Return of the Cuckoo 十月初五的月光 (2015) – Hong Kong

Reviewed by: Andrew Chan

Directed by: Patrick Kong
Starring: Julian Cheung, Charmaine Sheh, Joe Chen, Nancy Sit

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“Return of the Cuckoo” is a perfect example of how not to make a sequel and how writer and director Patrick Kong continues to show how terrible his film-making techniques are and always will be. With more than a decade of directing under his belt, it is almost embarrassing to say that someone have not improved one notch. Commercially bad cinema is what Kong is good at and this film shows why he will never be elevated to a class of Hong Kong directing greats. Why the hell would you even consider having flashbacks to every crucial moment as if to say that the audience is outright stupid. Please Patrick Kong save yourself some shame, you may well be stupid, but do not assume the audience is the same.

Clocking at 100 minutes, “Return of the Cuckoo” is 30 minutes too long and almost drags from the get go. Everything is prolonged and frames lingers on the photogenic stars. If not for the charisma of Julian Cheung Chi Lam and the acting chops of Charmaine Sheh, the film will sink right to the bottom of the sea without a possibility of survival. Just when you thought that Patrick Kong will try to direct an actual melodrama without his usual silly and demeaning twists and message, the film most genuine and kindhearted character (played by Joe Chen) is unbelievably forced to play villain. If you get one thing out of the film, that is at least Kong is consistent, consistently bad that is.

All in all, “Return of the Cuckoo” is not only a disappointment, but also redefining what is bad film-making. Students of film schools should really take notes during a Patrick Kong film and Mark every mistakes and twists as learning points. Charmaine Sheh as usual gives her best, Julian Cheung is the cool “Chi Lam”, while Joe Chen remains the most convincing of the trio and providing the film with the much needed innocence and genuinely. It is precisely films like this one that deter people from Hong Kong cinema and if Kong truly loves cinema, please stay away. (Neo, 2015)

Not Recommended film by HK Neo Reviews.