay (Michelle Yeoh) belongs to ancient Chinese acrobat family. Malicious art collector Karl (Richard Roxburgh) gets the Heart of Dun Huang that could lead to a container of magic essence that could make people immortal. Yin's ex-boyfriend and thief Eric (Ben Chaplin) steals the relic and asks Yin's help. Karl's stupid henchmen kidnap Eric and Yin goes to save him as Karl plans to make soup whose main ingredients are Eric's hands. Treating Eric's injuries rekindles Yin's feelings about him. 

Yin

Eric

Karl

Meanwhile Yin's brother Tong (Brandon Chang) and his girlfriend Lily (Margaret Wang) snatch the Heart and go to search for the Dun Huang's hidden treasure. They also get kidnapped by Karl. Treasure-hunting continues and many dangerous traps wait in the temple. 

Morning exercise

Lily and Tong

The temple sequence is CGI-heavy

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" cinematographer Peter Pau turned into a director. Film starts as an action comedy in the spirit of Jackie Chan-films and turns into adventure with the closest comparisons being the "Tomb Raider" films. It is not Michelle Yeoh's best. It is fairly entertaining adventure yarn but not as original and energetic as it could be. Although the first half is good, the temple sequence is horrible.  The story lacks the energy of Yeoh's 1990s films and has too cheesy special effects and wire-fu jumping. Ben Chaplin as her side-kick / lover is adequately funny. There was also a comical henchman Bob (Dane Cook) whose potential in the story was wasted. The locations are great and Basil Poledouris' music is good. Considering all the talent and effort that was put into this film it is a disappointment. 

Rating:Average 

Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Ben Chaplin, Richard Roxburgh, Sihung Lung, Brandon Chang, Margaret Wang, Dane Cook, Emmanuel Lanzi, Kenneth Tsang, Gabriel Harrison, Winston Chao, Zhenhai Kou, Chang Sheng Liu, Hua Qin, Sua Lang Rao Deng, Dawangdui, Ya Dong Duo Ji, Zhong Bian Ba Ci Ren, Zha Xi Dun Zhu, Qilong Li, Zhang Ci Ren Ba, Wang Biao, Harald Burchardt, Li Na Chen, Long Chen, Kai Cui, Jing Po Di, Hao He Dong, Bing Hong, Yiu King Lee, Gui Qin Li, Xiao Ming Li, Xing Li, Yue Qi Li, Wei Liang, Ken Liao, Yang Liu, Ling Long, Dorrise Mok, Wei Ren, Er Hua Song, Ge Song, Jiao Long Sun, Na Sun, Xiao Wei Sun, Jerald Tan, Chan Juan Wang, Don Wong, Jia Hui Wu, Pu Zha Xiao, Rong Xiao, Jackie Yeung, Shi Yao Yu, Xing Chao Yuan, Er Lei Zhang, Hao Zhang, Jin Ting Zhang, Yan Zhang, Yin Chuan Zhang, Ying Mei Zhang, Xiao Qing Zuo

Director: Peter Pau