While I like the name "MAD DETECTIVE," due to the double meaning of "made," I think that this HK film should bare a more classic HK title such as "MY PARTNER SEES GHOSTS" (since HAUNTED COP SHOP was taken). MAD DETECTIVE is a parboiled supernatural police thriller starring Lau Ching-wan as Inspector Bun, a brilliant detective who went a little over the edge when presenting his retiring boss a present that only Vincent Van Gogh could have appreciated.
Years later, Ho (Andy On) visits his spiritual sifu in an attempt to break the case of Wong (Lee Kwok Lun), a cop who went missing when he and his partner, Chi-Wai (Lam Ka Tung) were in pursuit of a suspect. It doesn't take long for Bun to come out of retirement and see that something is very wrong with Chi-Wai. Rather than being one man, Chi-Wai is a seven spirit collective (with each perhaps representing an aspect of the Seven Deadly Sins). Ho doesn't know whether to buy into Bun's sixth sense or simply watch in awe and hope that there's more than madness to Bun's method.
Unfortunately, the "secret" of the case isn't very difficult to discern and the audience can most likely beat Ho and Bun to the punch (especially as Ho gets more dense as the film goes on). The addition of a "B Storyline" or even simply more of the better elements of the main storyline would have reduced the muddled feel of the film's second act. Too often MAD DETECTIVE feels like a rejected pilot from the makers of "Medium" or "Ghost Whisperer." A fairly enjoyable bit of HK fluff, don't be surprised when the U.S. remake is announced.
Years later, Ho (Andy On) visits his spiritual sifu in an attempt to break the case of Wong (Lee Kwok Lun), a cop who went missing when he and his partner, Chi-Wai (Lam Ka Tung) were in pursuit of a suspect. It doesn't take long for Bun to come out of retirement and see that something is very wrong with Chi-Wai. Rather than being one man, Chi-Wai is a seven spirit collective (with each perhaps representing an aspect of the Seven Deadly Sins). Ho doesn't know whether to buy into Bun's sixth sense or simply watch in awe and hope that there's more than madness to Bun's method.
Unfortunately, the "secret" of the case isn't very difficult to discern and the audience can most likely beat Ho and Bun to the punch (especially as Ho gets more dense as the film goes on). The addition of a "B Storyline" or even simply more of the better elements of the main storyline would have reduced the muddled feel of the film's second act. Too often MAD DETECTIVE feels like a rejected pilot from the makers of "Medium" or "Ghost Whisperer." A fairly enjoyable bit of HK fluff, don't be surprised when the U.S. remake is announced.