Magic Cop (HK 1989)

Rating: ***
Review Date: 12/12/99
Cast: Lam Ching Ying, Michiko Nishiwaki, Billy Chow, Wu Ma

Taoist mysticism and feng shui craziness abound in this "Mr. Vampire" (1985) spin-off. Lam Ching Ying is a retired cop and an accomplished Taoist ghostbuster. A bizarre drug trafficking case involving reanimated corpses comes about, and Uncle Feng (Lam Ching Ying) is called in to solve it. He travels to Hong Kong with his totally adorable niece and is assigned to work with two annoying young cops. As with many Hong Kong films, the goofy comedic element between the four of them is tiresome and tedious, but the action scenes are spectacular. Although the plot is derivative, it's always a treat to see the stoic and slightly eccentric Lam Ching Ying perform his Taoist magic tricks. His main adversary is Michiko Nishiwaki, and they duke it out with all sorts of bizarre spells and magic. Very entertaining and visually stunning to watch.