Here’s an original English film review of Stephen Chow’s Royal Tramp II (1992), incorporating thematic analysis and cultural context with references from search results:
Subverting Power Structures: A Carnivalesque Reimagining of The Deer and the Cauldron
Stephen Chow’s Royal Tramp II (鹿鼎記II神龍教) transcends its status as a sequel through audacious genre-blending and political satire. While ostensibly continuing Wei Xiaobao’s (Chow) adventures from the first installment, director Wong Jing crafts a meta-commentary on power dynamics in 1990s Hong Kong through three subversive lenses:
- Deconstructing Heroism through Absurdist Power
Wei Xiaobao’s rise from brothel-born urchin to “White Dragon Envoy” parodies traditional wuxia heroism. His “powers” derive not from martial arts mastery but:
- Sexual conquest: Inheriting 80% of Dragon Lady’s (Brigitte Lin) skills through intercourse
- Linguistic manipulation: Weaponizing flattery like “My admiration flows like the Yangtze” to disarm foes
- Historical hijacking: Rewriting the Nerchinsk Treaty negotiations through buffoonery
This aligns with Hong Kong’s identity crisis pre-1997 – a society navigating power shifts through improvisation rather than orthodox strategies.
- Institutional Satire Through Carnival Mirrors
Wong Jing employs grotesque humor to critique power hierarchies:
- Monarchical farce: The Kangxi Emperor (Damian Lau) conspires with Wei in imperial restrooms, reducing statecraft to toilet humor
- Religious parody: The Divine Dragon Cult’s rituals blend occultism with corporate ladder-climbing
- Gender inversion: Dragon Lady’s dual role as dominatrix/virginal maiden critiques patriarchal power structures
The film’s climax at Qing imperial tombs – where Wei manipulates both revolutionaries and imperialists – symbolizes Hong Kong’s liminal status between ideologies.
- Postmodern Intertextuality
Chow’s performance becomes a hall of mirrors reflecting Hong Kong cinema’s self-awareness:
- Genre collision: Blending wuxia wirework with Looney Tunes-style slapstick (e.g., Wei’s “human kite” escape)
- Star system critique: Brigitte Lin’s casting as Dragon Lady winks at her gender-bending roles in Swordsman II
- Fourth-wall breaks: Wei directly addresses viewers about plot holes, mocking cinematic conventions
Cultural Legacy & Contradictions
Despite its commercial success, the film embodies tensions:
- Feminist paradox: While subverting male gaze through Dragon Lady’s agency, it reduces other female characters to sexual punchlines
- Historical revisionism: Fictionalized Nerchinsk Treaty negotiations reflect anxieties about Sino-British negotiations
- Commercial vs artistic: Shot in 29 days during Chow’s peak output period, its rushed production contrasts with enduring cultural impact
Conclusion: A Time Capsule of Transition
Royal Tramp II succeeds not through narrative coherence but as a fever dream of late-colonial Hong Kong – a society performing ideological acrobatics while hurtling toward 1997. As Wei Xiaobao declares: “Who needs principles when you’ve got luck?” This line encapsulates the film’s enduring appeal: a celebration of chaotic survivalism that resonates beyond its historical moment.