Andy Lau,
Carina Lau,
Bingbing Li,
Tony Leung Ka Fai,
Deng Chan
... see more 
A period epic from genre master Tsui Hark, Detective Dee is an action-packed, visually breathtaking Sherlock Holmes-style mystery starring some of China's top acting talent. Stunningly choreographed b... read more
DVD Release Date: December 13, 2011
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Stats: 440 reviews
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Flixster Reviews (440)
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April 12, 2012One over the top power packed film, Doesn't get any better, plenty of action packed scenes. The acting and costumes are unreal, Can't imagine on the big screen or in blue ray. 5 stars 4-10-12
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April 2, 2012Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame boasts some amazing visuals and action scenes, but the disjointed story and clunky subtitles stop it from being as good as it could have been. There's more than enough imagination, action, and mystery here to keep one entertained... read more
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March 19, 2012While it looks great and the acting is good the film dives into the silly way to often. About halfway through I fell asleep due to boredom and awoke to find the last twenty minutes very enjoyable.
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March 19, 2012i watched this with five other friends who "laugh tracked" the film the whole way through. i was the lone voice of pleasure as although this is a very bizarre movie in so many ways, i thought it to be wonderfully weird. expect many elements of fantasy in this historical epic, n... read more
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October 27, 2011fb1400820048It took a few days for me to process this one well enough to review it. The pros? Visually stunning (especially for a film with only a $20 million dollar budget), a fantastic mesh of beautiful and ridiculous fight choreography, delightfully campy at times, and a magic deer deliv... read more
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October 26, 2011When court officials start spontaneously bursting into flames as her coronation approaches, Empress Wu suspects a conspiracy and hires the one man she believes can uncover it: Detective Dee, whom she imprisoned years ago for treason. It's a mix of mystery, intrigue, fantasy, spe... read more
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October 2, 2011Fun Indiana Jones/mysticism hybrid film about royal and court intrigue in ancient China. A little long in the tooth but has lots of eye candy, some great fight scenes, and a nice sense of humor.
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September 28, 2011Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame is a eye popping cartoon fantasy. The details are where the spectacle shines. There's a towering Buddha statue being constructed that is a particularity majestic set piece. The production design is phenomenal. To Western audience... read more
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September 12, 2011With the right sensibilities to mix the supernatural, martial arts, a detective story and historical drama Detective Dee is a blast to watch. Tsui Hark still can do it. Of course, it helps that the script is tight, and the entire cast spot on. Add Sammo as the action director and... read more
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July 24, 2011A solid story with georgeous cinematography from the legendary director Tsui Hark, who is the gun responsible for Once Upon a Time in China and getting John Woo's action career off the ground, is well at home with this comically bizarre fantasy.
This period film has an int... read more
Critic Reviews
September 29, 2011
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
September 23, 2011
Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail
Detective Dee is the action flick of the year, a two-hour epic that blows the Pirates of the Caribbean to the Bermuda Triangle. Full Review
September 23, 2011
John DeFore, Washington Post
"Dee" doesn't shoot for the gravitas of Zhang Yimou's "Hero." It doesn't approach that film's magnificent sensory impact, either, or the artistic romanticism that made "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"... Full Review
September 22, 2011
Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader
Three decades into his career, Tsui Hark stands as one of the movies' great entertainers, displaying a dancer's sense of rhythm and movement and manipulating physical space with an abandon worthy of C... Full Review
September 22, 2011
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star
A colourful carnival of relentless action and artful images. Full Review
September 22, 2011
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Is it possible for Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame to be any more riotously over-the-top than it is? Full Review
September 22, 2011
Mark Feeney, Boston Globe
It's slambang in pacing, bald in exposition, and offers cast-of-hundreds spectacle. Full Review
September 15, 2011
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
If nothing else, the film is colorful. Full Review
September 2, 2011
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
Chang Chia-lu's intricate script bristles with wit and suspense; the film from start to finish is a terrific entertainment. Full Review
Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com
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