Jiang Shi Zhi Zun 
1991 / 88m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Horror
3.0*/5.0*
The Ultimate Vampire poster

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October 11, 2016

3.0*/5.0*

Andrew Lau does classic Hong Kong vampire action. It's a pretty specific niche that boomed during the late 80s. Everyone wanted to share in the wealth (in true HK fashion), and so it's no surprise to see Lau have a go at it at the very start of his career. The result is exactly what you'd expect from a film like this: nothing out of the ordinary, but good genre fun.

A small town is hit by some very peculiar murders. The victims are found with two holes in their necks. It's pretty obvious the village has a vampire problem, so they rely on a Taoist priest and his two disciples to save them from the evil that haunts them. The vampire has some tricks up his sleeve though, making the job of the priest much harder than he anticipated.

Lam Ching-Lying is here, the face of an entire niche. Other than that, Lau sticks to what was popular back then, meaning the cinematography is on point, the martial arts action is solid and the fantasy elements look pretty cool. It's not a film that is remarkable in any way, but if you like the Hong Kong vampire niche this film won't disappoint.