Genre: Comedy

It’s almost as if director Andrew Lam just got a few mates together for an exercise in tedium to prove how willing we are to forgive anything for a hit of nostalgia.

The destination will probably be inevitable to you 5 minutes into the movie, but that is unlikely to stop the tears rolling down your cheeks come closing credits and the journey, not the destination is the thing of greatest importance.

As it draws to it conclusion, that Korean melancholy kicks in and the characters begin to extend beyond caricatures.

Despite moments that show a director trying to craft something different from a common storyline, there is no reason why this should be considered unfair; this is mostly well executed yet only mildly diverting fare.

Bathing various scenes with the visual potency that alludes to Tsui Hark and with a rousing soundtrack at his disposal, Ching Siu Tung unleashes a minor epic that is highly recommended.

‘A Violent Prosecutor’ might not be winning awards for originality, but it certainly serves as a good use of two hours.

‘A.f.r.i.k.a’ isn’t rocket science, but if you like a good laugh and are conversant in the basics of Korean pop-culture and society, it should prove an enjoyable treat, nonetheless.

Unlike much of today’s canto-comedy, the humour in ‘Aces.’ translates very well and certainly doesn’t seem to have dated after nearly twenty-years.

The formula that made the original so successful has naturally remained untampered, but the scope of effects and stunts clearly expanded.

Alongside this familiar narrative is the constantly disarming duo of Samuel Hui and Karl Maka and they of course continue to show great comic timing and interplay in the familiar roles of Sam and Kodijack.

Unlike ‘Aces. III’ which failed to integrate the eastern and the western elements of the film, ‘Aces. IV’ succeeds in creating a globe-hopping adventure without losing its main Asian audience.

The film boasts a truly stellar cast and good production values, but sadly the saga had run out of steam.