Writer: Audrey Ker

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Watch this if you liked: “72 Tenants Of Prosperity”, “Flirting Scholar 2”

The classic tale of a king disguising himself as a commoner to get to know more about his country's people and their hardships is revived once again in "Adventure Of The King". Is it any different from other remakes of this tale? Yes, and no...

"Adventure Of The King" is rather self-explanatory; an emperor (Richie Ren, last seen in "Flirting Scholar 2") who wants to 'go out and experience the real world' sneaks out of the palace disguised as a peasant. Accompanied by some royal escorts (also disguised), they run into some rather curious situations and hilarity ensues when they try to get themselves out of it! Along the way, the emperor meets Phoenix (a gorgeous Barbie Hsu) who owns an inn-slash-restaurant and falls in love.

The plot may be a bit old and cliched, but the film makes it up with its own form of laughing therapy. From the get go - even from the opening sequence - the film tries to outdo itself with the amount of comedy involved. The filmmakers pull out all the stops: slapstick, jokes, puns, popular references, parody; you name it, it's probably in there. Even in romantic scenes, one can't help but giggle at the cheesy lines or the silly condition of the characters. And if all else fails, nothing beats a few musical numbers and dance to break the tension and garner more laughs from the audience!

Richie Ren does a commendable job as the emperor that falls for Phoenix, although this writer thinks that Ren is more believable as the naïve commoner that the emperor impersonates. As an emperor, Ren lacks the charisma and presence. Barbie Hsu however, is spot-on as the strong, feisty Phoenix and complements Ren's character quite well. Yet, the stars that steal the show are the supporting characters! Look out for the three 'sidekicks' of the emperor - the royal historian, the royal doctor, and the royal bodyguard - who have the best lines and laugh-out-loud moments.

All in all, even though this is a rather overused premise, "Adventure Of The King" still manages to bring in laughs and even throw in a bit of romance for good measure. Give this a go if you like Chinese New Year-esque films as it's bound to make you feel good with all the endorphins released from laughing!

Cinema Online, 18 August 2010