(2003/SOUTH KOREA)
REVIEW BY-STEVE GENIER DIRECTOR-HEUNG-SUN JEONG CAST-EUN-KYUNG SHIN, JUN GYU PARK, SE-JIN JANG, WON-JONG LEE, MI-LYEONG JO and ZIYI ZHANG. SOURCE-CINEXUS DVD (NTSC REGION 3/ 180MINS/W/EXTRAS/2004)
Hot on the coat tales of the hugely successful MY WIFE IS A GANGSTER, the sequel picks up pretty much where the first one left off. Super intense action, balls out fighting and slapstick comedy. Though not as in your face as the first installment. Part two has us follow the leader of the Scissor gang is in deep in the middle of a turf war battling when suffers a massive blow to the head causing her to pass out. Once waking at the hands of a stranger, she has lost all her memories. She is taken in by the stranger who owns a restaurant. There she picks up the pieces by helping the stranger by cooking, cleaning and eventually delivering orders.
Still, there is a wanting to figure out who she was. Then one day at the bank, well being held up by a couple of thieves, she gains a glimmer of her past. As the thieves begin to kick and beat a pregnant woman, she has flash backs causing her to go into action. Taking down the two thieves, she take off avoiding anymore attentions. Still, the police track her down to praise her from her heroism gathering widespread attention. Attention unwanted as the leader of the rival gang that she and her gang took down in the first film hunts her down. When the time comes for the showdown, her memory kicks back into place and the jaws start breaking.
MY WIFE IS A GANGSTER was pure fun to watch in every way. For it’s pure gritty actions, it’s stunts, to it’s wit and comedy. All incased in a wonderful story that actually brought warm feeling to the heart. It was much more then your run of the mill action comedy hybrid, this baby had substance. So, it was a nature no brainer to watch the sequel and hope to find the same elements the first one was able to bring to the table. Let me say, there was certainly no letdowns brought here. Though, not as strong as the first installment, MY WIFE IS A GANGSTER 2 brought a whole new ball game to the park. New characters mingling with the carry over crew mixed in nicely. Though, you kind of wonder what ever came of her marriage from the first film. Still, this left no negativities on the sequel as they managed to incorporate and very intelligent pick up.
The choreography displayed especially from the onslaught fight at the being of the film and throughout the rest was simply stunning. An aspect that the first film also carried with great pride. These amazing fight sequences are flowered with precision camera work as well. Every detail, every color and shade fitted like a glove with each scene at hand. You can simply feel the adrenaline pulsating when the action picks up. Even during the down periods in the film, you are subjected to comedy or light hearted affairs that keeps your interests throughout the film. There is simply never a dull moment to be had.
For those who have not seen this film, you might want to stop here as I’m about to discuss a spoiler. The ending to this film, like the first one isn’t really an ending but the starting point for yet another film. Though there isn’t really any congenial aspects between the first film’s ending and the sequel’s beginning. This sequel’s ending however with all the rumors running ramped about the upcoming 3rd installment. That being the surprise cameo from Hong Kong starlet Ziyi Zhang showing up in a fury during part 2's ending, which seams to being leading into major for the upcoming 3rd part. As far as it looks however, Ziyi Zhang is being replaced by yet another Hong Kong hottie, Qi Shu (THE TRANSPORTER, THE EYE 2). Of course the validity of that remains to be seen.
The Korean release from Cinexus like many of their official releases, is packed to the brim with extras etc. The feature itself is in top shape offering a super clean, super clear widescreen presentation that kills many mainstream North American releases. Backing that is an audio housing a Korean 5.1 Dolby Digital track with removable English subtitles. The extras are all in Korean but are still fun to watch, there’s everything from the making of the film, a music video, photo gallery, storyboards, interviews as well as an Easter egg in which I’m still trying to find. All in all, if you are one that couldn’t care less about extras and are region free, then this is certainly the disc to grab. In fact, probably you best bet barring the cheaper Hong Kong disc.
STORY/FILM-3.5/5 BITCH SLAPS PICTURE-5/5 BITCH SLAPS AUDIO-4.5/5 BITCH SLAPS EXTRAS-3/5 BITCH SLAPS OVERALL DVD-4/5 BITCH SLAPS -or-
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