Movie Digest
Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran feature in Detective Chinatown 2, a 2018 Chinese comedy-mystery buddy film directed and written by Chen Sicheng. The film, which is a sequel to 2015’s Detective Chinatown, was released in China on February 16, 2018. It has a worldwide gross of over $544 million, making it China’s fifth-highest-grossing film of all time. Detective Chinatown 3 was released in February 2021 as a sequel.
The Feel-Good Part
Set in New York, the plot continues to follow the unlikely duo of teenage genius Qin Feng (Liu Hao Ran) and his insane distant uncle Tang Ren (Wang Bao Qiang) as they attempt to solve a serial murder case. As you could expect, there are a lot of mischief and antics as they cause mayhem all across NYC.
The Disappointing Factor
The director definitely sought to make the film more of a “detective universe,” and we are introduced to a number of international detectives who will undoubtedly be seen again in the future. It’s also becoming evident that Qin Feng, as the young prodigy investigator, is the main star of the show, but they also need Tang Ren’s contribution to the humour side, which you might think that it will be increasingly difficult to balance in future instalments.
In-Depth Analysis
The new film reunites writer/director Chen Sicheng and stars Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran, who reprise their roles as detectives Tang Ren and Qin Feng, respectively, in a sequel to the Chinese classic “Detective Chinatown.” When the case of New York Chinatown godfather Uncle Qi’s missing kid turns into a murder inquiry, detectives Tang and Qin partner up once more, this time with the support of the International Detective Alliance, to find the perpetrator.
Star Power
“Detective Chinatown 2” is excellent in the mystery department, where it manages to be both engaging and gripping, but it falls short in the action department, especially when compared to the first film. Set in New York, the plot continues to follow the unlikely duo of teenage genius Qin Feng (Liu Hao Ran) and his insane distant uncle Tang Ren (Wang Bao Qiang) as they attempt to solve a serial murder case. As you could expect, there are a lot of mischief and antics as they cause mayhem all across NYC. It’s entertaining to see the main protagonists run around New York trying to solve a murder case and getting themselves into ludicrous circumstances.
Overall Opinion
It’s entertaining to see the main protagonists run around New York trying to solve a murder case and getting themselves into ludicrous circumstances. You’ve got yourself a solid nice movie when you add in the characters (some old, some new) and some enjoyable music.
