Royal Tramp II 鹿鼎記II 神龍教 (1992): The Movie Where Stephen Chow Fought a Naked Goddess, Married a Princess, and Still Had Time to Save the Dragon Vein
One Sentence
A brothel rat turned imperial favorite must escort a princess to marriage, survive a power-hungry warlord, and navigate a love triangle with a goddess — all while pretending he knows what he's doing.
The Sequel That Could Have Failed — But Didn't
Sequels are hard. Especially when the first film was a masterpiece. Royal Tramp (1992) was Stephen Chow at his peak — a box office phenomenon that defined the "Year of Stephen Chow." It was the third-highest grossing film of 1992, earning HK$40.86 million.
A sequel was inevitable. But it could have been a disaster. Instead, Royal Tramp II exceeded expectations, earning HK$36.58 million and becoming the fifth-highest grossing film of the year. It proved that Stephen Chow wasn't a one-hit wonder — he was a dynasty.
The film holds an 8.1 on Douban with over 239,000 ratings — higher than most comedy sequels ever achieve.
The Plot: More Chaos, More Women, More Problems
Wei Xiaobao (Stephen Chow) is back. This time, he's been ordered to escort Princess Jianning (Chingmy Yau) to Yunnan for an arranged marriage to Wu Yingxiong, the son of the treacherous Prince Wu Sangui.
But nothing is ever simple.
On the journey, Wei is ambushed by the One-Armed Nun (a legendary assassin who wants to kill the princess). He escapes, only to be captured by the Dragon Cult's holy maiden, Lung-er (Brigitte Lin) — a woman who wants revenge for something he did in the first film.
Meanwhile, he's also trying to seduce A-ke (Michele Reis), the nun's beautiful disciple. And he's still juggling his loyalties to the Emperor, the Triads, and his own survival.
The film then throws in a power-hungry warlord, a hidden dragon vein that could determine the fate of the Qing dynasty, and a final showdown that involves Wei pretending to be a eunuch.
It's chaotic. It's ridiculous. It's pure Stephen Chow.
The Cast That Defines an Era
-
Stephen Chow returns as Wei Xiaobao — the ultimate anti-hero. He's still scheming, still lying, and still winning.
-
Brigitte Lin plays Lung-er, the Dragon Cult holy maiden. She's beautiful, dangerous, and completely out of Wei's league. Their scenes together are electric.
-
Chingmy Yau plays Princess Jianning — spoiled, bratty, and secretly in love with Wei. Her chemistry with Chow is perfect.
-
Michele Reis plays A-ke — the nun's disciple and Wei's latest obsession. She's stunning, but she's also the most wasted character in the film.
-
Chen Pak-cheung returns as Wei's loyal sidekick, Duo Long. He's the comic foil who gets all the best lines.
-
Liu Songren plays Chen Jinnan, the Triad leader who keeps trying to recruit Wei.
-
Wu Junru returns in a small but memorable role.
-
Damian Lau plays Prince Wu Sangui — the villain who wants to overthrow the Emperor.
-
Ng Man-tat appears in a brief but hilarious cameo.
-
Paul Chun, Ken Tong, Fennie Yuen, Vivian Chan — the supporting cast is stacked with Hong Kong's finest.
The Scene That Breaks the Internet
There's a scene in the film that everyone remembers: Wei Xiaobao finds himself in a room with Lung-er — and she's naked. Not just slightly naked. Completely naked. He's terrified. She's furious. He's trying to escape. She's trying to kill him.
It's absurd. It's inappropriate. It's also one of the funniest scenes in Hong Kong cinema history.
Stephen Chow's reaction — the panic, the desperation, the sheer terror — is comedic genius. Brigitte Lin, playing the goddess who has never been seen naked by a man, is both furious and vulnerable. It's a scene that shouldn't work, but it does — because it's played for laughs, not titillation.
Why It Still Matters
Royal Tramp II is not a perfect film. The plot is messy. The pacing is uneven. Some of the jokes haven't aged well. But it's a film that captures the spirit of Hong Kong cinema at its peak: fast, funny, and completely unhinged.
It's also a film that proves Stephen Chow was more than just a comedian — he was a cultural phenomenon. His ability to make audiences laugh, even when the material is absurd, is unmatched.
And it's a film that gives us one of the greatest cameos in cinema history: Brigitte Lin playing a goddess who is both terrifying and hilarious.
Final Thought
Royal Tramp II is not as good as the first film. But it's still a must-watch for any Stephen Chow fan. It's chaotic, hilarious, and completely over-the-top. And it's a reminder of why Hong Kong cinema was once the most exciting film industry in the world.
Please enjoy this movie clip
Have you seen Royal Tramp II? Which film do you prefer — the first or the sequel? Let me know in the comments.
Tom De · The Movie Prince 🎬
Comments
Post a Comment