Black Mask 2: City of Masks (2002)

Really Surprised!

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

I have seen quite a few superhero films, some good, some REALLY awful. I have also seen the original BLACK MASK, though this one doesn't come anywhere near the style of the original, BLACK MASK 2, is still a decent movie.I'll agree with many that this film was a bit too cheesy and campy, even for a superhero film, but considering that some of the big-budget films that have come both before and after weren't any better, I'd give this film at least a six for effort and a seven for the main star, Andy On. He's no Jet Li,(who is?), but he did a great job in this film and I think I would like to see him in many more like this one, if not a better written one.All in all, BLACK MASK 2, isn't a bad film and I think that it is worth at least a rent or two.

I am the kind of viewer who gleefully accepts the jeers of his friends when they see his shelves full of cheesy flicks from both the action and monster genres (and those are right next to some of the finest serious attempts at film making as well mind you). YET... Even with my tolerance of more than a little stupidity in my entertainment, I found this movie to be very nearly unbearable. I only kept watching past the first 15 minutes out of a combination of morbid curiosity regarding just how bad this thing would turn out to be and sheer wonder at how in the world Traci Lords, of all people, wound up being lucky enough to find work but unlucky enough to find THIS work. Poor Traci. The years are treating you well, though. I'll give you that.The "special" effects are, well, ineffective and the characters are as uncompelling as the almost half-hearted fight scenes are. Not trying to be too picky here, but honestly the wire work is pretty poor too, with slow and unlikely trajectories etc. I've seen work from second rate films made 10 years ago that tops this. The dialog is really absurd, and they really needn't have bothered with the plot they went for since it's so stupid and swallowed up by the copious mediocrity that strikes you at every turn in this piece of garbage. BM2 (a poor sequel to BM no matter what you decide it stands for) doesn't even take much advantage of cute Teresa Herrera, who plays the closest thing to a romantic/titillation role. I've got a sneaking suspicion that she is capable of being good in a movie, but maybe I am just going easy on her because I have a weakness for women in lab coats. Growling, sneering, silly dialog, bad effects, and a dumb story? If you like this kind of stuff, just watch pro "wrestling" for free.

Sure this film was terrible but it had its momments. In fact the best part of the film was the first introduction of the wrestlers. Rob Van Dam ruled but everthing else about the movie was awful!!!!!!!! That may even have been the only great momment of the film. I hate the entire concept of the genetic beasts!!! The overall design of the monsters was more to a horror movie effect and it was utterly excruciating!!! May this film forever rot in the bowels of the SiFi Channel vault!!! This could have been great if they excluded alot of the effects and did it the old school way!!! "Thats all I got to say" - hah!

"Crashman 79" Jan 30 2003...and I quote.."All in all, the movie was excellent." What can ANY straight-thinking, HALF intelligent person say to that? We're talking here arguably about one of the worst, insultingly stupid, juvenile, cruddy movies of all time! Little wonder Jet Li took a look at the script and said "You're kidding?" As a follow up to BLACK MASK (itself no Oscar contender) Hark has more than a LOT to answer for. Not far removed from a Japanese children's actioner of the 60's, this incomprehensible piece of CGI-enhanced buffoonery has no place even calling itself a "film," let alone a sequel. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the original...except for Tsui Hark's involvement. A few mutated world-wrestlers do not a storyline premise make. What the f---was Hark thinking? "Hey, this is a grabber?"This is one film WORTH a zero rating!