From Vegas to Macau III is a dual Chinese and Hong Kong production and can best be classified as an action comedy film, first released in February 2016. The film was directed by Andrew Lau and Wong Jing, and stars Chow Yun-Fat, Andy Lau, Nick Cheung, and Li Yuchun. Jacky Cheung and Carina Lau also make special guest appearances. From Vegas to Macau III is the third and final film of the From Vegas to Macau film series.
The Basic Story
This action comedy film features a gambling plot with very little actual gambling and many gags to bring together a story highly anticipated by the Chinese audience.
The Plot Points
The film begins with the ending of the previous From Vegas to Macau II, where Ken’s lifelong nemesis and lover, Molly, jumps from her private jet sans parachute. She is revealed to be trapped in a bubble by mad scientist Yik Tin Hang. Meanwhile in Macau, Ken is warned about Yik Tin Hang, and a wedding, action, and a few explosions later, Ken and Mark end up in prison, accused of having illegal funds, where they spend their time playing poker with cigarettes. All ends up well as they are rescued from prison and kept in Singapore, and are then brought into battle with Yik Tin Hang over games of table tennis, mahjong, dice, and top Dubai online casino card games in a Thai island resort.
The Film’s Credits
From Vegas to Macau II stars Chow Yun-fat as Ken, Andy Lau as Michael, Nick Cheaung as Mark, and Li Yuchun as Ko. The film also features celebrities such as Jacky Cheung as Yik Tin Hang and Carina Lau as Molly, who both make special appearances throughout the film. Chow Yun-fat, Nick Cheung, and Carina Lau return to the cast in their roles from the previous films, while Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung come in as new cast members.
The Production Side of Things
From Vegas to Macau II started filming in August 2015, and was ready for release in February 2016, first in Hong Kong and then in China.
What the Critics Have to Say
Although there is no debating that the From Vegas to Macau series has been tremendously successful in Chinese cinemas, making the third installment one of the most anticipated releases in Chinese cinemas, film critics have been severely disappointed by the film, judging it as lacking story line, consisting of gags without substance, senseless shoot-ups, and an overall technical quality that is decent enough but makes no effort to hide bad sets, designs and CGI.
This seems to have been even more of a disappointment as the original From Vegas to Macau, released in 2014, offered a fresh sense of stunts, jokes, and a story that led audience goers and critics to believe that director Wong was recapturing the magic of some of his previous franchises, notably, the God of Gambler and Conman.
From Vegas to Macau III seems to make fun of all of Wong’s previous works, with poorly crafted characters, senseless gags, song and dance routines, and continuous references to the actors’ previous performances.