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Starring
:
John
Shum
Richard
Ng
Deannie
Yip
May
Law
Chan
Hui Man
Action
:
Stephen
Tung Wai
Benz
Kong
Producer
:
John
Shum
Director
:
Yip
Wing Cho
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POM
POM STRIKES BACK (1986)
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
The
final part in the 'Pom
Pom' series proves to be one of the most entertaining
films of the four. Once again John Shum and Richard Ng are
paired as the zany cops Curly and Beethoven who are given
another challenging assignment to make a mess of. This time
the friends are landed with the task of protecting an
important witness who is about to go to trial and send down a
major criminal. The witness is far from co-operative though
and the young woman continues to give her protectors the
runaround. During one particular incident, Beethoven is
admitted to hospital where he is given the sudden news that he
is dying of lung cancer. The news turns the formerly reserved
Beethoven into a supercop who risks his life for the case.
Knowing his death on the case will ensure an insurance pay-out
for his wife, this new supercop throws himself wholeheartedly
into every dangerous situation. The farce continues when
Beethoven discovers that his test results were wrong and he is
in fact assured of a long life. Now the supercop turns into an
opportunist who milks the sympathy from his wife and close
friend. However, the distractions that had pre-occupied the
team are soon forgotten when the assassin makes a final charge
at the young witness.
The
strength of the 'Pom Pom' films is the superb chemistry
between John Shum, Richard Ng and, to a lesser degree, Deannie
Yip. With this fourth part the formula remains in place and
the whole production has the very comfortable feeling of
familiarity to it. The comedy is as broad and simple as ever,
but this is one of its definite charms; the simplicity means
that the humour loses very little in translation. 80's Hong
Kong cinema was producing films like this in such great degree
that it was perhaps difficult to appreciate them at the time.
Now though the character-driven frolics make easy and
undemanding viewing. Certainly not a classic, but good fun
while it lasts.
Rating:
 
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