Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings is the third installment of the Chinese Detective Dee action-adventure fantasy mystery film franchise, directed by Tsui Hark. It is a sequel to Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon (2013) and a prequel to Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010).

The Four Heavenly Kings picks up immediately following the events of Rise of the Sea Dragon. Dee Renjie (Mark Chao) is a talented crime investigator who has been appointed head of the Bureau. To thank him for his assistance with the Sea Dragon, Emperor Gaozong (Sheng Chien) entrusts Dee with the Dragon-Taming Mace, which is more powerful than any blade and can even ward off magic. The Empress (Carina Lau) is livid—she is worried that without the Mace, warning the Emperor that the city will be left unprotected. So she goes behind his back and assigns the commander of the Golden Guard, Yuchi Zhenjin (Feng Shaofeng), the task of retrieving the Mace by any means necessary. Empress Wu also hires a team of four Jianghu illusionists and magicians called The Mystic Clan—Huan Tian, Spectral Blades, Night Ghost and Smoke Volant— and female assassin Water Moon (Ma Sichun) to assist Yuchi. However, Yuchi would prefer to go it alone as he doesn’t necessarily agree with the more violent ideas of these mercenaries.

As Dee is investigating a burglary with associates Sha Tuo (Lin Gengxin) and Ding Yuanda (Gao Yulin), he quickly discovers that it is a setup, and that someone is trying to kill him. They manage to escape being consumed by a deadly poison, but are now more alert to the dangers surrounding them. As Dee tries to prevent the Mace from falling into the hands of these mercenaries, he is unaware that another evil is also work. An ancient group known as the Wind Warriors is also plotting to take over the city. A long time ago they assisted the emperor in battle, but then he turned against them, trying to wipe them all out. Now the Wind Warriors want revenge, and are planning to use their ability to control people’s minds and manipulate their behavior in order to take control of the city.

I had previously heard of the Detective Dee films, but had never watched one until now, and I was pleasantly surprised. The film is this thoroughly-entertaining blend of supernatural/fantasy, mystery, action-adventure and even humor. There are many twists and turns to the story that keep you guessing as to who is good, who is evil, and what is really going on. The special effects are amazing, especially in the film’s massive climactic battle. With Dee being the title character, I was kind of surprised that he takes a back seat for much of the film. Instead, a lot of the movie is focused on the power-hungry Empress Wu, her reluctant minion Yuchi and several other characters. Dee is a source of some of the film’s comic relief, though the crux of that belongs to the sort of rom-com that happens between his protege Sha Tuo and female assassin Water Moon (they even have a meet-cute in the baths). These two were definitely my favorite characters in the movie. Their love-hate relationship is so much fun.

You could easily tell this film was designed to be seen in 3D—the opening sequence finds Dee trying to stab a falling leaf with his sword, and throughout the film there are constantly things flying towards the viewer. It’s disappointing that Well Go USA isn’t releasing these these films in their native 3D in the United States. This is one of the main reasons why I never checked out the previous two films—I could never find an English-friendly 3D release with either an English audio track or English subtitles. However, when I was offered this third film for review, I decided to jump in to see what the franchise was about. I am definitely more curious now to check out the other two films! I just wish I was able to see these in their native 3D as I suspect they would be amazing!

Well Go USA’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds fantastic. The picture is pristine and detailed with beautiful, rich colors. Darker scenes also look amazing, with no signs of black crush. The DTS:X audio track is equally as impressive, making excellent use of all channels to give the viewer a fully-immersive viewing experience. There are several scenes where there’s thunder or rain, and it sounds like it’s coming from overhead. The subwoofer also rumbles with every clash of thunder, or roar of a dragon, giant ape, or other creatures. During battle scenes, the clanking of swords and whizzing of arrows can be heard in all directions, adding to the excitement. There is no English soundtrack, so those who don’t speak Mandarin will be forced to read subtitles.

The Blu-ray/DVD combo release comes packed in standard HD keepcase, reportedly with a slipcover though my review copy did not include one. Unfortunately, the only bonus material included is a collection of trailers for other releases.

What’s Included:

Film: (2:11:47)

Blu-ray:
• 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
• Audio: Mandarin DTS:X, Mandarin DTS headphone:X, Mandarin 2.0 Stereo
• Subtitles: English

DVD:

• 480p / Anamorphic Widescreen 2.39:1
• Audio: Mandarin 5.1 Dolby Digital, Mandarin 2.0 Stereo
• Subtitles: English

Extras:
The same trailers can be found on both discs.

• Trailers
  • Dark Sorcery (1:44)
  • Heavenly Kings Arrive (2:16)
• Previews
  • Golden Job (1:46)
  • Big Brother (1:47)
  • The Island (1:32)

Final Thoughts:

Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings is a highly-entertaining visual and aural treat that is sure to please anyone looking for a fun fantasy/supernatural action-adventure. There is no need to have seen the other two films in the franchise in order to fully enjoy this one. Well Go USA’s Blu-ray presentation looks and sounds fantastic, however, it does not offer 3D playback, and doesn’t include any bonus material. That said, the release still comes recommended based on the film alone.