Taoist Priest

It seems Ricky Lau is back. Rather than copy other Hong Kong directors and go for the big bucks, he stayed true to his old self and has found a new home in China's explosive genre cinema niche. It's a perfect fit for him, and they can use a seasoned director like Lau to give them some pointers.

Lau on the other hand is allowed to do what he's good at. Taoist Priest brings his typical mix of Jiang Shi (the Chinese hopping vampires), comedy, fantasy and martial arts. It's a pleasant genre mix that goes for full-on entertainment. The plot is very basic, instead time and money was invested in making this film as fun as possible.

Props for Lau to not fall into the trap of easy CG. Most of the action appears to be oldskool, which is a big plus. The sets and styling are extremely lush, the action is great and the characters are a cool bunch (the bad guys in particular stand out). It's a simple genre film, but executed with a lot of flair and gusto. I'm ready for more.