The Gambling Ghost Movie Review – Sudden Wealth & The Help of a Ghost
Our The Gambling Ghost movie review presents a well-known story about the connection between gambling and the urge for quick wins. The plot in this Chinese production adopts the ghost hijinks seen from the very founding of Hong Kong filmmaking. Is that all it takes to help the production stand out among similar films? Further in the article, we go over The Gambling Ghost movie’s details, such as plot overview, cast, characters and where you can watch it online.
The Gambling Ghost Movie – Interesting Production Details
The Gambling Ghost movie is a Hong Kong action-comedy circling the film scene since 1991. It was directed by Clifton Ko, a director best known for his comedies, who pulled a competent job here as well. Besides, the writer Roman Cheung did a great job presenting the prolific era of Hong Kong production genres.
They combined a few of the popular trends that were finding their way into the local cinema at that time. This ghost comedy scene is well-known to the leading actor, as he plays the main roles in two similar films – the 1982’s The Dead and the Deadly and 1986’s Where’s Officer Tuba. Here are more details related to the crowd-pleaser where the main actor plays 3 different roles:
| 📆 Release Date: | 1991 |
| 🎬 Director: | Clifton Ko |
| ✍️ Screenwriters: | Roman Cheung |
| ⏰ Runtime: | 93 Minutes |
| 🏢 Production Company: | Golden Leaf Film Production Consultant |
| 💿 Distribution Company: | Newport Films Distribution Co., Ltd. (Hong Kong) |
| 💰 Box Office | HK $7,729,690.00 |
| 🌟 iMDB: | 5.8/10 |
| 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes: | 76% Audience Score |
Sammo Hung was always an innovator in his career. He had combined martial arts and the supernatural with his spooky encounters’ productions. With The Gambling Ghost film, the writers throw in gaming elements to create a veritable stew of a movie. It presents a plot similar to the best poker movies.
The Gambling Ghost Film Plot – Long Wanted Revenge
Gaming debts and family relations will fill the following lines of our The Gambling Ghost movie review. This action-comedy reveals the life of an unfortunate player – the young Sammo. He and his associate Hoi work at a hotel. As Hong Kong was filled with rich people back then, Fatty (Sammo) wanted a part of it as well. That was what pushed him to want sudden wealth.
Together with his partner, Fatty entered the gambling world. His father, played by the same actor, deplores such activities and sees nothing but trouble. The reason for that is the faith of the grandpa, played again by Sammo Hung. He was a card shark but found his end at the point of a gun barrel in a mafia-run casino. Nonetheless, the young hotel worker wanted to become part of the elite so severely that he surpassed those facts.
Unfortunately, Fatty doesn’t seem to have inherited his ancestor’s gaming talent. Instead, he and his friend manage to scam the local gangsters out of their cash. When that backfired, they were left with 24 hours to pay back the money. Fortunately for the young player, his grandfather’s ghost is eager to get back at the mobsters who killed him.
The grandfather agrees to help, and with secret help from the otherworld, Sammo finally becomes the unbeatable poker wizard he’s always wanted to be. Check this thrilling The Gambling Ghost movie online plot in the trailer below:
The Gambling Ghost movie follows a typical Hong Kong comedy pattern: a drawn-out, episodic start, which suddenly expedites to an action-packed finish in the last third. On top of that, a ghost forcing a man into getting him revenge or closure is an idea well-known and used before by the leading actor. Last but not least, the memorable triple performance as three generations of the same family had a significant impact on the appearance.
The Gambling Ghost Cast – Exceptional Act
For a Chinese production from the 90s, The Gambling Ghost cast gives an excellent performance. We can start with the first-rate fighting – Sammo Hung and Billy Chow go toe-to-toe for yet another time. The film’s main star puts different mannerisms into each of his parts, resulting in three unique characters – grandfather, father, and son. Find the complete movie cast below:
| 🤵 Actor | 🎭 Role |
|---|---|
| Sammo Hung | Fatty, Fatty’s Fatter, Hung Kao |
| Nina Li Chi | Miss Lily |
| Mang Hoi | Hoi Siu-Hon |
| James Wong | Rich Brother Dragon |
| Wu Ma | Uncle Ng |
| Corey Yuen | Gambler Wah |
The whole cast manages to represent the gambling atmosphere of Hong Kong. The gap between the high-class society and the average worker paints the period perfectly. Each character contributes with spot-on acting and well-performed martial art scenes. The plot, the fun parts, the scenario, and the list of spectacular characters, bring you closer to the atmosphere experienced at the online roulette casinos in Hong Kong.
The Gambling Ghost Film Reception – An Underrated Gem
The movie is mainly broadcasted in China, which explains the low viewership rate offshore. We went over the audience and critics’ verdicts. The viewers rate the performance of Sammo as fabulous but give the movie itself a relatively low rating.
A big part of the comments also says that the fight scenes are worth your time. They add the comedy aspect and pretty much make the movie watchable. In Martial Arts choreography, people give credit to Mang Hoi. The lady conman sizzled by Nina Li Chi gets to a great fight at the end, which also calls on the positive side of the viewer.
The movie is 90 mins, filled with fun moments and great acting. There are scenes where the whole family is together, and it takes some time to get those parts. For Sammo Hung fans, this is yet another great performance by the actor. That is visible to us all, and we give him credit for an exceptional roleplay. Some even compare the great 1991 performance with the 1986’s Tom Cruise in The Colour of Money movie.
Where to Watch The Gambling Ghost Film?
We have cleared the details and overall reception of this Chinese movie. The viewers are also curious to know where they can find The Gambling Ghost movie online. Even with a rating far from a blockbuster, the production finds its place on many different platforms. The easiest one to get to is on YouTube. You can also buy it from Amazon and stream it using JustWatch or M4uHD. Find the available options listed below.
- Amazon – Stream/Rent/Buy
- Blue Ray – Rent/Buy
- JustWatch – Stream
- YouTube – Rent/Stream
- M4uHD – Stream
In case you are attracted by the thrilling gaming atmosphere, there are more movies to watch. You can also try some casino games to feel the vibe. That is possible from the comfort of your home or while out and about. Browse through our roulette casino games guide for example or learn about some of the best roulette strategies of all times.
The Gambling Ghost FAQ
You have reached the last part of our The Gambling Ghost movie review. It is filled with common film-related questions. The answers are provided by our team of experts and include details about the production. There is also data on where to watch it and who are the Chinese actors involved.
Similar Articles
