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A saccharine and paint-by-numbers slice of romance, which is largely boosted by the appeal of its two leads.

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The under-utilised 3D adds little to this prequel, which only serves as a sore reminder of the brilliance of the original films.

Any Questions For Ben?

The talented bunch of actors ably cut through the surface gloss, but it’s tough to remain invested in the plight of the self-absorbed lead.

Shame

It starts off as brutal but arresting stuff, and the two lead performances are scorching, but disappointingly dissolves into a case of tragedy for the sake of tragedy.

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The Treasure Hunter (Film)

by Mamta Bhatt | January 13, 2010 15:15 | Edited January 13, 2010 15:34

Confusing plot & lukewarm acting ruin a potentially thrilling treasure hunt.

 

If The Mummy, Indiana Jones and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon had a baby, it might look a little like The Treasure Hunter. Part western, part romance, part comedy, all rolled together into a treasure hunt adventure, Taiwanese director Kevin Chu's (Kung Fu Dunk) latest offering is all that and not a hell of a lot more.

 

In The Treasure Hunter, a motley group of characters battle each other for a treasure trove, hidden in a lost city in the desert. The only copy of the map to the city, however, is passed down to a treasure protector, Qiaofeng, played by Jay Chou (the singing sensation/heartthrob/Kato in the upcoming The Green Hornet, alongside Seth Rogen). When Qiaofeng's childhood sweetheart and the daughter of his mentor, Lan Ting (Lin Chiling), is kidnapped by treasure hoarder Pork Rib (Eric Tsang) and archaeologist Master Hua (Chen Daoming), he is forced to give up the map. With Lan Ting rescued and in tow, Qiaofeng turns his attention to thwarting the hoarders and finding the lost city to ensure the ancient treasure remains untouched.

 

The Treasure Hunter has an interesting premise, relying on legends (the Sandstorm Legion, Eagle of the Desert), the thrill of the treasure hunt, and the intrigue of conquering the unrelenting desert.

 

That's why one wishes the whole thing was handled properly. Instead, the story is confusing with too many incoherent and unexplained plot points, lost legends and motivations, broken up only by dreamlike martial arts moves. Characters drift in and out of the plot, without contributing anything to its progression. The film would work better had the scriptwriters agreed on one direction.

 

Jay Chou is a heartthrob in Taiwan - all tall, dark and brooding, he's the James Dean of the desert, riding off into the sunset, leaving behind love and riches. But he doesn't rise beyond his brooding ‘coolness'. Lin Chiling plays the damsel in distress without much enthusiasm, Eric Tsang is the caricatured, and irksome, comic relief, while Chen Daoming is vacant and detached from all the action.

 

That said, The Treasure Hunter does have thrills, special effects, martial arts moves, and an unexpected climax.