FROM BEIJING WITH LOVE is a fun and low budget scattershot spoof of the James Bond films, Hong Kong style. It's an outing for star, writer, and director Stephen Chow, who brings his quirky eccentricity to all three roles: this is the type of film that can have cheesy romance in one scene, violent death and murder in the next, and mix it up in a plot absolutely chock full of humour from film references to slapstick to some quite surreal moments.Chow plays an ordinary butcher from the mainland who has a second life as a secret agent. When a dinosaur skull is stolen (this film came out after JURASSIC PARK) he is tasked with tracking it down, beginning a fraught relationship with female aide Anita Yuen (who is very good). The twosome face internal conflict and lots of low rent action scenes, most of which are rather funny. There's a Jaws clone and Pauline Chan as a hot femme fatale. The low budget is very apparent in the staging and occasionally in the special effects, but overall the film works very well indeed and I had something of a ball with it. Sure, it's not as polished as the bigger budgeted likes of SHAOLIN SOCCER and KUNG FU HUSTLE, but it always entertains.

As many of Stephen Chow movies this movie is some sort of parody. This time James Bond has to answer. The way Stephen Chow makes fun of the perfect Bond is something you have to see for your selves. In stead of being a skilled shooter Stephen Chow is skilled in using a butcher knife. He has all sort of gadgets which aren't very useful. As a spoof it isn't entirely perfect. Most of the jokes were lost to me since you have to know Chinese to understand. The subtitles that came with the movie weren't good translations. The comedy in this movie isn't as visual as most of Stephen Chow's work but it is still funnier than other movies like this. There are some brilliant scenes that are typical of Stephen Chow's talent (as a comedian). This movie is nice enough but not quite up to the level of Chows's usual work. (I give this 6,5 out of 10)

I have watched this movie on cable television re-runs several times and is always amused by the comedy. I have a high humour threshold and have to admit that 'From Bejing With Love' meets my expectations.The living room scene where Siu Kam (played by Anita Yuen) tries to shoot Ling Ling Chai (played by Stephen Chow) is extremely funny. She was greeted by a reverse shot by the gun. Ling Ling Chai heard the gunshot and turns around to explain to her that the gun shoots the opposite direction. While Ling Ling Chai is testing the gun's silencer, Siu Kam points the gun towards herself and shoots Ling Ling Chai again. To our surprise, she gets shot again. Ling Ling Chai explains that the gun's bullet alternates every shot. Looking defeated and injured, Siu Kam runs comically into the toilet with both her arms badly wounded.Another scene worth mentioning is when Ling Ling Chai enters the bathroom while Siu Kam is wrapped in a towel. Ling Ling Chai with a smoking pipe and two iron balls resting on his palm, looks cool. (In the early days of Chinese gangsterism, a stereotyped powerful boss usually rotates two iron balls on a palm.) The angry Siu Kam tells him to close the bathroom door. Ling Ling Chai closes the door but he is still inside the bathroom. Siu Kam shouts him to get out and close the door.Towards the end of the movie, Ling Ling Chai was in a party function and tries to take a glass of wine from the waiter's platter. However someone took it before he has the chance. Then Ling Ling Chai and the waiter looks at the platter, waiting for a miracle to happen. This is actually a parody of the famous Guinness beer commercial endorsed by George Lam.Made in 1994, this movie is still a classic. With several notable comical 'nonsense' scenes and the funny scene of 'extinguish cigarette butt on a hand' that was repeated in Shaolin Soccer (2001).Mao points: 9/10

If you have ever watched a James Bond film and aren't all that particular about having a believable plot then you will more than likely find this to be a screamingly funny film. It sends up the genre and makes no apologies,from the over the top villain, to a 'Q' clone who borders on the insane,to a Femme Fatale of questionable allegiance this film has it all. A definite must see for anyone who likes a good laugh.