JUSTICE PAO II (1995)
SERIES REVIEW CASE NUMBER 1
Government official Keung Ping, rushes back to attend his mother's birthday. His son, Keung Wing Ji had been awaiting his return. Upon arriving home, Keung Ping looked worried. He informed his young son that he had uncovered a traitor and was waiting for the King's return to expose him. Whilst the family was celebrating a band of mountain robbers invaded their house and killed all of the servants and family members. The mountain robber's leader, Wong Bat nicknamed Fai Wu Dip, personally kills Keung Ping. Keung Wing Ji and his sister watches on helpless to do anything. Suddenly Fai Wu Dip spots them and rushes over to kill them. Keung Wing Ji hid under his sister's bed, and witnesses Fai Wu Dip try to rape and them kill his sister. From under the bed Keung Wing Ji was able to spot a red butterfly tattoo on Fai Wu Dip's shoulders. Keung Wing Ji then attempted to escape. Soon his uncle, Keung Si arrived to rescue him from Fai Wu Dip's grasp. But Keung Si was defeated, suffering a heavy injury and received a burn to his face. Keung Wing Ji then thought of a quick plan, which allowed them to escape from the mountain robbers. Fai Wu Dip gave chase and witnesses Keung Si and Keung Wing Ji fall over the edge of the cliff and persumed that they were dead. After that event Fai Wu Dip disappeared out of sight. Keung Si and Keung Wing Ji managed to survive and sought the help of Mok Do Ling who was Keung Si's elder classmate and the manager of a group of female actors. Mok Do Ling decided to help his classmate by retiring and handed over his acting school over to Keung Si who would assume Mok Do Ling's identity. As for Keung Wing Ji, Mok Do Ling suggested that he dress up as a girl student with a tragic background, and was accepted as a student in the acting school. Therefore Keung Wing Ji, dressed up as a female and assume the identity of Fai Jek. Keung Wing Ji has been waiting for an opportunity for revenge ever since. They have waited for 10 years but still did not manage to find Wong Bat who was the original Fai Wu Dip. One day Fai Jek goes shopping and spots a corrupt official. The corrupt official was listening to a young musician, So So. The corrupt official then attempts to rape So So. Suddenly a young man flies into the room and kills the corrupt official. The young man was posing as Fai Wu Dip, and leaves a message on the wall before leaving with So So. Fai Wu Dip decides to help So So find her auntie upon being informed that her auntie worked with Mok Do Ling. Fai Wu Dip then returns to inform Keung Si that the corrupt official was not Wong Bat. Keung Si was not worried and encourages Keung Wing Ji to keep killing corrupt officials until he finds Wong Bat. Keung Wing Ji was getting a bit tired of dressing up as a female, Fai Jek, so he assumed the identity of Fai Wu Dip hoping to force the real Fai Wu Dip, Wong Bat out of hiding. He has not yet succeeded, but his activity has caught the notice of Justice Pao who was under the King's orders to capture him. Jin Chiu investigated the latest murder and took the message written on the wall as evidence. Justice Pao suspected that the Fai Wu Dip who murdered nine corrupt officials was a different person than the Fai Wu Dip who murdered many innocent lives ten years ago. Kung Sin Chuk then informed Justice Pao that the real Fai Wu Dip would now be 42 years of age, and the Fai Wu Dip that has recently appeared is only 20 years of age. Also Kung Sin Chuk pointed out that since Fai Wu Dip killed the Keung family he has disappeared and gone into hiding. The following day So So, turned up at Mok Dong Ling's acting school and was accepted as a student. At once she made friends with Fai Jek who resembled Fai Wu Dip in appearance. Fai Jek seemed cold and heartless, but So So was determined to become good friends with her. Meanwhile Chow Sin and his son Chow Lau Fei were worried about the motive of the new Fai Wu Dip. Chow Sin was formerly the real Fai Wu Dip, Wong Bat. He now suspected that Keung Wing Ji was assuming his identity to force him out of hiding but he refuse to do so. When Kung Sin Chuk returned with information about Keung Ping, Justice Pao too suspected that Keung Wing Ji was the one assuming the identity of Fai Wu Dip. After interpreting the meaning of the message left behind by Fai Wu Dip, Jin Chiu was then sent to visit the place were the Keung family was murdered to find some clues. That evening Jin Chiu spotted Fai Wu Dip who was waiting for Wong Bat to show up. At once they fought, but Fai Wu Dip was able to escape. Upon returning Keung Wing Ji was surprised to find So So in his room. At once Keung Wing Ji knocked So So out and dressed as Fai Jek. Upon awakening So So told Fai Jek that she saw Fai Wu Dip, but then thought that she was dreaming, which pleased Keung Wing Ji. Keung Si was then informed Keung Wing Ji to be careful upon discovering that Justice Pao was on to them. Later Keung Wing Ji revealed his true identity to So So because he had fallen in love with her. So So promised to keep his identity a secret and was allowed to stay amongst Mok Do Ling’s band of actors. Keung Wing Ji then reassumed his identity as Fai Jek and laid low for a while. Fai Jek went shopping and bumped into Chow Lau Fei who fell in love with Fai Jek. Chow Lau Fei showed off on the streets by fighting with a wrestler. During the fight, Fai Jek spotted a red butterfly tattoo on Chow Lau Fei's shoulders and realized that he had finally located the person he had been searching for. Fai Jek then went along with Chow Lau Fei and discovered that Wong Bat had now assumed the identify of Chow Sin. In the evening Keung Wing Ji returned to the Chow family house and overheard a secret discussion between Chow Sin and government official Ka Leung. Keung Wing Ji discovered that Ka Leung was the one who ordered Wong Bat to kill his entire family, because his farther Keung Ping found evidence that Ka Leung was collaborating with the King of the Liao Dynasty. Ka Leung was worried about the new Fai Wu Dip and informed Chow Sin to steal the scared cup of the Liao Dynasty, in order to frame the new Fai Wu Dip. Chow Lau Fei was the one charged with the responsibility of stealing the sacred cup. Justice Pao suspected that the scared cup might be related to the events that led up to the death of Keung Ping and decided to see the King. Justice Pao asked the King about the identity of the second person charged with the responsibility of bringing the sacred cup to the Song Dynasty. The King informed Justice Pao that it was Ka Leung. Jin Chiu was then allowed to examine the sacred cup, for its authentic. Jin Chiu discovered that the sacred cup indeed was real. Suddenly a masked, Cho Lau Fei, attempted to steal the scared cup. Jin Chiu fought with the masked Chow Lau Fei, and prevented him from stealing the cup. Suddenly Fai Wu Dip appeared and fought with Jin Chiu allowing the masked Chow Lau Fei to steal the cup. Fai Wu Dip then escaped and followed Chow Lau Fei, in an attempt to find the identify of the man who ordered Wong Bat to kill his entire family. Fai Wu Dip discovered that the man was Ka Leung, a man holding a high position in the royal court. Meanwhile the King was furious that Fai Wu Dip had stolen the sacred cup, which was due to be sent back to the Liao Dynasty. The King then gave Justice Pao one month's time to capture Fai Wu Dip and return the scared cup. After discussions with Kung Sin Chuk, and Justice Pao, Jin Chiu suspected that Ka Leung might be responsible for the death of Keung Ping ten years ago. Justice Pao discovered that Ka Leung would attend, Chow Sin's birthday and decided to go along to question Ka Leung on the matter. Chow Sin had invited Mok Do Ling's band of actors to perform at his birthday. Keung Wing Ji used this opportunity to secretly inform Justice Pao that Chow Sin was responsible for stealing the scared cup. When Justice Pao questioned Ka Leung, he put the blame of Fai Wu Dip, but Justice Pao suspected Ka Leung. When Chow Sin opened a box, a imitation of the fake cup was sitting inside the box. At once Chow Lau Fei got nervous stating that the cup must be fake. Kung Sin Chuk, Justice Pao and Jin Chiu knew that no one could know whether the cup was real or fake unless they had seen it. Therefore Justice Pao was certain that Chow Sin was formerly Wong Bat. Justice Pao then asked Chow Sin to reveal information about his past. Chow Sin said he was formerly a fisherman, who got promoted to his present position. During dinner, Chow Sin, made a bad mistake. He turned a piece of fish over on the plate, which was proof that he was no fisherman. Justice Pao then sent Kung Sin Chuk to locate information about the real Chow Sin. Jin Chiu was sent to uncover the identify of Fai Wu Dip. Jin Chiu investigated Mok Do Ling's band of actors and suspects Fai Jek. So So was very nervous when being questioned because she knew that Fai Jek was Fai Wu Dip, so Jin Chiu was certain that Fai Wu Dip was amongst Mok Do Ling's band of actors. One evening whilst Jin Chiu was staking out Chow Sin's house he spotted Fai Wu Dip entering it. Jin Chiu waited and followed Fai Wu Dip all the way back to Mok Do Ling's band of actors. At once Jin Chiu rushed inside to search. He spotted Fai Wu Dip going into a room. Upon opening the door he saw So So and Fai Jek having a bath together. Being a gentleman Jin Chiu immediately closed the door allowing Keung Wing Ji a close escape. Jin Chiu then searched the other rooms but found only girls. Mok Do Ling then approached Jin Chiu and asked him what he was doing. Jin Chiu then apologized to Mok Do Ling before leaving. Upon returning Jin Chiu informed Justice Pao that he suspected Mok Do Ling, because he was the only male in the band of actors and wore a mask at midnight. The following day Jin Chiu went along with Justice Pao to watch Mok Dong Ling perform. Jin Chiu then took Mok Do Ling by surprised and slash his facemask in half. Mok Do Ling's sacred face was then expose, and the crowd ran upon seeing the ugly sight. Justice Pao and Jin Chiu became embarrassed in public. Even after that event Jin Chiu was certain that Fai Wu Dip was amongst the band of actors. Justice Pao then suspected that Fai Wu Dip was a female who dressed up as a man, and sent Jin Chiu to investigate. Jin Chiu then set a plan to capture Fai Wu Dip. Cheung Lo, Jiu Foo, Wong Chiu and Ma Hon caught So So and left a letter for Fai Wu Dip. Fai Jek saw the letter and immediately went to rescue So So. From this Jin Chiu thought that Fai Jek was a female who dressed as a man and assume the identity of Fai Wu Dip. Jin Chiu then fought with Fai Jek, who then revealed that he was a man, Keung Wing Ji, who dressed as a female, Fai Jek. Jin Chiu then captured Keung Wing Ji and took him into questioning. During questioning Keung Wing Ji revealed that Wong Bat was ordered by Ka Leung to kill his farther Keung Ping, to cover the fact that he was a traitor. Keung Wing Ji also informed Justice Pao that Wong Bat had now assumed the identity of Chow Sin. Keung Wing Ji's testimony, confirmed Justice Pao's suspicions, but without evidence it was difficult to prove that Ka Leung was traitor. Kung Sin Chuk then returned with a witness who could prove that Chow Sin was already dead. Jin Chiu was then sent to locate the real scared cup. Cheung Lo was staking out Ka Leung when he overheard information regarding the delivery of the sacred cup and secret military information over to a Liao Dynasty messenger. With this information, Justice Pao went to request the King's permission to inspect the gifts that Ka Leung had sent to the Liao Dynasty messenger. Unfortunately Justice Pao did not know that a eunuch called Lau was working for Ka Leung. When Jin Chiu went to inspect the box of gifts he did not find the sacred cup. Ka Leung then informed the King that Fai Wu Dip, was the one trying to frame him. Ka Leung then requested the King to allow him to take part in questioning Fai Wu Dip as he suspected that Justice Pao was being biased. The King agreed to allow Ka Leung to take part in the trail much to the disgust of Justice Pao. Meanwhile Wong Chiu and Ma Hong had managed to capture a female warrior from the Liao Dynasty who was sent to obtain the sacred cup from Ka Leung. Knowing that Ka Leung had wanted to speed up the process of killing Keung Wing Ji, to eliminate all evidence, Justice Pao went along with the plan and laid a trap for Ka Leung. Justice Pao ordered to have Keung Wing Ji executed the following day. On the day of execution, Wong Chiu and Ma Hon was sent to rescue Keung Wing Ji. Jin Chiu then used a dead body and kicked it over the edge of the mountain. Keung Wing Ji was then thought to be dead by Ka Leung, who then planned to eliminate Keung Si, Chow Sin and Chow Lau Fei. Ka Leung captured Keung Si, and placed him on a boat with Chow Sin and Chow Lau Fei. Chow Sin and Chow Lau Fei were poisoned but died when Keung Si lit the explosives strapped to his body. Before dying Keung Si laughed because he had finally avenged Keung Ping's murder. Meanwhile So So was left alone and wanted to commit suicide thinking that Keung Wing Ji was dead. Keung Wing Ji then returned to prevent her from committing suicide. So So then attempted to convince Keung Wing Ji to give up his quest for revenge and run away with her. Keung Wing Ji refused and returned to help Justice Pao expose Ka Leung as a traitor. Justice Pao's plan was to have Keung Wing Ji dress up as the female Liao Dynasty warrior sent to obtained the sacred cup from Ka Leung. Keung Wing Ji agreed to help and dressed as a girl and went to obtain possession of the sacred cup. Upon seeing the person whom he thought was the female, Liao Dynasty messenger Ka Leung handed over the scared cup and a map detailing the Song Dynasty's military defensive positions. Having obtained possession of the evidence of Ka Leung's treachery Keung Wing Ji was eager for revenge. He made the mistake of revealing his real identify and as he approached Ka Leung he was stabbed in the chest with a poison knife. Ka Leung then attempted to escape as Keung Wing Ji gave chase. Jin Chiu captured Ka Leung, but Keung Wing Ji had already felt the full effects of the poison. Justice Pao obtained possession of the evidence, which proves that Ka Leung was a traitor. Despite this Ka Leung protested and demanded to see the King. Justice Pao allowed him to see the King. Their he was exposed to have collaborated with eunuch Lau. At once the King got upset and gave Justice Pao full authority over the case. Both eunuch Lau, and Ka Leung were sentenced to death through beheading. The King then granted pardon to Keung Wing Ji and promoted the Keung family to a higher official post. Unfortunately Keung Wing Ji was feeling the effects of the poison and was due to die. Before dying Keung Wing Ji made a request to Justice Pao, to oversea the wedding his wedding with So So. Keung Wing Ji knew that So So was pregnant with his child so he could die in peace knowing that the Keung family had a heir. Justice Pao agreed. Keung Wing Ji died shortly after the wedding. Later So So decided to leave with Keung Wing Ji's ashes to find a quite place to raise up her unborn child. Jin Chiu had promised Keung Wing Ji that he would look after So So, so he decided to see her off safely. RATING (5) This was a good beginning to the Justice Pao II series. It contained action sequences, romance and was tragic. This mixture kept the story very interesting. As we have come to expect the ending is very sad. The shake of Kung Sin Chuk's head normally signals the death of one of the main characters in the story. The acting was good as usual. Although I did find it a bit confusing because they used two different actors to portray Keung Wing Ji. Jojo Cho Chung played Keung Wing Chi when he assumed the female state of Fai Jek. The Taiwan actor played Keung Wing Ji in the male state as Fai Wu Dip. Although this worked well to a certain degree, a good actor or actress might have been able to perform both roles. May Kwong looked cute and innocent and was very convincing in her role. The acting was good, as it normally is in the Justice Pao series. Felix was his usual heroic self as Jin Chiu. Infact Felix's acting skills as consistent across all of the Justice Pao cases.
SCENES
[CASE 1] [CASE 2] [CASE 3] [CASE 4] [CASE 5] [CASE 6] [CASE 7] [CASE 8] [PAO CHING TIN] [JIN CHIU] [KUNG SIN CHUK] |
