Wai-Man is regarded as “cute” by Yui because of his shy, protesting ways which allow her to play the aggressor. Wai-Man’s weakness ends up being his strength; once the video is released, he becomes a hit with female audiences thanks to his demure persona. Now he’s superstar AV actor Mario Ozawa (a play on the name of AV star Maria Ozawa) and gains fame, money and plenty of sex – in front of a camera, naturally. Laughs ensue, but only sometimes. After serving up its satirical premise, 3D Naked Ambition spins its wheels without a consistent direction. The most logical plot development is Wai-Man’s falling-out with his girlfriend, successful writer Cecilia (newcomer Candy Yuen), but besides that, his adventures are largely disconnected and nonsensical. Wai-Man supposedly forms bonds with his AV co-stars, but the main evidence of that is the occasional flashback or unconvincing montage. Likewise, Wai-Man’s relationship with Shodaiko is poorly developed, and Josie Ho’s performance is unremarkable. 3D Naked Ambition has some fabulously dirty ideas, but its storytelling and development don’t capitalize on the creativity.

3D Naked Ambition tries to show heart, but is unconvincing at doing so. Besides the misguided attempts at creating relationships for Wai-Man, the character itself is inadequately developed. The star is an even bigger problem. Wai-Man should be an unassuming and submissive straight man to his domineering co-stars, and while the character is described as such, he’s played by Chapman To in his familiar mouthy style. To’s raised voices and smarmy demeanor aren’t consistent with a character that should be shy and reserved. To is still funny because he’s Chapman To, smartass extraordinaire, but he never makes Wai-Man into a sympathetic character. To’s misguided performance is actually a microcosm of what’s wrong with the whole film. It’s so pre-occupied with its self-assumed “Haha, we are so funny!” enthusiasm, it becomes overbearing. Director Lee Kung-Lok lets the actors run amok, and some attempts at tapping into local Hong Kong pride come off as tagged on lip service. More measured storytelling, discernible character arcs, relatable themes – any of the above would have helped 3D Naked Ambition greatly.

3D Naked Ambition does have its merits. The porn parodies feature excellent visual gags, and encapsulate Japanese geek culture humorously. The filmmakers parody anime, sci-fi and horror film tropes wickedly, though their use is perhaps a bit too revealing of Hong Kong’s shallow view of Japan. More fun is had with the cameo by male AV legend Taka “Hand of God” Kato, whose training montage with Wai-Man is the film’s most hilarious sequence. Also joining in on the fun is producer Louis Koo, who shows up as an AV competitor to Wai-Man. Koo hams it up relentlessly in a manic performance that’s uproarious but also a little tiresome. Charlene Choi has a brief, image-busting turn as a Chinese AV star and Sandra Ng appears for the showstopper: a crass cameo as Ah Kam, the Golden Chicken herself. It’s a smart reference, but funnier in concept than when it’s actually onscreen. Her cameo sums up 3D Naked Ambition in a nutshell: great idea, disappointing execution, so-so movie. A Category III rating alone does not a good film make. (Kozo, 4/2014)

• This review is based on the 2D version of the film.