3D rou pu tuan zhi ji le bao jian Russell Edwards (new international release film review, April 18, 2011)
Translated from industry-speak into English by Wisdom Quarterly
Audiences get an eyeful of flesh, served with sadistic, spasmodic laughs, in "3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy," an attempt to revive the 1990s Hong Kong softcore-comedy franchise.
While this item is even less interested in spirituality than the original [films], its most notable difference, apart from its stereoscopic visuals, is a distinct mean streak.
[The new film in the series] made a robust $351,000 in Hong Kong on opening day alone, and [the box office take] will continue to be socko there, because China's strict censorship [akin to a Kansas state of mind] forces [Chinese] mainlanders to catch the film in Hong Kong. But in Oz [when no longer in Kansas], local theaters put on extra showings to meet demand.
While not always as coherent as its episodic 2D predecessors, "3D Sex and Zen" does its best to present a feature-length narrative based very loosely on the ancient Chinese text "The Carnal Prayer Mat."
Young Ming Dynasty scholar Yangsheng (Japanese thespian Hiro Hayama) falls in love with and marries beautiful Yuxiang (Leni Lan). The pair are happy, but due to a lack of stamina, among other shortcomings, the newlyweds' sex life is below par. [Ouch!] More
Camera (color, 3D), Jimmy Wong; editor, Azrael Chung; art director, Tony Yu; costume designer, Cindy Cheung; sound (Dolby); stunt coordinator, Lee Tat Chiu; associate producers, Mark Wu, Albert Lee. Reviewed at Xtremescreen 1, Hoyts Broadway, Sydney, April 14, 2011. Running time: 113 MIN