14. Schemes in Antiques (Gu dong ju zhong ju); movie review

 

SCHEMES IN ANTIQUES (GU DONG JU ZHONG JU)

Cert 15

123 mins

BBFC. advice: Contains infrequent strong violence

Call me unsociable but I love having an entire cinema auditorium to myself.

On Saturday evening, I stretched out, put my panini, M & M's and phone on one seat, my coat on the next and settled down to China's version of Indiana Jones.

Thankfully, Schemes in Antiques is much more exciting than its title which may well be the dullest of the year.

It stars Lei Jiayin as Xu Juan - a drunkard who has a rather elaborate antique festivals act in which he scams the gullible.

He emerges back into the serious world of antiques when a Japanese woman (Lilie Matsumine) returns a much sought-after Buddha's head to China.

She insists it should be received by one of the Xu clan - because they were key in setting up the Five Blossoms - the ultimate authority on Chinese antiquities.

Xu, whose descendants has made the family name in the field and been somewhat controversial

has his rivals - especially, the knowledgeable but much younger Yao Buran (Xian Li).

Derek Kwok's film follows a very similar path to an Indiana Jones movie with amusing moments, fast action and some wonderful traps and distractions on the route to treasure.

A feisty young woman (Xin Zhilei) is also in Xu's corner while an old stager (Ge You) appears mysteriously when he gets into scrapes.

The action is very snappy and the backdrop is constantly awash with vibrant colours.

However, be warned. The subtitles are very quick.

Reasons to watch: China's version of Indiana Jones

Reasons to avoid: It jumps around very quickly

Laughs: Smiles rather than laughs

Jumps: None

Vomit:Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Lei Jiayin is best known for his role as Chen Junsheng in drama The First Half of My Life. He was ranked 61st on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list in 2020.

The final word. Ma Boyong: "I try to forget myself as the original author but to watch the film as a normal audience member. It is a creative adaptation but smartly grasps the novel's core. Generally speaking, it is beautiful, and I was barely distracted during the two-hour journey." China.org

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