Cast Member: Yuen Biao

‘Pom Pom’ is a typically enjoyable 80’s Hong Kong comedy that will definitely strike a chord with fans of the ‘Lucky Stars’.

Using the conventions of the 30’s Hollywood swashbucklers mixed with his insane stunts and sublime fight action, Chan produced one of his best ever films.

This is the definitive Hong Kong action flick of the 80’s, easily on a par with ‘Police Story’ and should take pride of place in any fan’s collection.

Despite some wonderful Jackie moments it proves to be a movie where the need to be ‘cute’ is more important than the desire to entertain.

While ‘Rosa’ isn’t one of the best action-comedies to come out of Hong Kong in the 80’s, it is still a constantly watchable one.

If you’re a fan of Biao or Sammo, this will make an unremarkable, but enjoyable addition to your collection; if you’re indifferent to either, the chances are you will feel the same about this film.

Without doubt this is a powerhouse film that will satisfy even the most demanding fans of the Jade Screen. Worth tracking down at all costs.

Of course, it is far from perfect and lacks the polish that was applied to Chan’s later vehicles, but it’s still a solid effort that has a distinctly old school charm.

The style of this sequel is just as frenetic as its forerunner, combining visual cues from video games and anime along with the steam-punk vision of 19th century China.

If you expect a beautiful style over substance film then it will entertain you, and in my eyes it is an improvement over ‘Storm Riders’.

It’s not a perfect film by any means, but it succeeds in painting an interesting portrait of an aging gentleman looking for a little redemption.

By the time the end credits start to run, there is the definite feeling that strong potential has been wasted.