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POM
POM AND HOT HOT (1992)
A.K.A.
- Hot Hot & Pom Pom
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
Within
a Hong Kong film, the entire mood can be turned completely on
its head in a split second. If ever there was a film to fully
display this unusual trait, it's 'Pom Pom And Hot Hot'.
Although, for the most part, this is an average comedy with
brief scenes of action, the final fifteen minutes explode with
an outrageous display of acrobatic gunplay. For this reason
this has sometimes been linked to the popular 'Curry
And Pepper' which also followed a similar pattern though
to a far less extreme level.
Jacky
Cheung and Tung Wai play two cops who are happy to deal with
the normal cases that cross their path as long as it doesn't
disturb their lives too much. Their superior (Lam Ching Ying)
is keen to show them the importance of the work they do and
therefore involves them in a very dangerous case. After a very
mysterious arms dealer arrives on the scene, local mob bosses
are finding their number deleted bit by bit. This brings the
duo into the investigation, though they soon realise that the
enemy is far above the kind they're used to dealing with.
Family stresses then add to the pair's burden as they are
forced to look after an eccentric cousin during an impromptu
visit and his pretty sister causes a stir as well.
'Pom
Pom And Hot Hot' is a film where a fast forward button is a
necessity. Too much of the film is bogged down in very tired
routines that drastically slow down the pace. Never is this
more in evidence than during the tiresome middle section which
features more mahjong scenes than anyone can naturally stand.
Thankfully the production is helped by a competent cast who
inject a reasonable amount of enjoyment into the proceedings.
The main strength of 'Pom Pom And Hot Hot' is the crime
storyline and the appearance of the super-slick villain; if
only the film had concentrated on this element it would
undoubtedly have been a more cohesive whole rather than the
mish-mash it is. Mostly watchable then, but in dire need of
propping up in the middle.
Rating:
 
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