"Magic Crystal" takes an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to movie-making: there is action, comedy, spy stuff (the villains are KGB), exotic adventure ala Indiana Jones (it was partly shot in Greece, and there are underground lairs full of traps), and science fiction (a little boy befriends an alien creature - does that remind you of anything?). The mixture of all these different genres isn't 100% smooth, but at times it is exhilarating, particularly during the fight scenes, which are furious and ferocious. Cynthia Rothrock (possible highlight: her Eagle Claw kung fu), Richard Norton (ph: the way he handles his double sharp weapons at the end ), Andy Lau (ph: using an umbrella as a weapon!), and the actress who plays his sister (ph: her astonishing body-bending abilities) are all superb in action, and there are some big laughs as well (a man wakes up to find his hands and feet having exchanged places!). IMO, any martial arts/80's Hong Kong film fan should seek this one out. (***)
16 Reviews
Ice cream or Siberia
unbrokenmetal4 May 2008
Here we go again on an action adventure with breath-taking speed. An alien artifact is discovered in Greece, taken to Hong Kong, and everybody tries to get hands on it, while a little boy discovers the crystal contains an alien talking to him. Sometimes it happily provides super powers, sometimes it doesn't even talk, must be one of those WEIRD aliens, although... after it was locked into that crystal for 2000 years, it needs no excuse. Andy Lau, Cynthia Rothrock and Richard Norton as Russian agent Karloff (as my dubbed version calls him) deliver some spectacular fights. Even if everything is a bit incoherent and can't decide if it wants to be a kid's movie or a violent action flick, it's speedy and enjoyable, apparently even with a reasonable budget for good quality since a lot of footage was shot on location in Greece. My favorite line is Richard Norton telling the little boy: "If you co-operate, you get some ice cream. If not, you go to Siberia." Going back to school after holidays never sounded so good.
Cynthia Rothrock did pretty good.
Masta_Ruthless22 January 2006
Magic Crystal is one of those family/action films that you can enjoy on a boring afternoon, not saying this film is bad or anything.
The story of the magic crystal is rather odd, but once you get into it, you'll start to understand (I hope). The cast in the movie is pretty good being played by a host of Asian movie stars.
Cynthia Rothrock is an interpol agent looking for the magic crystal, and Andy Lau is also some kind of special agent as well.His nephew finds the crystal in his bag, only to befriend it since it can talk to him using telepathy. The crystal has the power to project images and even brainwash you from a certain distance. Richard Norton is a greedy Russian looking to use the crystal for his own little pleasure.
Whom ever choreographed the fight scenes in this movie made Cynthia and Richard look awesome. From Richards' Tiger Fist all the way to Cynthias' Preying Mantis and Eagles'Claw the fighting was great.
Let's not forget Andy Lau, although his fight wasn't as intense as the others, he made due with what he was using, also making up for it in latter films.
In the end the Magic Crystal is a decent film to watch, my only gripes are the cheesy music that played over and over. Meaning it was the intro's theme, the fighting theme, and the ending theme. That was the only damn music playing!!!!!!!!!!!!! And Richards' poorly dubbed Russian accent was terrible. Cynthia made a joke about it in the film stating "Your English is almost as bad as your Chinese".
Anyway give it a peek, I found it to be entertaining.
The story of the magic crystal is rather odd, but once you get into it, you'll start to understand (I hope). The cast in the movie is pretty good being played by a host of Asian movie stars.
Cynthia Rothrock is an interpol agent looking for the magic crystal, and Andy Lau is also some kind of special agent as well.His nephew finds the crystal in his bag, only to befriend it since it can talk to him using telepathy. The crystal has the power to project images and even brainwash you from a certain distance. Richard Norton is a greedy Russian looking to use the crystal for his own little pleasure.
Whom ever choreographed the fight scenes in this movie made Cynthia and Richard look awesome. From Richards' Tiger Fist all the way to Cynthias' Preying Mantis and Eagles'Claw the fighting was great.
Let's not forget Andy Lau, although his fight wasn't as intense as the others, he made due with what he was using, also making up for it in latter films.
In the end the Magic Crystal is a decent film to watch, my only gripes are the cheesy music that played over and over. Meaning it was the intro's theme, the fighting theme, and the ending theme. That was the only damn music playing!!!!!!!!!!!!! And Richards' poorly dubbed Russian accent was terrible. Cynthia made a joke about it in the film stating "Your English is almost as bad as your Chinese".
Anyway give it a peek, I found it to be entertaining.
Action-packed and got a few laughs out of it!
OllieSuave-0074 May 2015
This is a fantasy comedy film from Wong Jing, where cop Andy Lo (Andy Lau) along with friend Pancho (Wong Jing) and nephew Pin-Pin (Bin Bin) travel to Greece to find his long lost friend Shen (Phillip Ko). He is being chased by the KGB and Interpol after discovering a rare, supernatural gem.
There are plenty of martial arts action in the film, courtesy of Andy Lau, Cynthia Rothrock and Edward Norton. The action really doesn't slow down, especially toward the second half of the movie, which made it look overkill at some point. While the movie starts off a little slow, it picks up steam when our lead characters are in Greece and a high-profile chase between the KGB and Shen take place, with Andy and company and the Interpol agents caught in the middle.
Actor Chan Pak-Cheung has a supporting role in the film and delivered some laugh-out-loud comic relief, especially during the scenes where he comes under the spell of the supernatural gem. The "friendship" between the gem and the kid character was pretty heartfelt.
Actress Sharla Cheung also has a supporting role but, along with Chan Pak-Cheung, wasn't utilized enough. I would rather have them serve as the leads over the attention-freak and cocky Andy Lau.
There are some plot holes here and there, but overall, it's a fast-paced movie that is delightfully cheesy and pretty entertaining.
Grade B-
There are plenty of martial arts action in the film, courtesy of Andy Lau, Cynthia Rothrock and Edward Norton. The action really doesn't slow down, especially toward the second half of the movie, which made it look overkill at some point. While the movie starts off a little slow, it picks up steam when our lead characters are in Greece and a high-profile chase between the KGB and Shen take place, with Andy and company and the Interpol agents caught in the middle.
Actor Chan Pak-Cheung has a supporting role in the film and delivered some laugh-out-loud comic relief, especially during the scenes where he comes under the spell of the supernatural gem. The "friendship" between the gem and the kid character was pretty heartfelt.
Actress Sharla Cheung also has a supporting role but, along with Chan Pak-Cheung, wasn't utilized enough. I would rather have them serve as the leads over the attention-freak and cocky Andy Lau.
There are some plot holes here and there, but overall, it's a fast-paced movie that is delightfully cheesy and pretty entertaining.
Grade B-
Fast, cool, inventive fights!
tarbosh2200014 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
When a young boy named Pin Pin (Bin Bin) (yes, you read that correctly. Bin Bin plays Pin Pin. What did you expect?) befriends a green, glowing crystal that can communicate with humans by intercepting their brainwaves, a series of Martial Arts battles - as well as wacky comedy scenarios - ensue. The evil KGB want the crystal, and the nefarious Karov (Norton) is not messing around. Cindy Morgan (Rothrock) is battling him every step of the way. Andy (Lau) is a cop and the older cousin of Pin Pin, and along with Winnie Shen (Cheung) and Pancho (Jing) the three go on a series of misadventures, not the least of which takes them all the way to Greece where the ancient aliens (now seen on the History channel and on DVD) tried to rendezvous with human beings thousands of years ago. But are they done with us? Find out today! The Magic Crystal is a fun and entertaining joyride that throws a little bit of everything at the viewer. It might not always make the most amount of sense, but it seems making sense wasn't even in the top 100 of priorities for director Wong Jing. His mandate appears to have been to entertain audiences at all costs (even if coherency is one of those costs). He succeeded. One minute a little kid is chatting with a glowing chunk of goo, then there's some wacky slapstick with some other characters, then there are some fast and furious Martial Arts fights. It's definitely a cinematic smorgasbord, and who are we to say no? Obviously, what we gravitated towards here were the fights. They have that fast, cool, inventive style Hong Kong was so great at, especially in the 80's/early 90's. You get not one, but two Rothrock/Norton fights, and throw Andy Lau into that mix, and you truly can't lose. The fast pace keeps things lively and the whole outing has a cool ending. What's not to love? The fact that some of the action takes place in Greece gives things a different feel and look from the average "chop-socky" films of the time, and there's a lot of cool 80's style on display, from the music, to the phones, to the cool, pre-CGI effects which actually delight the eye rather than irritate it. There's the time-honored warehouse fight, and a schoolyard bullying subplot that was very ahead of its time. Fan favorite Richard Norton plays the bearded baddie with aplomb. He's a KGB man who inexplicably is also a Martial Arts master. This was the first of many Cynthia Rothrock/Richard Norton on screen pairings, and, as they individually are two of our favorites, we were happy to see their relationship got off on the right foot.
You'll likely have a smile on your face as big as the one on the 3-D poster of Donald Duck that Pin Pin has over his bed when you watch this "Gem" of a movie.
You'll likely have a smile on your face as big as the one on the 3-D poster of Donald Duck that Pin Pin has over his bed when you watch this "Gem" of a movie.
B-movie martial arts vibes
FilmMining1012 February 2024
Reviewed by Filmmining 101:
Wong Jing is not a director known for his subtle approach to filmmaking. Usually his numerous outputs bear pedestrian humor, thinly sketched plots and very "old school" female characterization. However, the action Hong Kong cinema of the 80s and early 90s was not known for catering to people's sensitivities and feelings.
A product of a now bygone era, "The Magic Crystal" seeks to be a weird mixture of "E. T" (1982), Jackie Chan street style fighting and a kinda-spy like globe trotting adventure. Featuring kitsch aesthetics that would not look out of place in a poor "Indiana Jones" clone, "The Magic Crystal" won't win anyone with its clumsy storyline and banal execution. As an example of the action 80s Mecca though, it shines consistently by delivering multiple set pieces throughout its (rather) long running time.
Under gorgeous Greek scenery (where they filmed without permission so the background extras are literally confused citizens and tourists alike), there is something exotic watching Andy Lau kicking ass next to the Parthenon (!). A foot chase going from Acropolis to Zappeion might not make sense geographically from those of us who are from Greece but it is a refreshing environment change from the typical Romanian, Londonian or Parisian sequences from other movies.
Boasting excellent stuntwork and several places that are used for trading blows, henchmen fly left and right with spectacular results: a face off inside a house is unexpectedly superb, a one on one fight in front of Zappeion makes for a very compelling skirmish while Richard Norton has the most screen time as a Western baddie here as opposed to his other Hong Kong entries (e.g., "The Millionaire's Express" (1986), "City Hunter" (1993), "Mr Nice Guy" (1997)) demonstrating his martial art prowess in an era that martial art flicks were not very popular outside of the Asian market.
The cast is great sharing the typical chemistry between goofiness and seriousness tip toeing between almost incomprehensible proceedings and mattering high school level exposition to move the plot. Andy Lau has tones of natural charisma (and two years later will deliver a spectacular performance in Wong Kar-wai's "As Tears Go By" (1988)) and Wong Jing as his buffoonery inducing brother-in-law gets some solid laughs. Norton and Cynthia Rothrock are clearly more martial artists than fully fledged actors and it shows but then again for a film that proudly displays a B-movie affection, their iffy acting does not come across as cringy or unintentionally hilarious.
"The Magic Crystal" does not require any additional analysis as it hardly has anything original or truly groundbreaking neither it is a multi-layered motion picture that you would think long after it end credits roll. Simultaneously, you cannot criticize with a straight face its various faults as the filmmakers are aware of their existence and choose to ignore them for the sake of entertainment. At the end, this is a solid martial art flick that stays true to its action roots due to its plethora of fight segments which will please the hardcore fans and might even allow newcomers to enjoy the pedestrian humour throughout.
Wong Jing is not a director known for his subtle approach to filmmaking. Usually his numerous outputs bear pedestrian humor, thinly sketched plots and very "old school" female characterization. However, the action Hong Kong cinema of the 80s and early 90s was not known for catering to people's sensitivities and feelings.
A product of a now bygone era, "The Magic Crystal" seeks to be a weird mixture of "E. T" (1982), Jackie Chan street style fighting and a kinda-spy like globe trotting adventure. Featuring kitsch aesthetics that would not look out of place in a poor "Indiana Jones" clone, "The Magic Crystal" won't win anyone with its clumsy storyline and banal execution. As an example of the action 80s Mecca though, it shines consistently by delivering multiple set pieces throughout its (rather) long running time.
Under gorgeous Greek scenery (where they filmed without permission so the background extras are literally confused citizens and tourists alike), there is something exotic watching Andy Lau kicking ass next to the Parthenon (!). A foot chase going from Acropolis to Zappeion might not make sense geographically from those of us who are from Greece but it is a refreshing environment change from the typical Romanian, Londonian or Parisian sequences from other movies.
Boasting excellent stuntwork and several places that are used for trading blows, henchmen fly left and right with spectacular results: a face off inside a house is unexpectedly superb, a one on one fight in front of Zappeion makes for a very compelling skirmish while Richard Norton has the most screen time as a Western baddie here as opposed to his other Hong Kong entries (e.g., "The Millionaire's Express" (1986), "City Hunter" (1993), "Mr Nice Guy" (1997)) demonstrating his martial art prowess in an era that martial art flicks were not very popular outside of the Asian market.
The cast is great sharing the typical chemistry between goofiness and seriousness tip toeing between almost incomprehensible proceedings and mattering high school level exposition to move the plot. Andy Lau has tones of natural charisma (and two years later will deliver a spectacular performance in Wong Kar-wai's "As Tears Go By" (1988)) and Wong Jing as his buffoonery inducing brother-in-law gets some solid laughs. Norton and Cynthia Rothrock are clearly more martial artists than fully fledged actors and it shows but then again for a film that proudly displays a B-movie affection, their iffy acting does not come across as cringy or unintentionally hilarious.
"The Magic Crystal" does not require any additional analysis as it hardly has anything original or truly groundbreaking neither it is a multi-layered motion picture that you would think long after it end credits roll. Simultaneously, you cannot criticize with a straight face its various faults as the filmmakers are aware of their existence and choose to ignore them for the sake of entertainment. At the end, this is a solid martial art flick that stays true to its action roots due to its plethora of fight segments which will please the hardcore fans and might even allow newcomers to enjoy the pedestrian humour throughout.
Watchable, but...
paul_haakonsen19 May 2022
I sat down to watch the 1986 movie "Mo Fei Cui" (aka "The Magic Crystal") here in 2022 for the first time. I had never heard about the movie prior to sitting down to watch it.
The movie's synopsis didn't really make a good point of selling the contents of the movie, but I still opted to watch it, since it was a movie that I hadn't already seen. However, I wasn't harboring any particular expectations to writer and director Jing Wong.
The storyline started out quite nicely enough and actually seemed like a fair enough movie, but then suddenly there was a sentient crystal introduced, and the movie took on a more family-friendly demeanor. I wasn't expecting that turn of events, and it would have been nice to know that the movie was a family adventure with elements of action and comedy as well. But truth be told, then there was actually a little bit of everything for everyone in the audience by all the genres mixed in here.
I have to be honest and say that it was Andy Lau that was the main attraction here for me, because I have never been a fan of Cynthia Rothrock. The movie does have a good handful of Hong Kong actors and actresses on the cast list, mostly minorly known performers, but a few familiar faces here and there if you are an avid fan of the Hong Kong cinema. I wasn't really familiar with Richard Norton, but he definitely put on a good performance in "Mo Fei Cui".
Something that bothered me, when I sat down to watch "Mo Fei Cui", was the fact that all dialogue was dubbed into Cantonese, even the English speaking character's dialogue. That just doesn't sit right with me, especially so since dubbing is just a stupid thing.
There is a good amount of action throughout the course of the movie, and that definitely helped carry the movie, especially at the times where the storyline took on a bit too far out there comedy approach or go all family-friendly. And Andy Lau sure did surprise me with his action performance in "Mo Fei Cui".
My rating of "Mo Fei Cui" lands on a five out of ten stars. The movie suffered from having a storyline that went from being a proper action adventure to a family-friendly action adventure.
The movie's synopsis didn't really make a good point of selling the contents of the movie, but I still opted to watch it, since it was a movie that I hadn't already seen. However, I wasn't harboring any particular expectations to writer and director Jing Wong.
The storyline started out quite nicely enough and actually seemed like a fair enough movie, but then suddenly there was a sentient crystal introduced, and the movie took on a more family-friendly demeanor. I wasn't expecting that turn of events, and it would have been nice to know that the movie was a family adventure with elements of action and comedy as well. But truth be told, then there was actually a little bit of everything for everyone in the audience by all the genres mixed in here.
I have to be honest and say that it was Andy Lau that was the main attraction here for me, because I have never been a fan of Cynthia Rothrock. The movie does have a good handful of Hong Kong actors and actresses on the cast list, mostly minorly known performers, but a few familiar faces here and there if you are an avid fan of the Hong Kong cinema. I wasn't really familiar with Richard Norton, but he definitely put on a good performance in "Mo Fei Cui".
Something that bothered me, when I sat down to watch "Mo Fei Cui", was the fact that all dialogue was dubbed into Cantonese, even the English speaking character's dialogue. That just doesn't sit right with me, especially so since dubbing is just a stupid thing.
There is a good amount of action throughout the course of the movie, and that definitely helped carry the movie, especially at the times where the storyline took on a bit too far out there comedy approach or go all family-friendly. And Andy Lau sure did surprise me with his action performance in "Mo Fei Cui".
My rating of "Mo Fei Cui" lands on a five out of ten stars. The movie suffered from having a storyline that went from being a proper action adventure to a family-friendly action adventure.
Hidden gem
Leofwine_draca4 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
THE MAGIC CRYSTAL is something of a hidden gem of Hong Kong cinema. It's a blistering thrill-ride of a film, packed with some top martial artists partaking in some top fight scenes, and it's as fast, funny, and thoroughly exciting as other, better known examples of Hong Kong '80s action cinema like POLICE STORY and DRAGONS FOREVER. And yet it's a virtually unknown film in the West, and I only found it as a B-feature on a German double-bill disc.
The use of a sci-fi sub-plot in which a child character finds an alien lump of jade may be why this one's been overlooked in favour of more straightforward action fare. Writer/director/star Wong Jing was obviously hoping to cash in on some Spielberg magic, with obvious nods to E.T. and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, but truth be told the film doesn't need it. The action sequences alone are far better than anything Spielberg ever did.
While the alien stuff is pretty cheap and cheesy, it's also fun and this film has plenty of comedy to keep you laughing along. One guy, played by Wong Jing himself, ends up being the butt of the most of the jokes and has plenty of pratfalls as a result. The martial arts comes courtesy of a reliable Cynthia Rothrock and a delightful Richard Norton, the latter playing a hulking Russian mastermind of a villain. The hero duties are performed by Andy Lau, who shows himself to be no slouch in the fight scenes either. And what a wealth of action THE MAGIC CRYSTAL has! It barely pauses to draw breath before offering up another superbly choreographed bout between the participants. It's certainly a film I'll be coming back to, to enjoy again and again, in the future.
The use of a sci-fi sub-plot in which a child character finds an alien lump of jade may be why this one's been overlooked in favour of more straightforward action fare. Writer/director/star Wong Jing was obviously hoping to cash in on some Spielberg magic, with obvious nods to E.T. and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, but truth be told the film doesn't need it. The action sequences alone are far better than anything Spielberg ever did.
While the alien stuff is pretty cheap and cheesy, it's also fun and this film has plenty of comedy to keep you laughing along. One guy, played by Wong Jing himself, ends up being the butt of the most of the jokes and has plenty of pratfalls as a result. The martial arts comes courtesy of a reliable Cynthia Rothrock and a delightful Richard Norton, the latter playing a hulking Russian mastermind of a villain. The hero duties are performed by Andy Lau, who shows himself to be no slouch in the fight scenes either. And what a wealth of action THE MAGIC CRYSTAL has! It barely pauses to draw breath before offering up another superbly choreographed bout between the participants. It's certainly a film I'll be coming back to, to enjoy again and again, in the future.
Were they high praise reviewers blind or kiddies?
dannyrest12 September 2021
What a stupid movie. Horrible acting, horrible script, no plot, jumps all over the place and the slow-mo for some of the fights only made them look even cheesier. I've seen better fights between crack-hoes when one accuses the other of stealing her rock she was about to smoke.
There's good and good-bad movies, this one seems like the free movies you'd get for bringing in a dead horse to a glue factory.
There's good and good-bad movies, this one seems like the free movies you'd get for bringing in a dead horse to a glue factory.
Man, what a trip
Gravendal3 January 2023
Gotta say, this is one of the best Kung fu movies I've seen. I at first looked into it and like, ok comedy in it..going to be lame! But man was I wrong and did have a look at it!
Spoiler free summary, Hong Kong special cop goes to Greece with his family, comes back with the kgb after him. Why? Well, watch the movie and find out! It's mixed with some sci fi stuff and the story itself ain't that bad, to be a kung fu movie that is! It's a solid story with interesting characters and very good kung fu fights and stunts. Really well made done.
Richard Norton is awesome as the bad guy, Cynthia Rothrock are cool as well, and with Andy Lau they do great scenes together.
Some scenes made me burst out in laugher, that I didn't expect.
This movie has a great charm to it, it has that childish Innocent take on it like a Spielberg movie, but a lot of kung fu and Action.
It's a good flick, I am surprised! 9/10.
Spoiler free summary, Hong Kong special cop goes to Greece with his family, comes back with the kgb after him. Why? Well, watch the movie and find out! It's mixed with some sci fi stuff and the story itself ain't that bad, to be a kung fu movie that is! It's a solid story with interesting characters and very good kung fu fights and stunts. Really well made done.
Richard Norton is awesome as the bad guy, Cynthia Rothrock are cool as well, and with Andy Lau they do great scenes together.
Some scenes made me burst out in laugher, that I didn't expect.
This movie has a great charm to it, it has that childish Innocent take on it like a Spielberg movie, but a lot of kung fu and Action.
It's a good flick, I am surprised! 9/10.
Silly, entertaining action-comedy - with phenomenal fight scenes
I_Ailurophile24 April 2022
'Magic crystal' is very distinctly and emphatically over the top, direct, and ham-handed in many regards. It's all in service to silly fun, yes, with a focus on martial arts action. All the same, in the narrative, scene writing, and characters - and I assume as well in the dialogue for which sometimes questionable translated subtitles are provided - there's a certain brusqueness, a childish playfulness, and a disregard for any air of realism that all make the movie a bit of a wild ride from the very beginning. And then there's Joseph Yip's original score, mostly fairly repetitive: where it does vary, some parts are better, more dynamic, and more successful than others in imparting a minor sense of action-thriller urgency, but at almost all times it sounds quite like the music was composed as MIDI compositions on a low-grade keyboard and never developed further. And the props and post-production work that realize the titular MacGuffin and its associated effects - an astoundingly powerful artifact, pure movie magic fantasy - are... Well, they serve their purpose.
On that note, however, it's very easy to call to mind Hollywood films with a very similar slant. While some of the humor and action here is on the marginally adult side, if 'Magic crystal' were remade for American audiences, it would very likely be marketed as an action-comedy kids' movie, like '3 ninjas' (1992) or 'The pacifier' (2005). For all the ridiculousness on hand, the intent behind the movie is clear, and with that one can readily overlook many of the indelicacies in the feature's construction. After all - preposterous and geared for outlandish amusement as it all may be (and, in many ways, low budget in appearance) there's care in the orchestration of each scene that's admirable. Even if the tale is in part an amalgamation of Cold War spying, 'Godzilla'-like dalliances with otherworldly powers, and 'Goonies' -style exploits, the cast and crew worked hard with what they had to produce what really feels like a surprisingly strong realization of a very frivolous and irreverent idea.
More than anything else, that absolutely goes for the movie's true core, the fight scenes. The action is wonderfully entertaining, fast and intense in all the many instances where any opportunity arises to insert martial arts. Every major cast member participates, to my delight, even some characters we wouldn't expect. We see demonstrations of some specific techniques, and superb use of a variety of weapons, which I feel are relatively rare for martial arts flicks of this tenor. With Andy Lau and Cynthia Rothrock being most prominent as the chief "goodies," and Richard Norton as the antagonist, they and all their co-stars give outstanding illustrations of their skills and disciplines that are exhilarating both all on their own, and of course with their incorporation into larger bombastic melees. There are many great martial arts flicks in the world, and I dare not try to make a comparison, but all I can say is that I was caught off guard by just how robust and invigorating the choreography is here. Kwok Keung Chan, Yu-Shu Wu, Ivy Yew, and all others behind arranging the fights, and performing stunts, are to be congratulated for such a tremendous contribution.
It's hard to give the slightest care to acting when the feature is driven by such action and care-free fun, and to be frank, what characteristics initially grabbed my eye as I began watching can barely be counted as flaws in consideration of what 'Magic Crystal' ultimately is - only aspects that may turn off some potential viewers. There's one concrete criticism I do have to make, though, for especially in endeavoring to accentuate the more juvenile touches of comedy in the picture, at a few points the screenplay meanders. We meet characters with no meaningful place in the plot; we get scenes without significant connection that provide some levity, but more than anything else only distract from the center. This is a noteworthy shortcoming that's unfortunate, because otherwise - for all the ludicrousness of every kind, I really rather think that Wong Jing's screenplay, like his direction, is far more deserving than I would have anticipated as the feature began.
Just in case I haven't made it clear enough, this is a title with the sensibilities of an 80s-90s Hollywood kids' action-comedy, rounded out with elements and story beats that require able suspension of disbelief. Terrific and gripping as the fight choreography is, even those who step in being familiar with someone in the cast, and ready for a less than serious romp, are apt to be taken aback by how cheekily, purposefully weird everything first appears. Yet the disparate, somewhat bewildering parts all manage to crystallize (sorry) into an unlikely enjoyable slice of nonsense that nonetheless fulfills the need for earnest action. There's a lot going on here, and somehow it all works. You don't need to go out of your way to see this, but if you want a martial arts movie and are open to all the possibilities in the world of cinema, then 'Magic crystal' is a unique, satisfying way to spend 95 minutes.
On that note, however, it's very easy to call to mind Hollywood films with a very similar slant. While some of the humor and action here is on the marginally adult side, if 'Magic crystal' were remade for American audiences, it would very likely be marketed as an action-comedy kids' movie, like '3 ninjas' (1992) or 'The pacifier' (2005). For all the ridiculousness on hand, the intent behind the movie is clear, and with that one can readily overlook many of the indelicacies in the feature's construction. After all - preposterous and geared for outlandish amusement as it all may be (and, in many ways, low budget in appearance) there's care in the orchestration of each scene that's admirable. Even if the tale is in part an amalgamation of Cold War spying, 'Godzilla'-like dalliances with otherworldly powers, and 'Goonies' -style exploits, the cast and crew worked hard with what they had to produce what really feels like a surprisingly strong realization of a very frivolous and irreverent idea.
More than anything else, that absolutely goes for the movie's true core, the fight scenes. The action is wonderfully entertaining, fast and intense in all the many instances where any opportunity arises to insert martial arts. Every major cast member participates, to my delight, even some characters we wouldn't expect. We see demonstrations of some specific techniques, and superb use of a variety of weapons, which I feel are relatively rare for martial arts flicks of this tenor. With Andy Lau and Cynthia Rothrock being most prominent as the chief "goodies," and Richard Norton as the antagonist, they and all their co-stars give outstanding illustrations of their skills and disciplines that are exhilarating both all on their own, and of course with their incorporation into larger bombastic melees. There are many great martial arts flicks in the world, and I dare not try to make a comparison, but all I can say is that I was caught off guard by just how robust and invigorating the choreography is here. Kwok Keung Chan, Yu-Shu Wu, Ivy Yew, and all others behind arranging the fights, and performing stunts, are to be congratulated for such a tremendous contribution.
It's hard to give the slightest care to acting when the feature is driven by such action and care-free fun, and to be frank, what characteristics initially grabbed my eye as I began watching can barely be counted as flaws in consideration of what 'Magic Crystal' ultimately is - only aspects that may turn off some potential viewers. There's one concrete criticism I do have to make, though, for especially in endeavoring to accentuate the more juvenile touches of comedy in the picture, at a few points the screenplay meanders. We meet characters with no meaningful place in the plot; we get scenes without significant connection that provide some levity, but more than anything else only distract from the center. This is a noteworthy shortcoming that's unfortunate, because otherwise - for all the ludicrousness of every kind, I really rather think that Wong Jing's screenplay, like his direction, is far more deserving than I would have anticipated as the feature began.
Just in case I haven't made it clear enough, this is a title with the sensibilities of an 80s-90s Hollywood kids' action-comedy, rounded out with elements and story beats that require able suspension of disbelief. Terrific and gripping as the fight choreography is, even those who step in being familiar with someone in the cast, and ready for a less than serious romp, are apt to be taken aback by how cheekily, purposefully weird everything first appears. Yet the disparate, somewhat bewildering parts all manage to crystallize (sorry) into an unlikely enjoyable slice of nonsense that nonetheless fulfills the need for earnest action. There's a lot going on here, and somehow it all works. You don't need to go out of your way to see this, but if you want a martial arts movie and are open to all the possibilities in the world of cinema, then 'Magic crystal' is a unique, satisfying way to spend 95 minutes.
Seriously underrated madness
DanTheMan2150AD15 November 2023
One part ET, another part Indiana Jones but a Wong Jing movie in every other sense, Magic Crystal has everything and the kitchen sink cheesed up to the max, but dosed on adrenalin too. Wong Jing's signature chaotic direction, balls-to-the-wall pace, brutal stunt work, cheesy yet ridiculously charming effects and humour that ranges from childish to outright offensive but it's presented in such a way that it remains hilarious. Topped off by an incredible cast that includes the likes of Andy Lau, Cynthia Rothrock and an awesomely villainous Richard Norton all of whom commit 100% to the film's stupidity. It's over the top and knows it, delivering endless, ferocious and well-choreographed action all set to a rocking synth score that has become a staple of most 80s Hong Kong movies. Daft, dumb and oh-so-fun, Magic Crystal is one you owe yourself to watch if you are in any way a fan of shlocky excellence. Then again I also gave 5 stars to Future Cops... so you decide.
Absurdly eclectic, explosively high octane Hong Kong celluloid lunacy!
Weirdling_Wolf13 February 2021
Absurdly eclectic HK, high octane celluloid lunacy rarely comes more explosive or day glow demented than whacky Wong Jing's godlike, globe-trotting, insanely Indiana Jonesing, fleet-footed 'Magic Crystal'. While the inventive director of loony cult classic 'City Hunter' is greatly beloved for his frantic filmmaking idiosyncrasies he certainly outdoes himself with this kaleidoscopic free-for-all, genre-bending fright-fest, while relatively light on puppets is riotously replete with multitudinously 'zany' absurdist antics, surrealistic slapstick humour and uniquely unhinged, body-rocking, blitzkrieg barmy, solar plexus-bashing action!
'Hire the Hunting Eagles!!!!!' the authorities cried out in desperate need, and their request is promptly answered in the limber form of handsome head-knocker Andy Lau. Having to thwart a heinous miscarriage of justice he promptly perpetrates an exhilaratingly gonzo fight, thereby sinuously displaying the manly, sleek-limbed, fine-fettled Hunting Eagle in full flight. This mercurial martial arts movie continues no less chaotically in the sun-drenched, cheese-soaked antiquarian delights of Athens, Greece, where supercharged action mistress Cynthia Rothrock and FHKBG (Frequent Hong Kong Bad Guy) Richard Norton boisterously butt bellicose heads, knees and toes over the missing, presumed stolen jade nose goblin that currently has the KGB, Interpol and Hong Kong's finest hunting eagles so enthusiastically embroiled in the international race to reclaim this esoteric, ambulatory artefact of unknown origin.
Our crime-crushing crew head back to HK to furiously fight and slapstick their wistful way to a singularly disorientating conclusion, which includes returning once again to Greece in order to pursue their relentlessly mad, roller-coaster dizzying quest for this 'Magic Crystal'. Wong Jing's wildly vascillatory oeuvre is a ceaselessly confounding delight for boggling eyes to behold, and the film's withering pace continues unalloyed until the terrifically tumultuous subterranean climax, delivering a deliriously psychedelic patina of plentifully strange situations for our intrepid tomb raiders to assiduously circumnavigate!
In a giddy, mind-melding, rulebook trashing Von Daniken/Spielbergian finale for the ages, an alien life form robotically claims to be the SOLE inspiration for the goddess Athena while jaw-shattering shot-callers Rothrock, Lau and supreme B-Movie baddie Norton unleash myriad Street Fighter bossage until only the most righteous of heart amongst them may rightfully return the 'self-generated thought form' into the matrix! In a perfect world all genre cinema would be thusly made, wholly unencumbered by logic, free from stultifying filmmaking dogma, unrepentantly hyperbolic, since only the finest B-movies exist in such a rarefied vacuum, infinities beyond conventional rationalization, Mr. Wong Jing, I salute your iconoclastic vision of futurist cinema!
'Pin-Pin! Put me in the Matrix????' I would love to think that future blockbuster filmmakers, who shall remain nameless, took that adorable far flung rock's earnest request just a little too seriously!'
'Pin-Pin! Put me in the Matrix????' I would love to think that future blockbuster filmmakers, who shall remain nameless, took that adorable far flung rock's earnest request just a little too seriously!'
Beautifully bonkers
Tug-36 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
What a blast this movie is! It's Pod People meets Swordsman with an Umbrella meets Meatballs 2 meets Undefeatable meets Indiana Jones.
Fight sequences are served in generous portions, with exceptional stunts from all the performers, particularly the reliably exhilarating Cynthia Rothrock. I wish I'd seen this with an audience, because some of her work here would be sure to get applause. Her sequence with Wong Mei-mei is the highlight of the film.
Wong Jing plays the stock (and stocky) comic relief, earning a few chuckles with his antics. The movie includes some other jolly sequences that are genuinely funny.
The last fifteen minutes borrow liberally from Raiders of the Lost Ark, but we can call it even since Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has the same outcome of returning an artifact to a stranded alien in suspended animation.
Fight sequences are served in generous portions, with exceptional stunts from all the performers, particularly the reliably exhilarating Cynthia Rothrock. I wish I'd seen this with an audience, because some of her work here would be sure to get applause. Her sequence with Wong Mei-mei is the highlight of the film.
Wong Jing plays the stock (and stocky) comic relief, earning a few chuckles with his antics. The movie includes some other jolly sequences that are genuinely funny.
The last fifteen minutes borrow liberally from Raiders of the Lost Ark, but we can call it even since Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has the same outcome of returning an artifact to a stranded alien in suspended animation.
Magic Crystal
coltras3521 December 2022
Archaeologist Shum finds an antique jade with supernatural power in Greece. The stone is wanted both by KGB's agent Karoff and the Interpol. Shum asks his friend Nike (Andy Lau) for help. However, Shum is finally caught by KGB but the jade is slipped into the hands of a boy called Pan ( the nephew of Nike).
Magic Crystal successfully merges martial arts heavy action-adventure, comedy and a kid fantasy subplot about a talking magic rock together. On paper, it sounds silly, but it's quite enjoyable, inventive and has some heart. There is a high dose of fighting, whether its hand-to-hand, or with swords, spears and umbrellas for a change. Andy Lau can be seen here in one of his few action-heavy roles and cuts a fine figure. But our Western export duo Cynthia Rothrock and Richard Norton put up a great fight against each other in the final.
Magic Crystal is an absolutely entertaining genre mix, which above all offers really great fight action and should more than satisfy fans in this respect.
Magic Crystal successfully merges martial arts heavy action-adventure, comedy and a kid fantasy subplot about a talking magic rock together. On paper, it sounds silly, but it's quite enjoyable, inventive and has some heart. There is a high dose of fighting, whether its hand-to-hand, or with swords, spears and umbrellas for a change. Andy Lau can be seen here in one of his few action-heavy roles and cuts a fine figure. But our Western export duo Cynthia Rothrock and Richard Norton put up a great fight against each other in the final.
Magic Crystal is an absolutely entertaining genre mix, which above all offers really great fight action and should more than satisfy fans in this respect.
Entertaining
dworldeater2 May 2024
Magic Crystal is a Wong Jing production, which means is going to be goofy. While the movie is relatively clumsy, goofy and makes shameless nods to movies like ET and Indiana Jones, it has a tremendous cast with Andy Lau, Max Monk, Cynthia Rothrock and Richard Norton as Russian bad guy. Producer/director Wong Jing hams it up for some unwanted comic relief. As a film, Magic Crystal is just below average but made up for it with the amazing Hong Kong fight and stunt choreography that is second to none. There also is a lot of it..Magic Crystal.would be a cheesy movie in any decade, but we are talking the 80's here and that's next level cheese. Also, the film was shot in multiple locations across Europe and Hong Kong, which is nice. But, did I mention the action scenes in this movie ? That alone is more than worth the price of admission.
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