Have I got a movie for you!

Watch if you love:

• Kung Fu Hustle and/or Shaolin Soccer
• Sherlock Holmes
• The Tang Dynasty
• Supernatural (yes, the show and the genre)
• Creative applications of Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Horses with aquatic abilities

 

 

Netflix brilliantly describes the plot thusly:

Detective Dee’s first assignment with the Imperial police finds the city gripped in fear of sea monsters, which is only the beginning.

Yes friends, sea monsters are merely the beginning. If sea monsters were the only thing going on Detective Dee would have wrapped this mystery up in no time. Plot elements of the movie include: kidnapping, star-crossed lovers, creatures from the blue lagoon, poisoning, secret island, conspiracies, devious empresses, and unnecessary kung fu. Wait. What did I just say? Scratch that, necessary kung fu.

This movie is based off of the prominent historical figure Di Renjie during the Tang Dynasty as well gong’an crime novels written in the eighteenth-century that were also loosely based off of Di Renjie. This is the Sherlock Holmes character of ancient China and he actually existed! The movie doesn’t take itself too seriously and there are some moments where the CG is a little awkward, but stick with it! I promise you it’s worth seeing what happens next. The plot has several creative and kooky twists are thoroughly enjoyable in and of themselves. As well as lines such as “release the poisoned fish!”

If you want more Detective Dee there is another film called Detective Dee and the Phantom Flame (available on Netflix). Also check out the new TV series called Young Sherlock also based on Di Renjie, which I cannot wait to watch!