Review by Leonard Norwitz
Studio:
Theatrical: Film Workshop Ltd.
Blu-ray: Fortune Star (HK) / Kam & Ronson
Disc:
Region: A
(as verified by the
Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player)
Runtime: 1:52:11.725
Disc Size: 34,277,769,216 bytes
Feature Size: 16,676,413,440 bytes
Video Bitrate: 28.30 Mbps
Chapters: 20
Case: Standard Blu-ray case w/ slipcover
Release date: December 12th, 2009
Video:
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio:
Dolby TrueHD Audio Chinese 2313 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 2313
kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1-EX / 48 kHz / 640 kbps)
Dolby TrueHD Audio Chinese 2276 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 2276
kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1-EX / 48 kHz / 640 kbps)
Dolby Digital EX Audio Chinese 640 kbps 5.1-EX / 48 kHz /
640 kbps
Dolby Digital EX Audio Chinese 640 kbps 5.1-EX / 48 kHz /
640 kbps
Dolby Digital EX Audio Thai 640 kbps 5.1-EX / 48 kHz / 640
kbps
Subtitles:
English (SDH), English, Chinese, Thai, none
Extras:
• Legend of Huang Fei Hong, Part 2 – in SD (15:31)
The Film:
The opening sequence beautifully encapsulates the threat of
the White Locus Cult, who are violently anti-foreigner and
determined to rid 1895 Canton of their evil influence.
Master Wong Fei Hung (Jet Li), his student Foon, and his
"Aunt 13" (Rosamund Kwan) are introduced on a train ride to
Canton, one of many references to the modern way of life
intruding upon China. Master Wong is on his way to
participate in a medical conference. He and his friends are
immediately drawn into the conflict. Soon, Sun Yat Sen and
his plans for a people's revolution are also drawn into the
story. The script is well-constructed and packed full of
political intrigue. Despite the historical background, the
characters are never reduced to mere stereotypes. Dashes of
romance, comedy, and tragedy flow naturally.
The performances (including Donnie Yen as a chief adversary,
Max Mok Siu Chung, and David Chiang) are heartfelt and of
uniformly good quality. Tsui Hark's direction is original --
nervy and sentimental without a trace of artificiality. The
martial arts and other action direction by Yuen Wo-ping is
stunning to watch, but it's also integrated well into the
story. The set designs (by Eddie Ma) and costumes, not to
mention the cinematography (by Arthur Wong), are beautiful.
The stirring musical score (by Richard Yuen and Johnny Njo)
never intrudes, although the famous "Wong Fei Hung" theme is
probably used once too often. – Peter A. Martin
Excerpt of review from A Better Tomorrow located HERE
The Movie: 9
I agree. It doesn’t happen often, but here’s a sequel that’s
even better than the original. Yuen Wo Ping gets full credit
as the action choreographer, and we can see where this all
going for him. Matrix, Crouching Tiger and Kill Bill are
just a few steps away.
It is also of no small import that the White Lotus Cult
scene has found its way back into the movie – missing for
some reason in the remastered HK Legends DVD.
Image:
5/7
The first number indicates a relative level of excellence
compared to other Blu-ray video discs on a ten-point scale.
The second number places this image along the full range of
DVD and Blu-ray discs.
Comparing Fortune Star's Blu-ray of the original Once Upon a
Time in China movie to the Hong Kong Legends Region 2 DVD
was jaw-dropping. No less so with the sequel, whose
remastering on Blu-ray is equally and astonishingly
different. Whereas in the first instance color and white
balance was restored, the sequel on Blu-ray concentrates on
taking contrast and saturation levels back down to sensible
cinematic proportions. The comparative caps might not be of
precisely the same frame, but the idea is pretty clear. The
tone of the two videos are so unlike, it's like watching two
entirely different movies. Despite its being generally
desaturated, the image is surprisingly dimensional, allowing
Arthur Wong's striking lighting to do its work – which the
DVD's stridency was always getting in the way of. I found
very little in the way of reportable transfer problems with
the Blu-ray and the source seems to have undergone some
cleaning up since its last appearance on video.
The 2021 Criterion
"Once Upon
a Time in China" The Complete Films
Blu-ray package is reviewed
HERE
DVD TOP vs. Blu-ray
BOTTOM
DVD TOP vs. Blu-ray
BOTTOM
Audio & Music:
4/7
What we notice from the outset is how thin, tinny and
brittle the Chinese instruments are, more so than they
should be. The chorus is particularly affected by
compression. There is better use of the surrounds than in
the Blu-ray for the first movie, especially noticeable in
crowd scene and marketplaces, where however, dialogue of the
principal actors seems artificially placed. In other places,
(e.g. chapter 8) we find the bass, music and effects have
proper weight and size.
Operations:
6
Once Upon a Time in China is quick to load, with just a
couple of studio logos to get past. The chapter thumbnails
are easy enough to negotiate, and the couple of extra
features are ready to hand. I found no difficulties with
accessing audio or subtitle choices.
Extras:
2
As promised and expected, the Blu-ray for the sequel picks
up on the two-part documentary "The Legend of Wong Fei Hung
(Huang of Hong)" where we left off, which was as the
real-life Wong enters adulthood and developed his school of
martial arts., and where more is known about him. Also, as
expected, the video quality, though high of bit rate, is
still rather weak, and, like Part 1, it is subtitled in
three languages.
Bottom line:
8
I tend to agree with critical consensus that rates this
first sequel as better than the original, which was
something of a classic in its own right. Once Upon a Time in
China II blends charm, humor, romance and political intrigue
with several stupendous martial arts set pieces. Jet Li is
heroic and utterly human by turns and sometimes both at
once. The Blu-ray image represents an upgrade that leaps off
the screen; its desaturated color palette invites us to take
the film seriously. Sadly, but not surprisingly for martial
arts movies of its time, the audio works against it. All the
same, if you don’t already have this title, I would
recommend it as a seminal piece of cinematic history. If you
are considering an upgrade, you should be very happy with
the Blu-ray.
Leonard Norwitz
January 9th, 2010
The 2021 Criterion
"Once Upon
a Time in China" The Complete Films
Blu-ray package is reviewed
HERE
