The Twins Effect II is a 2004 Hong Kong action fantasy adventure film directed by Corey Yuen and Patrick Leung. The film is a sequel to The Twins Effect (2003), but has a completely different story from the first film. It starred Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung of Cantopop duo Twins in the leading roles. Co-stars include Donnie Yen, Daniel Wu, Edison Chen, Wilson Chen, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Qu Ying, Fan Bingbing and Jim Chim. Jackie Chan also makes a cameo appearance, along with his son Jaycee Chan in his acting debut. The film's original English working title was The Huadu Chronicles: Blade of the Rose and its US DVD release title is Blade of Kings.

The Twins Effect II
Film poster
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese千機變II花都大戰
Simplified Chinese千机变II花都大战
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinQiān Jī Biàn Èr Huādū Dàzhàn
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingCin1 Gei1 Bin3 Ji6 Fa1 Dou1 Daai6 Zin3
Directed byCorey Yuen
Patrick Leung
Written byChan Kin-chung
Roy Szeto
Chit Ka-kei
Lam Suet
Michelle Tsui
Produced byAlbert Lee
Zhao Jianguo
StarringDonnie Yen
Jaycee Chan
Charlene Choi
Gillian Chung
Bolin Chen
Tony Leung Ka-fai
Qu Ying
Fan Bingbing
Jackie Chan
Daniel Wu
Edison Chen
Jim Chim
CinematographyChan Chi-ying
Chan Kwok-hung
Edited byCheung Ka-fai
Music byTommy Wai
Production
companies
Emperor Motion Pictures
Emperor Classic Films
Shenzhen Film Studio
Distributed byEmperor Motion Pictures
Release date
  • 6 August 2004 (2004-08-06)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese

Plot

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The film is set in Flower Capital, a land ruled by an evil queen (Qu Ying) who started hating men after her lover, High Priest Wei Liao (Daniel Wu), betrayed her. All men in the kingdom are slaves to women. However, a prophecy foretells that one day, the Star of Rex will find and wield a mythic sword, rise to power, overthrow the queen, and restore the balance of the two sexes.

At the start of the movie, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Donnie Yen), a master swordsman who has made it his quest to overthrow the queen's regime, has commissioned Peachy (Edison Chen) to steal for him a certain engraved stone from the queen's palace. Peachy is successful, but the queen's soldiers and spies pursue him. Before the stone can be recaptured, it comes into the possession of Peachy's two friends Charcoal Head (Jaycee Chan) and Blockhead (Bolin Chen), who like Peachy earn a humble living by street-performing in a troupe led by their adoptive father, Blackwood.

The two set out to deliver the stone to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, along the way discovering the stone is actually a map, which they assume will lead them to riches. Before they can meet Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, they are intercepted by two lovely, but lethal, female warriors, Spring (Charlene Choi) and Blue Bird (Gillian Chung), each of whom is pursuing the pair for different reasons. The four agree to follow the map together, eventually learning that the map leads to the mythic sword and that either Charcoal Head or Blockhead is the Star of Rex. The journey takes them through dangerous terrain, culminating in an encounter with the Lord of Armour (Jackie Chan), who guards the way to the sword.

Even as the four make their way toward the sword, the queen is preparing for their destruction, using her army and her powerful magic. A final battle will decide the fate of the land.

Cast

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