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Starring
:
Richard
Ng
John
Shum
Deannie
Yip
Hui
Ying Hung
Lam
Ching Ying
Philip
Chan
Action
:
Lam
Ching Ying
Producer
:
Sammo
Hung
Director
:
Philip
Chan
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THE
RETURN OF POM POM (1984)
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
The
impressive box-office takings of the action comedy 'Pom
Pom' made sure that a sequel quickly followed. John Shum
and Richard Ng are re-united as loyal detectives Curly and
Beethoven with Deannie Yip returning as Ng's love interest.
This follow-up starts with the wedding of Beethoven and Anna
that had been previously hinted at in the original film. From
this point continues the typical mixture of extended comedy
routines and short, sharp bursts of action. Here the two
partners are sent out by their long-suffering chief to catch
notorious thief 'The Flying Spider'. This master criminal had
long before been involved in a battle of wills with the law
and now wants revenge for his turn in fortunes. His target is
revealed to be the police chief who must therefore use his
inept underlings to clear his name. As with all of their
previous cases, Curly and Beethoven find themselves out of
their depth and reliant on unconventional methods to get the
job done. Matters are complicated when Curly falls in love
with a young woman who, unknown to him, is in fact the
daughter of 'The Flying Spider'. Another twist brings to light
the possibility that this seeming innocent may well be
following in her father's footsteps.
For
those who know what to expect, 'Return Of Pom Pom' once again
offers very light entertainment and value for money. As with
all of the 'Pom Pom' films, the emphasis is on comedy and
specifically the interplay between Shum and Ng. Continuing
their winning combination from 'Winners
And Sinners', the duo have a charming chemistry that makes
the running time rush by. The comedy on offer here doesn't
pretend to be sophisticated, but at the same time it
thankfully avoids the crass humour that other Hong Kong
features have stumbled into. Perhaps the best way to describe
'Return Of Pom Pom's comedy is that it is innocent and
unashamedly effective. When the minimal action does come it
proves to be a nice extra to the amusement that has preceded
it. Enjoyable and satisfying for those familiar with this
particular sub-genre.
Rating:
 
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