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DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME (DI RENJIE)Movie Reviews
Mandarin language action thriller about a detective in ancient China who must help the new Empress solve a chilling murder mystery. Cast:Andy Lau, Carina Lau, Li Bingbing, Tony Leung Kar-Fai, Deng ChaoDirector:Hark TsuiRelease Date:September 2, 2011DVD Release:December 13, 2011From:Indomina ReleasingRating:PG-13Length:2 hr. 2 min.
DECEMBER 13, 2011
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di Renjie), Excellent Reviews Key Cities
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di Renjie) played in key cities to excellent reviews. • Stephanie Zacharek wrote for Movieline, "...glorious and somewhat unhinged... I’ve seen 'Detective Dee' twice now, and I still don’t think I’ve taken the full measure of the visual nuttiness and lushness..." • And Linda Barnard wrote in the Toronto Star, "...pure eye-candy entertainment..." More Reviews Below...
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di Renjie) Positive Reviews (26 Reviews, reviews below)
Richard Corliss, Time: OUTSTANDING "...narrative cunning, luscious production design and martial-arts balletics... up there with the first great kung-fu art film, King Hu's 1969 'A Touch of Zen.' "(See all of Richard Corliss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,045 words, 09/02/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...masters like Tsui Hark prefer their action to have a certain visual continuity and not be fragmented into the incomprehensible bits of action employed by Michael Bay."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 853 words, 09/23/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (10 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "Witty but not campy, grand without being unduly somber... a crazy, almost-coherent riot of intrigue, color and kineticism anchored by the charisma of its cast."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 520 words, 09/02/11
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the all-star cast is up for even the most outlandish of Sammo Hung's action choreography. To maximize your entertainment budget, look no further."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 141 words, 09/02/11
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...finds director Tsui Hark, a genre wizard, in top form... Chang Chia-lu's intricate script bristles with wit and suspense; the film from start to finish is a terrific entertainment."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 319 words, 09/02/11
V.A. Musetto, New York Post: MODERATE(cg) "All this is loads of fun, but after a while sensory overload sets in, dulling the mind. Even in a kung-fu flick, more isn't always better."(See all of V.A. Musetto's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 213 words, 09/02/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...masters like Tsui Hark prefer their action to have a certain visual continuity and not be fragmented into the incomprehensible bits of action employed by Michael Bay."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 853 words, 09/23/11
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "Magnificent and cheesy, the latest and most proudly absurd of Chinese historical spectaculars... a cinematic comic book for people who are sick of the mode."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 426 words, 08/31/11
Stephen Cole, Toronto Globe & Mail: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the action flick of the year, a two-hour epic that blows the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' to the Bermuda Triangle."(See all of Stephen Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 595 words, 09/23/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a thriller, an action movie, an effects-heavy mythical adventure and even a little bit of a love story.... There's enough plot for three features..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 229 words, 09/22/11
KEY CITIES (8 Reviews)
John DeFore, Washington Post: MODERATE(cg) "...lightweight but enjoyable... set in the days before the official rise to power of China's only empress regnant.... the movie's rollicking vibe targets the genre's die-hard fans..."(See all of John DeFore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 426 words, 09/23/11
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...moviemaking madman Tsui Hark's epic fantasy adventure follows the titular hero (Andy Lau) as he endeavors to solve the immolation of various high-powered officials."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 228 words, 09/23/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "I only understood what was happening in every fourth scene, but I had a great time. If you understand four times as much as I did, you will probably ignite from sheer joy."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 177 words, 09/23/11
Mark Feeney, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...has a title worthy of a '30s matinee serial, with a sensibility to match. It's slambang in pacing, bald in exposition, and offers cast-of-hundreds spectacle."(See all of Mark Feeney's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 616 words, 09/23/11
John Hartl, Seattle Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...an opulent period piece.... features impressive computer-generated special effects, fluid camerawork, fairy-tale sets and costumes..."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 287 words, 09/23/11
Mike Russell, Portland Oregonian: VERY GOOD(cg) "Hark's action movies have a what-did-I-just-see giddiness, as if their choreography were springing straight from a cartoon id."(See all of Mike Russell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 290 words, 10/14/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (7 Reviews)
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "Magnificent and cheesy, the latest and most proudly absurd of Chinese historical spectaculars... a cinematic comic book for people who are sick of the mode."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 426 words, 08/31/11
Brett Michel, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD(cg) "Tsui Hark plays as fast and loose with historical fact as stunt director and frequent collaborator Sammo Hung does with the movie's exhilarating action sequences..."(See all of Brett Michel's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 153 words, 09/22/11
Noel Murray, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "...not many detective stories feature talking deer, or characters whose faces transform when the right accupoints in their necks are pressed."(See all of Noel Murray's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 340 words, 09/01/11
Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline: EXCELLENT(cg) "...glorious and somewhat unhinged... I've seen 'Detective Dee' twice now, and I still don't think I've taken the full measure of the visual nuttiness and lushness..."(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 648 words, 09/01/11
Simon Abrams, Slant: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a consummately bizarre crowd-pleaser that throws everything at the viewer from makeshift plastic surgery by acupuncture to death by spontaneous combustion."(See all of Simon Abrams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 473 words, 04/24/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a thriller, an action movie, an effects-heavy mythical adventure and even a little bit of a love story.... There's enough plot for three features..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 229 words, 09/22/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (3 Reviews)
John Anderson, Wall Street Journal: VERY GOOD "Action master Tsui Hark marries the traditional trappings of the period kung-fu movie to flippant humor and state-of-the-art technology.... purely entertaining..."(See all of John Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 148 words, 09/02/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "Witty but not campy, grand without being unduly somber... a crazy, almost-coherent riot of intrigue, color and kineticism anchored by the charisma of its cast."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 520 words, 09/02/11
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...finds director Tsui Hark, a genre wizard, in top form... Chang Chia-lu's intricate script bristles with wit and suspense; the film from start to finish is a terrific entertainment."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 319 words, 09/02/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (5 Reviews)
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "An inventive marriage of ancient China and Agatha Christie.... lavishly overwrought... set around the controversial coronation of the country's first empress."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 698 words, 09/10/10
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...finds director Tsui Hark, a genre wizard, in top form... Chang Chia-lu's intricate script bristles with wit and suspense; the film from start to finish is a terrific entertainment."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 319 words, 09/02/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "Witty but not campy, grand without being unduly somber... a crazy, almost-coherent riot of intrigue, color and kineticism anchored by the charisma of its cast."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 520 words, 09/02/11
John Anderson, Wall Street Journal: VERY GOOD "Action master Tsui Hark marries the traditional trappings of the period kung-fu movie to flippant humor and state-of-the-art technology.... purely entertaining..."(See all of John Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 148 words, 09/02/11
16.2 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di Renjie)'s reviews are separated by an average 16.2 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di Renjie) (26 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di Renjie)'s reviews cover 38.4% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 11,013 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 424 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di Renjie) Coverage, Volume & Length (26 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 4 Days Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di Renjie)'s reviews on average broke 4 days before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di Renjie)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (Di Renjie) (26 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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