"Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings" is a good example of trying to cram too many characters and too much action into a movie while offering generous doses of action scenes and fighting sequences. If you're curious about the Four Kings of the title, don't blink or they'll blow right by you, as they're represented by four monolithic statues that once revealed, have no real bearing on the story. This will most likely appeal to fantasy film fans who have a taste for colorful characters; there are plenty to go around. The names conjure up imagery of sorcery and magic, with monikers like Spectral Blades, Night Ghost, Smoke Volant and Water Moon, all members of a mystic clan called the Jianghu. The title character isn't so much a detective in this story as one protecting the Tang Dynasty and it's emperor from the machinations of it's evil Empress Wu (Carina Lau),who has designs of her own on ascending the throne. The scenes of airborne dragons and the picture's final massive showdown against all manner of flying beasts are quite the spectacle. The huge white gorilla brought to mind a pitiful 1945 film featuring just that; it was called "White Pongo", but the comparisons between the two are otherwise non-existent. Visually, the picture is as colorful and vibrant as Detective Dee's (Mark Chao) earlier adventure in 'Mystery of the Phantom Flame'. Fans of clever wire work and impossible to perform stunts in real life will definitely be pleased. Those looking for a Charlie Chan-like mystery to be solved need look elsewhere.

An Improvement over Phantom but still 20 minutes too long.

A better story, with the best visuals in the series but still lacking something...maybe Jet Li?

This latest Detective Dee film, directed by Tsui Hark, is a colorful epic ancient Chinese saga. It's filled with martial arts sequences, acrobatics, as well as plenty of treachery, deception, sorcery, illusions, and pageantry.

In the movie, the intrepid Detective Dee, head of the Bureau of Investigations, is awarded the super powerful Dragon-Taming Mace by the Emperor for his past heroism in saving the Kingdom. But the Detective will have to contend with the power hungry and evil Empress, as well as a reemerging cult, named the Wind Warriors, who seek control of the Dynasty as well, using magic and mind control.

I would say the film is somewhat overly long at about 2hrs. and 12 min. and it can be confusing and complicated at times.The final battle sequence I thought was too drawn out as well.

However, if one can just sit back and enjoy the wild special effects, the intrigue, the twists and turns, and colorful pageantry of it all, there are rewards here, although the movie is not for everyone.