Jeffrey Lau: Chinese Odyssey 2002

Director/Writer - Jeffrey Lau

Cast:

Tony Chiu-Wai Leung    ...   Li Yilong/ Bully the Kid
Wei Zhao   ...   Phoenix
Chen Chang  ... Emperor Zheng De
Princess Wushuang  ....  Faye Wong

Plot:

This film is a parody of the 1959 film called The Kingdom of the Beauty and is produced by Wong Kar Wai. Chinese Odyssey 2002 takes place during the Ming Dynasty China. A man warns the royal highness that the royal siblings plan to escape again. They catch the Emporer Zheng De but Princess Wushuang escapes. They talk about how Princess Wushuang escapes in File number 2046 which is a reference to Wong Kar Wai's 2046 which is excellent. Princess Wushuang uses her head literally to break out of the fortress gate. Bully the Kid played by Tony Leung puts on a fake scar on his face to look tough but when a guy asks him about the lump on his head Bully the Kid says it is due to his spicy diet. An official claims Li Yilong/Bully the Kid was speeding and gives him a picture of him going over 120 kph. The machine then "prints" his picture is really nothing more than a man who draws really fast.

Li Yilong is the son of the Golden Chef of Meilong. Phoenix can't get married because everyone is afraid of her brother Li Yilong. Li Yilong tries to find a mate for his sister, Phoenix. He finds what he thinks is a man but really a woman for his sister Phoenix. It is Princess Wushuang. She dresses like this to avoid detection as the princess.

After a meal Li Yilong and Princess Wushuang hug and he feels her heartbeat. Princess Wushuang returns to the restaurant of Bully the Kid and Phoenix and likes their food. Later the three get drunk and joke. Li Yilong still thinks Princess Wushuang is a man. After a misunderstanding in bed Phoenix thinks Princess Wushuang likes her and flirts with her/him. The three go to woman who shows them water that reflects people's destinies. The lady says the two will be husband and wife (Princess Wushuang and Li Yilong). Phoenix gets jealous of Li Yilong and leaves. A person reveals they know Wushuang is a princess. They act crazy and Princess Wushuang goes on her way. The Princess's subjects follow her to protect her and take her back but arouse suspicion from Li Yilong and Phoenix when the subjects kneel to her. Princess Wushuang falls in love with Li Yilong.

Finding her bag they see royal clothes and think he's  the Emperor. The princess and Li Yilong sing a duet. Li Yilong says he'd marry the princess if she were a woman and that he'd marry her sister if she had one. She tells Li Yilong that she is really a woman. She says they have shared a bed together and have peach blossoms as a token so they must marry. They kiss. He cries knowing Phoenix will be crushed. She feels (narrates) that the roles are destined to be reversed and that she must do her best to protect him. The Emperor dresses silly and does this to test Phoenix to see if she really loves him. She tests her love by putting her hand in the fire but gets burnt. When she puts her hand again with the Emperor it doesn't get burnt.

The royal mother chastises the Emperor for letting his sister go astray and to want to marry a common man. The royal mother witnesses true love between Phoenix and the Emperor and grants their marriage. She doesn't grant the marriage between Princess Wushuang and Li Yilong because he has a despicable record: he was lazy at school, joined the street gang at 14 and became the bully of the village. He has a bad temper and behaves badly. he is careless and uneducated. The royal mother presents the Unique Destiny Rings that should fit perfectly the princess and the person she wants to marry. It doesn't fit Li Yilong so the mother says, "See He is not your destiny!"

Li Yilong/Bully the Kid wonders who Amour Amour is. Li Yilong confronts Princess Wushuang's entourage and says he has a bracelet for her. He wants to win her back. Li Yilong says, "Often, if one loves to deeply, it is intoxicating. If one hates too long, the heart is easily shattered, the most painful experience in life is waiting. I don't know how long she waited. I thought all along I would never see her again. Suddenly, I didn't know what to say, I couldn't figure out to say... to tell her I really love her." Li Yilong and Princess Wushuang try the Unique Destiny rings only thinking of the other person and they fit without moving off. The Peach Blossoms bloom and reveal she has found her true love.