Treasure Hunt (1994)
cast: Chow Yun-fat, Ng Sin-lin (Wu Chien Lien), Gordon Liu Chia Hui, Chin Han (Chun Hon),
Choi Yue, and Phillip Kwok
director: Jeff Lau

The entertaining moments in "Treasure Hunt" can be counted on the fingers of one hand on a retired shop teacher. To say Jeff Lau's film is a travesty of genre clashing is to be kind.

Though billed as a drama, "Treasure Hunt" often wobbles on two broken legs as a shaolin comedy, but somehow manages to cram in the supernatural, martial arts, action, and romantic drama.

Chow Yun-fat stars as Jeff, a Chinese-American professor, who evidently teaches Cantonese, because all of his students (mostly female admirers) speak it fluently. Have I gotten to the part yet where I tell you that Jeff is also an undercover CIA operative? Well, he is and Michael Wong (in a brief cameo, thank God) is his partner.

After completing his assignment in America the CIA dispatches Jeff to mainland China (following brief Mandarin lessons) where the plot becomes so forgettable, ten minutes later I forgot why he's there.

Anyway, Jeff takes refuge in a Shaolin temple with a group of monks under the tutelage of veteran Shaw Bros. star Gordon Liu. Buddhism isn't Jeff's cup of tea and he constantly bends the rules, nevertheless, he falls in love with a woman (Ng) being held there (again, for reasons I soon forgot). Did I mention she has supernatural powers? Jeff also befriends the temple's youngest student (Choi), a tubby adolescent with bifocals, who displays a penchant for annoying behavior.

An hour later Jeff discovers he's been double-crossed by his CIA contact in China, who has connections within the monastery.

It's beyond me how any of the talent in this film became involved with "Treasure Hunt." Perhaps the film operated without a script, making the story up as production shuttled along, and the ideas were the bastard brainchild of one-time-only writer Ngon On. I waited throughout most of the film to witness Shaw Bros. veterans Gordon Liu and Phillip Kwok to lock horns, but when the moment arrives, the duel is played for laughs, even though there are none.

If what you crave is romantic drama, locate "Eat Drink Man Woman," which co-stars Ng Sin-lin. Depending on your tastes both Gordon Liu and Phillip Kwok appeared in dozens of Shaw Bros. classics that will surely leave you feeling more satisfied than the poor martial arts sequences in "Treasure Hunt." I also recommend you give Chow a pass here and track down his filmography, which includes several notable action films both romantic comedies and dramas, as well as a handful of films on the supernatural.

Do something, do anything, just don't watch "Treasure Hunt"!