Cleopatra Wong (1978)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Absolutely brilliant

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

The idea of this movie - a sexy female secret agent - was not a new idea even when this movie was made. However, it all the same had some great possibilities for both sleaze and action. Unfortunately, the potential was nowhere near realized by these particular filmmakers. There is no nudity by the lead figure or any other character in the movie, and while there is sex, it's so tamely staged that it could play in prime time television with absolutely no edits. When it comes to action, things are not that much better. The martial arts sequences are old school style, and not particularly well choreographed or directed. Occasionally they are lame enough to generate a slight chuckle, I admit, but not often enough. The other parts of the movie do once in a while generate some extra unintended humor, but the total number of laughs is pretty limited. The movie for the most part is pretty dull and feeble, and it's hard to believe it was an international success.

Perky and sexy ace Interpol agent Cleopatra Wong (a winningly sunny and spunky performance by the lovely Merrie Lee) teams up with four male counterparts to take out a nefarious counterfeit money outfit who plan on taking over Asia. Directer Bobby A. Suarez tackles the gloriously absurd material with real rip-roaring gusto: the snappy pace rarely drags, there's wall to wall wacky martial arts fights, an amiable breezy tone is well sustained throughout, and the climactic protracted twenty-five minute major set piece with Wong and her friends decked out in nun's habits attacking the monastery that's a front for the whole evil funny money operation is simply astounding. The expected uproariously lousy dubbing (Wong speaks with a hilariously out of place posh British accent!), the cartoonishly wicked bad guys, the excessive comic book violence, enthusiastic acting from a game no-name cast, the frequent use of drawn-out slow motion, the loopy dialogue (favorite line: "Freeze, or you're a dead nun!"), the overdone sound effects, a couple of mild heavy-breathing sex scenes, and the exotic globe-trotting locations all add greatly to this film's considerable campy charm. David Hung's cinematography is pretty crude, but overall still colorful and effective. Romeo Galang's get-down groovy score hits the funky diggin' spot something sweet. A total kitschy blast.

"Cleopatra Wong" lives up to its title in the first half: there is very little plot and quite a lot of action, and it's all about the title character, an Interpol agent, traveling from (Asian) country to country and getting into brawl after brawl as she's trying to shut down a counterfeiting ring. The editing can be crude at times and Marrie Lee (Cleo) doesn't really have a distinctive fighting style, but every now and then she will do an unorthodox move that will have you rewinding the tape / DVD and wondering how she did that. But in the second half the film becomes a team effort, and Cleo kind of takes a back seat to the four other (male) agents that join her in her efforts. The entire second half takes place in a monastery (where the counterfeiters have disguised themselves as monks and nuns!), and don't be surprised if you feel the need to use your fast-forward button. ** out of 4.

This was my favorite movie when I was young (6 or 7 years). I don't really remember everything except for the fight scenes. All I remember of this movie is that the actress is beautiful and that she fights well! I try to find this movie for years.