Tian xia wu shuang (2002)

Director:

Jeffrey Lau

Writer:

Jeffrey Lau (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 February 2002 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Action

Plot:

In Ming Dynasty China, two pairs of siblings are destined for each other. But fate throws countless obstacles in the path of their happiness...

Plot Keywords:

Emperor | Palace | Princess | Fortune Teller | Cross Dressing

Awards:

2 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Tony Leung Chiu Wai	...	Li Yilong
Faye Wong	...	Princess Wushuang
Wei Zhao	...	Phoenix
Chen Chang	...	Emperor Zheng De
Roy Cheung	...	Chu Liangshim
Athena Chu	...	Amour Amour
Rebecca Pan	...	Queen mother
Jan Lamb	...	Comentary (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fai-hung Chan	...	Emperor (voice)
Goo-Bi GC	...	Phoenix (voice)
Eric Kot
Jeffrey Lau	...	President Chen
Jing Ning

Also Known As:

Chinese Odyssey 2002 (International: English title)

Runtime:

Hong Kong:97 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Shanghai, China

Company:

Jet Tone Production

Quotes:

Li Yilong: Often, if one loves too deeply, it is intoxicating, If one hates too long, the heart is easily shattered, The most painful experience in life, however, is waiting. I don’t know how long she waited. I thought all along I would never see her again. Suddenly, I didn’t know what to say, I couldn't figure out how to say ... to tell her I really love her.

Movie Connections:

References Sai yau gei: Dai yat baak ling yat wui ji - Yut gwong bou haap (1994)

Superb comedy - sweet and moving, yet totally wacky!

Chinese Odyssey is a thoroughly pleasant romantic comedy, captained by an extremely attractive cast of actors, and accompanied by delightful music. The plot is lifted right off of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and pulled off with remarkable wit and flair. It is certainly the best written Chinese comedy I've seen, and the gags are as much in the words and situations as in the visual setting and the facial mimicry.

The movie starts off as intense comedy, with hilariously effective anachronisms strewn about. Gradually, it becomes more and more serious about the love story, which is indeed genuinely moving, thanks to the brilliant cast, particularly Vicki Zhao and Faye Wong, who are both stunning-looking.

(Vicki Zhao is the kung fu girl from Shaolin Soccer; she is great; she can play anything, from emotionally devastated to deliciously sexy. And while I haven't seen beautiful songstress Faye Wong before, she looked very familiar to me, probably because she resembles Sandrine Holt a great deal. I also see in her filmography that she is in "2046", which is one of the next movies I plan to watch and review at IMDb.)

Chinese Odyssey is so beautifully shot, and stars such beautiful people, that one has to watch it twice; once to read the subtitles and once to look at people's faces! :-)

I don't know why everyone keeps calling this movie "nonsense" - it's not nonsense! It's the Monty Python- and Umberto Ecoesque humorous juxtaposition of elements with little or no mutual relevance! It's the highest form of comedy!

Anyway, this is an extremely good, pleasant and funny movie, with no negative elements that I can think of. 9 out of 10.