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Encounter of the Spooky Kind II


Reviewed by: MrBooth
Date: 06/22/2012

ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND is one of my favourite Hong Kong films, an invigorating breath of creativity and imagination enlivened by some great action scenes and a well crafted script. It spawned a veritable genre's worth of imitators, many of which were also great films. Ten years on, it evidently occured to somebody that despite all the imitators there had never actually been a sequel, and that there probably should be. That somebody may have been director Ricky Lau, who was clearly a big enough fan of the original film to have made one of the few imitators that arguably surpasses it (MR VAMPIRE).

SPOOKY ENCOUNTERS is only a sequel to the original in name really, though it shares many similarities with its predecessor and with its many followers. There is little in the film that is new, with most of the plot points and scenarios being familiar from the original ENCOUNTERS, THE DEAD AND THE DEADLY, MR VAMPIRE, A CHINESE GHOST STORY or one or more other films in the genre, such that a plot summary hardly feels necessary. It's all put together with skill though, such that it never actually feels derivative.

The quality of the film is up there with the best in the genre, with great performances from Sammo Hung, Lam Ching-Ying and Mang Hoi being the primary reasons it works well. Lam Ching-Ying's presence as the archetypal Taoist master seems almost obligatory, since he played the character so many times he was strongly identified with it - though it was Chung Faat who played the equivalent role in the original.

The film features all the creative Taoist Black Magic rituals that you would expect, and which I never get tired of seeing. There is a moderate amount of action and the quality is high here too, with Sammo Hung clearly being in peak shape at the time.

ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND 2 doesn't add enough of its own touches to make it as noteworthy as the first film, but it is well-made enough to make it well worth seeking out for fans of the genre.

Reviewer Score: 8

Reviewed by: Inner Strength
Date: 03/27/2002
Summary: Average

Unfortunately like all things, they must come to an end. As what Sammo should have said BEFORE making this sequel. Encounter of the Spooky Kind II is a desperate attempt for Sammo to try to win back some of his fans after rather disappointing films he had been releasing in the previous few years before this.

Although at first look this looks much better than the original, it soon becomes uninteresting after the first 20 minutes, and then it’s slow paced average action and comedy until the end. I’m not saying it’s not worth seeing though, because it is, but don’t expect too much.

Rating: [2.5/5]


Reviewed by: munchiehk
Date: 12/10/2001
Summary: All good suckin' fun!

Well, I must admit that I loved the first movie. I think of it as a classic of the genre, and was dubious about a sequel (as I always am). My cynicism was ill founded, however, as in most respects it surpasses the first one.
Overall it's a little lighter in tone, but hilarious in parts, and the action scenes are first rate. Sammo is at his best here, and the sorely missed Lam Ching Ying is his normal fantastic self.
If you are after an evening of action, chills and hilarity, you can't go wrong. Sure the genre is pretty worn out, but what isn't? This is still a gem. Especially if you like cockroaches!


Reviewed by: leh
Date: 12/09/1999

Much better than the first movie (which looks very dated) this one has it all: hopping vampires, magic, martial arts, comedy, and... uh... gas filled kung fu mummies?!!


Reviewed by: hkcinema
Date: 12/08/1999

Samo Hung has to fight zombies, snake people and kung fu mummiesin this fun horror comedy.

[Reviewed by Rim Films Catalog]


Reviewed by: hkcinema
Date: 12/08/1999

Some apprentices of Lam Ching-Ying find themselves up against a shamanic fa-shi (priest) and his minions. A rehashing of the early 1980s' supernatural kung-fu/comedy films. Has marginally improved production values, but is lacking badly in most other respects. Another brutally flogged dead horse.

[Reviewed by Iain Sinclair]