Ngoh meng giu King Kong, a bit like James Bond, Joi gaai paaktong, ngohdeih haih, joi gaai paaktong, ... This is the fifth entry in the 'Aces Go Places' series('Aces Go Places '97' may be related only in name, I assume). It seems to be an underrated installment in the saga as well , yet it has enough quality to hold itself together. 'Aces Go Places V'(a.k.a. 'Xin zuijia paidang') starts off with King Kong and Albert "Baldy" Au(Sam Hui and Karl Maka) kidnapping a Thai woman for a client. When their moral judgment gets in the way of profiteering, King Kong and Baldy go their separate ways. King Kong and Baldy are later re-united when a brother and sister duo of thieves(Leslie Cheung and Nina Li) posing as the Aces duo, steal a sword connected to some stolen Terracotta statues. In an interview with Peter Hunt filmed for a James Bond documentary, he claims, and I quote,"Every director puts his(or her) stamp on a film." This statement would apply to Shaw Brothers kung fu guru director Lau Kar-leung as well as the previous directors of the Aces films who've added their contributions: Eric Tsang(Aces I & II), Tsui Hark(Aces III), and Ringo Lam(Aces IV). Lau and his stunt crew bring a wide array of wu-shu and kung fu into this film. The fights are solid and fun to watch even though they're performed mostly by non-martial artists such as Sam Hui, Karl Maka, Nina Li, and the late Leslie Cheung. The absence of Sylvia Chang leaves an incomplete feeling to this entry(Chai Po[Chang] and Baldy Jr. are supposedly in Canada, as this film mentions). Still, there's a large supporting cast that attempts to stand in for Sylvia. Conan Lee is Chinese Rambo, a mainland soldier who forces the new and old Aces duos to help the Red Chinese recover the Terracotta statues, from a gwailo with white cat mittens(?, Ernst Blofeld he's not) and his lackeys. Lovely Ellen Chan portrays King Kong's secretary who suffers under his employment from damage caused by mainland bureaucrats and international criminals. Cho Tat-wah reprises his role as Wah So from the previous Aces films. Leslie Cheung is one half of the new Aces duo and buxom Nina Li(married to Jet Li Lian-jie[Gong xi nin])is the other half of the new Aces duo. Fannie Yuen Kit-ying portrays Baldy's niece(whose cabin he hides out in order to avoid the authorities and tax collectors). Singer/actress Maria Cordero has a brief cameo in the film as well. Danny Lee Sau-yin portrays a pimp from Hong Kong who awaits punishment in a mainland Chinese prison and gives information on purchasing bullets for executions! There are other supporting players whose contributions make up the film as well. Sam Hui and Karl Maka return as the aging, bickering Aces duo in the fifth(and last?) film in the Aces series. Not the best film in the 'Aces Go Places' saga, but this installment holds its own.
