A Chinese Odyssey II: Cinderella

More outrageous fantasy and comedy from stylish director Jeff Lau and superstar goofball Stephen Chow, this second installment satisfyingly concludes the epic story line begun in the original, in addition to providing many thrills and laughs along the way. Picking up where Pandora's Box left off, Cinderella gets off to a rip-roaring start as Chow is accidentally sent 500 years backward in time to witness the original destruction of the Monkey King, the mythical god to whom he may or may not have a supernatural connection. After yet another temporal screw-up, Chaiu lands himself right into the hands of the villainous King Bull and his lackeys, a clan of rebellious monsters who are searching for the fabled Longevity Monk. As if all this wasn't confusing enough, Chow winds up falling in love with a young goddess, Zixia, despite the fact that he is already married, and thus finds himself torn between two loves, two worlds, and two personalities. Lau's direction seamlessly blends a wild variety of genres with ease and confidence, signaling a growth in his abilities since the scattershot Chow Yun-Fat vehicle Treasure Hunt. Chow, as usual, is a delight, particularly when he takes on the mischievous persona of the Monkey King. Fun special effects and action sequences also abound, with the finale -- the Monkey King's final battle with the King Bull atop a flying chunk of land headed directly towards the sun -- being especially spectacular. If you missed the original film - forget it, you'll never understand what's happening in this picture, but if you saw and enjoyed the first part, you'll no doubt have a great time with this terrific follow-up.