Wai Siu-Bo returns in this sequel to Royal Tramp, which was shot sequentially with the first film. Like the first, Wai Siu-Bo (Stephen Chow) spends a great deal of the film lucking out of bad situations and generally making a mockery of those around him. Unlike the first film, Royal Tramp 2 actually puts together a decent wuxia storyline, and provides the fight sequences to match. There's comedy, too.

The film opens with Lung Yi (Cheung Man) getting a makeover which turns her into the charismatic Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia. Beaten by Wai Siu-Bo in the first film, she vows revenge and tries to get it by partnering with the Ping Shi, led by prince Wu Sun-Gwei (Ken Tong) and evil kung-fu bastard Feng Shi-Fan (Yang Yee-Kwan). The group plans to overthrow the reign of the kindly Emperor (Deric Wan), and by extension his obnoxious sidekick Wai Siu-Bo.

However, all is not well in wuxia world as the virgin Lung Yi gets the shaft from her would-be co-conspirators. In grand Wong Jing wuxia fashion, she's given an aphrodisiac which will kill her unless she makes love to a man right away. Doing so will also transfer a good eight-tenths of her kung-fu to her first fella, and guess who's on the receiving end? Yep, it's Wai Siu-Bo, who lucks into massive kung-fu skills which make him the terror of the martial arts world. It's a good thing he's still a pretty nice guy, as he uses his newfound powers to quell the growing rebellion by the Ping Shi troublemakers.

Royal Tramp 2 boasts a better storyline than the first film, and manages to mix a standard wuxia plot with the expected Wong Jing/Stephen Chow silliness. Wuxia purists will still be annoyed at the excessive comedy and unfaithful storyline, but Royal Tramp 2 can be good fun for everybody else. Chow is winning as usual, and a bevy of babes (including Chingmy Yau, Fennie Yuen and new addition Michelle Reis) will please the males in the audience. Also, the inaccessible wordplay and in-jokes are less obtrusive this time, and the plotline makes more room for Ching Siu-Tung's imaginative fight choreography. Hilarious movie parodies (an East is Red gag is the standout) and Brigitte Lin's welcome presence add to the fun. The wacky shtick can still be tiresome, but on the whole this sequel is a definite improvement over its predecessor. (Kozo 1995/2002)

image courtesy of Mega Star Video Distribution (HK), Ltd.