MOVIE REVIEW: THE SECOND COMING (HONG KONG) 重生

“THE SECOND COMING” (HONG KONG) PRESS REVIEW

重生

 If anyone can possibly recall, there’s a Chinese adage that preaches “revenge is ever-so-sweet”.

And it comes with a resounding admonishment, warning you not to toy with fire, but if somebody does you a huge injustice, you can still evoke your revenge, even if the waiting takes ten years.

Vengeance will justifiably strike at the opportune time when you least expect it.

But can you wait this long?

That is the premise of “THE SECOND COMING”, a theme of vengeance comes lately.

This is  Hong Kong film director HERMAN YAU’s first foray into directing a stereoscopic 3D movie, using a macabre plot weaving around fighting the supernatural.

But at the press screening, we were shown the 2D version, so the interesting parts would not have been glorified.

The co-director is Australian writer RAYMOND NG who incidentally, writes the screenplay.

 It is a Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore joint collaboration in view of the elaborate investments required for the extensive CGI effects.

For all purport, this  suspense-horror feature focuses on a teenage girl who’s able to feel and see nasty apparitions from the spiritual world.

Here’s a quick plot run-down :

Ming (KENNY WONG) and his wife (MAGGIE SIU) lead a serene life with their 13-year-old daughter Lucy (JOEY LEONG) while their 20 year-old son Sunny (DON LEE) is studying to be a doctor overseas.

Everything is idyllic, until Ming accidentally reverses his car and accidentally knocks Lucy down on her 14th birthday.

From then onward, Lucy starts to hallucinate and behaves in an eccentric way.

When her brother Sunny returns from his overseas studies, he finds his once beloved sister is no longer the person he knows.

What follows are the hidden secrets about the past.

These are uncovered one by one, and the exasperated family is forced to confront what they want to be forgotten.

Asian horror films have always been fascinated with the relationship between the living and the dead.

This one is no exception.

“THE SECOND COMING” is competently handled, decently acted and contains a few twists in the final reel that may have you on edge.

Such as the one with Lucy opening the fridge door only to scream in terror at a baby-like demon curled up embryonic style.

No spoilers here to mar the suspense but the post production is choppy with far too many flashbacks and if  you do not follow closely, confusion can set in.

 The lead actress is JOEY LEONG, a pretty nubile Malaysian who’s done a couple of made-in-Singapore horror flicks and some TV dramas.  She’s prettier here and her acting skills have improved immensely.

She is ably supported by Hong Kong veterans: MAGGIE SIU, KENNY WONG and DON LEE.

Here’s an interesting bit about the film director HERMAN YAU when he was explaining why his film had been classified under  Category 3 in Hong Kong.

His witty reply was that it is the first time experience where he created a scenario showing his actor cutting the penis off a man and later a doctor eats the penis.

And in realm of the 3D you can actually see the genitals zooming straight at you! (guffaw).

But I witness no such scene, assuming that this one must have been censored.

Ghosts most foul?

Truth or Dare?

Tread in with a curious mind if you wish to know the answers.

RATING: 2.5 out of 5.