Vincent Kok is hardly the greatest Hong Kong director, but if you're looking for cheesy, over-the-top comedy then his oeuvre becomes a real treasure trove. An acquired taste no doubt, but one of the better in his specific niche.
Movies
Mr. and Mrs. Incredible
Trademark Hong Kong. To lift the spirits of its citizens, 10 prominent Hong Kong production companies banded together, put all their stars into a single film and tasked Vincent Kok with creating a light, fun and COVID-themed comedy. And knowing Kok, he's truly the perfect man for the job. The comedy is light but fun (if you appreciate the HK brand of comedy), the actors do a solid job and the film cycles through different genres (a little romance, some action, a touch of drama), though keeping things breezy at all times. This is pretty much a typical lunar comedy, only prepped for a different occasion. Amusing, but forgettable.Read all
Dragon Reloaded
This is one for the hardcore Hong Kong comedy fan only. Vincent Kok is well known for his over-the-top comedy antics, Dragon Reloaded seems to be taken the old formula to new extremes. I'm pretty used to Hong Kong comedy by now, but even I was gasping for air by the time the film had ended. I think Ronald Cheng shouted every single line he was given. The rest of the cast is equally loud and hyperactive. Calling it overacting is a gross understatement. On top of that, the film's pacing is excruciating. There's nothing that resembles a coherent plot, so Kok simply dashes from joke to joke at breakneck speed. And while some of it is probably offensive by modern standards, it's clear that it's just for laughs. Now that pure comedies are increasingly rare, there's definitely value in that. There are more misses than hits here, but because Kok moves so fast the good jokes tend to stick, while the bad ones are quickly forgotten. And because Kok goes at it like a loose canon, he's able to slip in a good few original jokes. Now, this won't be everyone's cup of tea and it sure is somewhat of a strain, but it's also extremely goofy and entertaining. Not a great film, but good fun.Read all