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Updated Friday, January 1, 2010 9:25 am TWN, By James Topley, Special to The China Post




	Lin is one of the most recognized models in Taiwan; she was deemed the most beautiful Asian woman. (Courtesy of VieVision Pictures) More Photos (2)

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Treasure Hunter 刺陵

Perhaps expectations for the film aren't that high, as fans are likely to enjoy watching the celebrities regardless of the inconsistent scenarios they find themselves in. Chou portrays a long-haired bike-riding guardian angel of an ancient city, battling a group of generic villains in the surrounding sands of some long lost dynasty. Viewers get enough visual stimuli to be entertained for a while. But throw in an unconvincing romance with Lin, and the threads start to unravel. It's also hard not to notice Chou's tendency to 'act cool' for the camera, and the dialogue between the couple is bare.

In terms of adventures and action, the movie does snatch a few ideas from Indiana Jones, a double-hard do-gooder with a moral calling to return antiquities to their rightful places. But the similarities end there, because this film is unintentionally funny. As despite the odd skull-attired baddy opting for a bruising from our hero, names like Pork Rib (Eric Tsang/曾志偉) and The Sandstorm Legion prevent the story from being remotely believable. A mummy with a never-ending supply of toilet roll is bizarrely entertaining, yet again unrealistic. Also placed within the story for good measure, is a ghoul and a gang leader hardly surpassing surface level characters.

The production value is what you pay for. Particular highlights are the visuals for the traveler's village as well as the 'Inn & Beer' bar that The Sandstorm Legion choose to destroy. Why? You may ask. Indeed.

In general the cinematography is superb. The score, by Taiwanese composer, Ricky Ho, helps generate the suspense between action-scenes, and keeps the pace from plodding.

However the plotlines are frustratingly weak, with characters seemingly relevant at one point, and not at the next. Copying premises such as “The Mummy” and “Indiana Jones” is not a bad idea, but these stories contained interesting characters and a clear structure.

All stops are pulled in self-ridicule with silly names, plain acting and ludicrous bad guys that make this fantasy adventure particularly dreary.

More discerning adventure fans should avoid “The Treasure Hunter,” as it's unlikely to provide the desired end-of-year movie experience.

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Comments

November 25, 2011 crazygirl456@

I like Jay Chou but I didn’t get the movie. The ending didn’t really make sense to me.