VAMPIRE EFFECT

Directors: Dante Lam & Donnie Yen
Stars: Ekin Cheng, Charlene Choi, Gillian Chung, Edison Chen, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Jackie Chan, Mickey Hardt
Year: 2003
Rating: R

(in Cantonese w/English subtitles)

A goofy, quite silly, yet very funny (and ultimately entertaining) vampire flick from Hong Kong, Vampire Effect (known, especially overseas, as The Twins Effect because of its two leading actresses - wildly famous Asian pop music stars Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung) stars Ekin Cheng as vampire hunter Reeve - a long-term killer of the undead who works for the "Anti-Vampire Federation". Reeve only wants to work alone, but the Federation keeps insisting on finding him a partner - even though each time he gets one, they seem to get killed - and at last is sent a young, pretty girl named Gypsy (Gillian Chung) who most obviously both reveres and has a crush on the jaded vampire hunter.

Meanwhile, Reeve's sister Helen (Charlene Choi), who lives with Reeve and knows of his job, has just caught her boyfriend cheating on her ... and in the process, meets a handsome, aristocratic young man named Kazaf (Edison Chen) who immediately develops a crush on her. What Helen doesn't know is that Kazaf is not only a vampire ... but the last in a family of vampires that have all been hunted down for their "vampire essence" by one bad-ass European bloodsucker named Duke Dekotes (Mickey Hardt). Duke gets more powerful with each essence he's stolen from Kazaf's father - the vampire king - and each of Kazaf's brothers, and in turn Kazaf and his faithful man-servant Prada (Anthony Wong Chau-Sang) have purchased (of all things) an ancient church to hide out in. If Duke Dekotes can get the final vampire essence by killing Kazaf, it will enable him to gain control of a substance that will enable vampires to walk in daylight - and be more powerful than ever.

Corny? Yeah, but it works, thanks to the humor and the fact that the plot never takes itself too seriously. Helen and Gypsy take an instant dislike to each other, and have this amazing fight scene on the rooftop of Reeve's building, with oversized bamboo poles - and the screaming, grinning and mugging kung fu style of the two young women could have come off annoyingly stupid ... and yet doesn't. In their own way, both Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung are a delight to watch; what they lack in acting talent, they make up for in personality. Edison Chen plays a lovable vampire goofball, a worldly prince who genuinely falls for Helen and can't figure out how to tell her he's a vampire. Heck, even Jackie Chan enters the action, in the small role of a bridegroom and ambulance driver who finds himself caught up in the middle of one well-shot, beautifully-choreographed action sequence in which he is forced to battle a pair of vamps, himself.

The fight scenes are really great, especially the "final showdown" - the martial arts, CGI and wirework blending nicely to take viewers on a thrilling ride. Gore is kept to a minimum, though the bloodshed and Buffy-like vampire deaths will surely be eye candy for those who like their violence. Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, brilliant in everything he does, is no less wonderful here, playing his lines straight for minimum effect and laughs - whether he's seducing a young vampiress half his age ... or trying to mix a skin cream that will allow Prince Kazaf to go out into the sun just long enough for a first date with Helen.

A charming movie full of humor, suspense, and kick-ass action sequences - pure popcorn for the eyes and brain - Vampire Effect is just that sort of fun film you're looking for when you can't figure out what kind of film you're in the mood to see. Great fun. *** - Reel Cool