Movie spotlight
New Ali Baba
An evil wizard finds King Solomon's magic lantern, but Solomon's curse prevents him from taking it - only someone born the same month, same day and same hour as Solomon can take it. That someone is Ali Baba, a poor, kind-hearted lad who lives with his brother, Ali Mama (Eric Tsang). When Ali Baba sees the 40 thieves enter their hideout and learns the ritual needed for entrance, he steals some gold and jewels. The 40 find out and capture Ali Baba, but he is saved by the evil wizard and taken to retrieve the magic lantern. Ali Baba releases the genie...and you know the story. It all culminates in a chase, the wizard on a flying horse and Ali Baba on his flying carpet.
Insights
Plot Summary
In the fantastical land of Alibaba, a young thief named Alibaba is tricked by the sorcerer Abu into retrieving a magical lamp. However, Abu betrays Alibaba, stealing the lamp and the beautiful princess whom Alibaba had befriended. Alibaba must then embark on a perilous journey to rescue the princess and defeat the evil sorcerer.
Critical Reception
New Ali Baba is a lesser-known martial arts film from the late 1980s, often overshadowed by other Hong Kong action cinema of the era. It features the distinctive fight choreography of Yuen Woo-ping, but its plot and production values are generally considered more straightforward for the genre.
What Reviewers Say
Features impressive martial arts sequences choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping.
The plot follows a familiar adventure trope with a fantasy twist.
Performances are typical for the action genre of the period.
Google audience: Audience reception for New Ali Baba is scarce, but general sentiment for similar genre films from the era points to appreciation for the action choreography over narrative depth.
Fun Fact
Donnie Yen, who plays Alibaba, was already a rising star in martial arts cinema at this time, known for his dynamic fighting style.
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