“Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame” hit American shores a few months back and really didn’t get much of a chance to make an impact on audiences. It played in a few independent film-friendly theaters across the nation and then disappeared. Its movies like these that make me happy there is a quick turnaround to Blu-ray and DVD from the theatrical release these days. This movie needs to be seen by fans of action films and mystery thrillers alike.
The Movie:
In a wonderful mix of factual history, fantasy, and martial arts action, the banished Detective Dee is brought back into action by the Empress Wu to solve a series of murders that seem to have supernatural elements connecting them. The victims all burst into flames suddenly. She fears the deaths could be tied to an assassination plot to keep her from taking the throne as the first woman ruler of China.
Video Quality:
The high definition transfer for “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame” has some negative effects. The picture at times is a bit too crisp for my tastes. It may not appear that way to some viewers as I like the way film grain looks to an extent. I find it way too clean and it makes some of the CGI unnaturally stand out. I’m not saying that all the visual effects of the film suffer from this. There are some great shots of the landscape and city that look fabulous so it’s a bit of a mixed bag.
Audio Quality:
You get two audio tracks with “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame.” You have your choice between Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. If you decide to go with the mandarin, there are English subtitles available. There are all kinds of great sonic treats in the film. You get bizarre background sounds and strange vocal effects added to some of the dialogue. The fighting sound effects add to the enjoyment as well. All of this mixes with a wonderful score that enhances your viewing pleasure. The only downside to the English audio is the dubbing is not very good. The voices don’t match the look of the characters many times and it feels awkward.
Special Features:
The Blu-ray version of “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame” is packed with all sorts of extras. There are four different featurettes which include “The Making of Detective Dee,” “Weapons, Stunts, and Action,” “Creating the Characters,” and “The World of Dee.” These have interviews with director Tsui Hark and action choreographer Sammo Hung as well as other crew and the cast. There’s a Poster Gallery and a Photo Gallery included. The Photo Gallery is disappointing as most of the pictures are of the cast and crew just standing around onset. There aren’t very many action scenes showcased. An international trailer is also included. If you can find it, there’s a blooper reel hidden as an Easter egg.
Final Analysis:
“Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame” is referred to as “‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ Meets Sherlock Holmes” and I would have to agree with that. It’s a wonderful mix of fancy martial arts, wire-fighting, and supernatural suspense. If you can just look past a bit of shoddy CG work, you’ll have a great time with this movie. Consumers should be pleased after purchasing the Blu-ray because it delivers not only in its video and audio presentations but also with its plentiful special features.
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Eric Shirey is the founder and former editor of Rondo Award nominated movie news websites MovieGeekFeed.com and TheSpectralRealm.com. His work has been featured on Yahoo!, DC Comics, StarWars.com, and other entertainment websites. Eric has interviewed and worked with actors like Harrison Ford, Brooke Shields, Gerard Butler, Brendan Fraser, Selena Gomez, and many more.