Movie Review: On His Majesty's Secret Service / 大內密探靈靈狗

The dog isn't even in the movie...God bless Wong Jing: He's the HK cinema version of AC/DC and/or The Ramones. They released the same album over and over, and you know what? They were all good. Some were great.

On His Majesty's Secret Service / 大內密探靈靈狗 is not going to win any Best Film awards this year.

Then again, it won't win Worst Film either.

I'm fairly certain that's all sewn up for 2009...

But look at it this way: All's Well Ends Well 2009 was no gem either, but until last Thursday night, it was the film with the largest audience at the Dynasty that we'd ever seen.

Wong Jing did even better. The Dynasty didn't look full, but there were people there. That's hard to do.

Trust me, I've been going there almost weekly for several years.

What makes this film work?

The same things that have made his films work since 1981.

And I do mean the same things.

 I never cease to marvel at how the same old gags get endlessly recycled in HK movies but still get huge laughs.On His Majesty's Secret Servicerecycles every cliche in Wong's play book, and judging by the audience, they all were welcome and appreciated.

The film moves along briskly (Wong Jing never met a budget he couldn't com in under) and calls to mind the frenetic period/costume dramas (and comedies) of the early 90s. While it may not be as stylishly executed, it nevertheless hits all the necessary buttons. It gave me a warm, familiar feeling and I liked it.

Unlike a lot of films (EEG star vehicles spring to mind), the cast's chronic absence of any pretension of acting like they're in a movieis instead sort of refreshing, at least most of the time.

Some of the actors were doing none of it. Barbie Hsu 徐熙媛 couldn't stay in character if you put a gun in her mouth.Yes, that scenario is probably some sort of subliminal wish-fulfillment.Watching her constantly grinning, no matter what emotion she was supposed to be acting, was a little off-putting. Then again, I suppose most women who get that close to Louis Koo suffer similar symptoms.

Natalie Meng Yao (孟瑤 means 'huge breasts') and her assets made their requisite appearance.Here's a twins movie worth watching.She was definitely an integral part of thatwarm, happy feeling. But she was only in the movie for about 5 seconds.Louis Koo is not a very good comic actor. Although he can be funny:But sometimes not being funny can make him funny. His rather obvious fish-out-of-water status amused me, and I think it helped the film overall even as it was a theoretical detriment.

All I can really say about this movie is what I usually say about Wong Jing movies: Your expectations and needs (assuming you're a fan of Wong's work) will be met. You will not be surprised. You might feel nostalgic.These days, I'll take what I can get.

In more ways than just cinematic.