Movie Review: Just Another Pandora’s Box/越光宝盒

J ust Another Pandora’s Box/越光宝盒 is a 2010 film from Jeff Lau, who made such classics as A Chinese Odyssey 1 & 2 and a personal favorite, Haunted Cop Shop.

Then again, he also made the inexcusable A Chinese Tall Story and the execrable Kung Fu Cyborg.

The first post-producer/director title card of this movie lists Chow Yun Fat, Maggie Cheung, Jackie Chan, Stephen Chow, Jet Li and Zhang Ziyi, as well as Angelina Jolie.

The following title card says ‘All refused to be in this movie.’

This movie had me at hello.

I wish they had released this film at Chinese New Year, like it was supposed to be, because like all good CNY films, it is utterly devoid of sense, story, or organization.

But it’s f@#$ing hilarious.

In a good-good way, not a bad-good way.

Just Another Pandora’s Box/越光宝盒 parodies Red Cliff, Titanic, King Kong, Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Hustle,

and a passel of other films, Jeff Lau’s included.

This film deserves my hearty endorsement if for no other reason than seeing Ada Choi on the big screen as she makes a joke at Zhang Ziyi’s expense and calls someone else a “tranny witch.”

I was howling with laughter, as I had been a bunch of times during the film.

That one was just one of my favorites.

Just Another Pandora’s Box/越光宝盒 is full of that kind of stuff.

Like a sign-language PSA about the dangers of messing around in certain kinds of excavation.

Or being name-checked in a scene that flirts so outrageously with offensive humor but never comes across, as it were.

I grant you, about all that Just Another Pandora’s Box has going for it is the humor, but the jokes are well-executed, they’re constant, and it’s refreshing to watch established stars demean themselves in the name of humor.

It amused me to watch Ronald Cheng not just throwing a baby around but drop-kicking it.

Then he cocks the baby like a shotgun and uses its bodily function as a weapon.

Just think; as recently as 2010, pissing Chinese babies were funny and not a reason for outrage.

Speaking of being outraged, Ronald Cheng in a blond wig with a bare midriff is one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen.

There’s a ton of cameos in this movie, some longer than others, but all of them are funny one way or another.

Watch for Wu Jing’s cameo and his ruminations on the degree of difficulty involved in different disguises.

The scene involving Gigi Leung and Stephy Tang is inexcusably moronic.

But very funny.

Alex Fong’s cameo as Guan Yu, the red-faced general, is hilarious since it gives us the reason why his face is always red.

There are far too many cameos to list, but they are worth seeing.

One of the things I really enjoyed in this movie, even though it’s a profoundly cheap comic ploy, is the appearance of several anachronistic things, like a metal stool.

It’s stupid, but it’s funny.

One thing I didn’t think was funny was the way Betty Sun threw a wrench into the movie.

I even enjoyed the romantic subplot between Ronald Cheng and Betty Sun, but it derailed the movie every time it became the focus of a scene.

Because Betty Sun was convincing and managed to do a lot of very good emoting through her facial expressions.

The movie would be bouncing farcically along, and all of a sudden Betty Sun made the movie seem serious, and it was almost distracting.

But she does such a good job I’m really not mad at her.

I am also certain she knows absolutely nothing about American culture:

I expected to hate Just Another Pandora’s Box/越光宝盒, but I’m glad I didn’t. I’m very happy that I enjoyed it as much as I did.

I strongly encourage you to go watch this movie, especially if you speak Cantonese, which I really don’t.

Even if you miss all the language jokes, you will have plenty to laugh about and enjoy.