Once Upon a Time in China II
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| Once Upon a Time in China II | |
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 Once Upon a Time in China II |
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| Directed by | Tsui Hark |
| Produced by | Tsui Hark Ng See Yuen Raymond Chow |
| Written by | Tsui Hark Chan Tin-suen Tan Cheung |
| Starring | Jet Li Rosamund Kwan Donnie Yen Siu Chung Mok Xiong Xin Xin |
| Music by | Richard Yuen Johnny Njo George Lam |
| Cinematography | Arthur Wong |
| Editing by | Marco Mak |
| Distributed by | Golden Harvest |
| Release date(s) | 1992 |
| Running time | 113 min. |
| Country |  Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
| Preceded by | Once Upon a Time in China |
| Followed by | Once Upon a Time in China III |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Once Upon a Time in China II (traditional Chinese: 黃飛鴻之二男兒當自強) is a 1992 Hong Kong action film written and directed by Tsui Hark and starring Jet Li returning as legendary Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung. It is the second film and first sequel in the Once Upon a Time in China film series.
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[edit] Plot
Set in 1895, late Qing Dynasty, Wong Fei Hung (Jet Li), his companion Leung Foon (this time played by Siu Chung Mok aka Max Mok) and developing romantic interest Aunt Yee (Rosamund Kwan) travel by train to Canton to attend a lecture on techniques of Western and Eastern medicine. Wong lectures on the benefits of acupuncture whilst another doctor translates for the British audience.
The seminar is besieged by the fanatical White Lotus Society, led by the seemingly invincible Priest Kung (Xiong Xin Xin). The extreme nationalist cult aim to force all foreigners out of Canton and they fire flaming arrows into the building where the seminar is taking place. This cult is most likely based on a rebellious anti-foreigner group called the Fists of Righteous Harmony (also known as the Boxers that led the Boxer Rebellion) which actually existed in the year 1900.
Wong learns that his translator friend is none other than Sun Yat Sen (Cheung Tit Lam), the leader of a group of pro-democratic rebels who wish to help China become a Republic. Sun and Lu Haodong, another rebel, are planning to go to Hong Kong to continue their work of revolution. Wong assists the rebels, but an official of the Manchu imperial government, General Lan (Donnie Yen) stands in their way.
Further confrontations ensue when the White Lotus attack a foreign-language school for children. Aunt Yee hides the children in the British Consulate. Later, the consulate is attacked, with the help of General Lan, by the White Lotus cult. To prevent a potential war, Wong and Lu go to the headquarters of the White Lotus Cult and after an intense battle, Wong defeats and wrecks the clan.
Later, Wong, Lu and Leung go to retrieve the contact list of the rebels, who will be killed otherwise by the Qing government. In the process, Lu is shot and killed by General Lan's men. Wong and Lan have what many have called "the greatest fight of Jet Li on screen", defeating him and meets up with Sun Yat-sen at the dock.
[edit] Historical accuracy
- The movie was set after the first Sino-Japanese war, where the student protest against the unfair Treaty of Shimonoseki for handing out Formosa (present day Taiwan) can be seen at the beginning.
- The White Lotus sect is based on the Boxer Rebellion that happened closely in this period.
- An "Eastern Extension Australasia and China telegraph company" office can be seen, where the locals are demonstrating outside.
[edit] Closing credits
The closing scenes of this film is the exact same as the closing scenes of its predecessor, Once Upon a Time in China.
[edit] Box Office
This was a rare sequel to a Hong Kong film to exceed the original film's box office take. It grossed $30,399,676 HKD.[1]
[edit] Awards and nominations
- 1992 Golden Horse Film Festival
- Won: Best Original Song (James Wong)
- 1993 Hong Kong Film Awards
- Won: Best Action Choreography
- Nominated: Best Picture
- Nominated: Best Supporting Actor (Donnie Yen)
- Nominated: Best Director (Tsui Hark)
- Nominated: Best New Performer (Xiong Xin Xin)
- Nominated: Best Art Direction (Eddie Ma)
- Nominated: Best Cinematography (Arthur Wong)
- Nominated: Best Film Editing (Marco Mak)
- Nominated: Best Original Film Score (Richard Yuen, Johnny Njo)
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