Writer: Casey Lee

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Watch this if you liked: "I Not Stupid" and "Gemeilia" comics

Adapted from Eddie See's Chinese comics of the same name meant for Chinese primary schoolers, there was going to be pre-conceived notions about its limitations to entertain anyone outside of its target audience. But as one follows this adventure centered on two children, surprises come in small packages, and Chinese audience may actually find this to be a complete package for the whole family to enjoy.

When new transfer pupil Hao Chai is seated next to Guo Guo (William Yap) in class, he instantly recognised her as being an adopted orphan and naively revealed it to the entire class. After being reprimanded by his parents at home for being insensitive to Hao Chai's feelings, the mischievous Guo Guo tried to set things right with her and ends promising to help her find her missing biological brother who had left the orphanage before she was adopted. After a chance meeting with her brother outside the family's chicken rice shop, Guo Guo and his younger sister Mei Mei (Mingirl Loh) followed the man, only to be kidnapped by two robbers as hostages while the latter were making the run for it with two police officers in pursuit.

With "Ice Kacang Puppy Love" and "Leilo Popo" director Eu Ho at the helm, he does not seem to have let the source material constraint his palate of just pleasing the kids that would be drawn to see this, but devises enough humourous scenes to make the trip worthwhile for the more mature audiences accompanying them. From puns, idioms, pop references, to having scenes poking fun involving taboo subjects (say, a coffin); the humour is varied and diversified enough to keep you laughing like when a switch is flipped.

While one or two of it running gags may overrun its course at times, the attention given isn't lost due to its cast, who are willing to ham up their appearance and performance to reflect their caricature counterparts, and it is certainly more welcomed than the heavy emotional moments that just can't be delivered by a funny cast. The tone of the humour can vary a little too much, however, with the insertion of a scene of the adults having an adult misunderstanding that might be inappropriately lost to the children watching it. But if jokes are what you are not hoping to fill your time with, there are some intense action sequences to rouse the mood a little that wouldn't look out of place in a cop and robber story.

Another commendation should also be given to the performance of its child cast, especially William Yap, who leads with such confidence as Guo Guo that it is probably why "Gemelia" is not dragged down when there are only children on the screen. It can't be denied that this child actor has talents that will have him identified as a poster boy of some sort if he pursues an acting career.

It is heartening to see that when it comes to adaptations, Eu Ho is one director who seems to know how to get into the hearts of his audiences and looks beyond the box. This is certainly not one to be avoided, and if you want to make your kid brother or sister who reads the comics happy, it's one worth considering spending 96 minutes of your time with them to see this.

Cinema Online, 27 August 2013