Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame

A postmodern pastiche that blends film noir narrative with martial-arts action, the steampunk aesthetic, fantasy elements, and the grandiose design of historical epics, Detective Dee is a feast for the eyes, but not much else. Inspired by a noted historical figure of ancient China, the story centers on the sleuth Di Renjie (Andy Lau), who is in exile at the movie's start for opposing the soon-to-be-crowned Empress (Carina Lau) eight years earlier. However, after two of her subjects abruptly burst into flames, she calls in the sharpest mind of her kingdom to uncover the truth behind their gruesome deaths. It's a twisted tale of precarious liaisons that includes such quirky elements as ninja puppeteers, a pack of warrior deer, a snarky albino, and a shapeshifting snitch. Yet for all the inventiveness packed into the film's visuals, Dee never manages to rise above the old-school clichés of its noir influence. This makes for a predictable ending that isn't helped by its overlong action sequences, which, while kinetic, are often confounding. Additionally burdened with poorly translated subtitles that often result in nonsensical dialogue, Dee fails to payoff on its ambition, proving only interesting at best.