Reviewed by: Chinoco Date: 09/03/2006 Summary: Botched editing, and a weak ending ruin this film. I was looking forward to watching this movie. For one, it featured Francis Ng. Secondly, the setting of a 7/11 type convenience store seemed like a very original idea as well. Sadly, the movie just falls apart. There are also serious problems with the editing as I will mention later. 24 Hour Ghost story is about four friends, including Francis Ng, Simon Lui and Gigi Lai, who chip in together to purchase a convenience store. Upon checking the place out, Francis Ng’s character is the only one who feels reservations after getting spooked by something, but he is out-voted. Another key character is a policeman played by Dayo Wong, who instantly befriends Francis, and is the only one that believes him as things get increasing spooky. This film is almost like two stories in one. A comedy piece about four friends buying a store, and a horror film. The first hour or so (the comedy) wasn’t that bad, it even had a very funny part where Dayo, in an attempt to get rid of his over-bearing girlfriend, tells her that he is gay, and is having an affair with the unsuspecting Francis. The movie completely falls apart however, when the horror plot takes center stage. The back-story isn’t the problem either. The ghost is revealed to be a young kid accused of stealing from the store who ends up hanging himself. That was interesting, and it could have worked. The problem is the plot’s execution. There are two scenes where the editor completely falls asleep at the wheel. One of these involves a possessed Simon and Gigi (and no, it is never explained how or why they get possessed as they revert to normal in the next scene), who after eating raw meat, chase Francis around their apartment. Finally, they corner him in an elevator and… it’s over! Next thing you know it’s the next day and Francis is telling his cop buddy about the “crazy” night he just had. I also had a serious problem with the ending as nothing is resolved. I normally don’t give away endings in my reviews, but this time I will make an exception because nothing happens! That’s right, they don’t sell the store; they don’t appease or defeat the ghost. They simply just run away, and that’s it- movie over. To wrap it up the movie had an interesting beginning; Francis was ok, Dayo was very funny, and Gigi Lai (who I remembered as the girl with the stutter from the first couple Young and Dangerous movies) looks amazing. Other than that- very poor film. Reviewer Score: 4

Reviewed by: JohnR Date: 05/30/2006 Summary: 24 Hours to think of something else to watch. Disappointing ghost/comedy movie. The ghost parts weren't scary. The comedy was light. It seems as if they tried to make a novel out of a short story, it just rambled on. It could have used some focus. It looks like the whole thing was shot in two days. Story: Four friends rent a space and begin operating a convenience store, but the space may be haunted, but it might not be because Francis Ng's character is the only one who thinks it is. But wait, a cop wanders onto the set to no apparent purpose, but then he sees the ghost, too. The two of them try several exorcism techniques amid side plots involving the cop's girlfriend. Somewhere toward the end they find out the story of how the ghost became the ghost and it looks like history will repeat itself and one or all four of them will die. Francis Ng stands out and pretty much carries the movie, but it's too heavy a load. (I'm rating it 6, but it would be lower if not for him.) And I liked the way they played with the exorcism remedies and the Taoist monk. I wish Gigi Lai would have gotten more screen time, not that she did much with what she had, but she's mighty cute. Chin Kar-Lok gave it a good try, he just wasn't given a lot to work with, either. Dayo Wong was annoying as Charlie Chan, the cop. ("Charlie Chan." Wooah Ha! That's funny!) It's not awful, but there's probably something better to do than watch it. Reviewer Score: 6

Reviewed by: David Harris Date: 05/02/2001 This is one of the films that Francis Ng made when he began what turned out to be an evolution into one of the very best actors in Hong Kong (in my opinion anyway). Looks very low budget to me but I'm a sucker these kinds of ghostly goings on and the cast is uniformly good with the laughs and scares coming in equal measure. Special mention must go to Dayo Wong for being so damn funny! Well worth watching.

Reviewed by: spinali Date: 12/08/1999 Summary: NULL Ever since Tai Bo started working at his pals' all-day,all-night convenience story, he's been hearing echoes of Sichuan Opera, and he's begun wondering why the bathroom is plastered with so many charms against evil. And then there's this spooky-looking woman who passes by every day and offers incense. After the basic methods of exorcism fail (drinking infant piss, exposing puppy tails), and a Taoist monk gets thrown around like a frisbee, it's becoming clear to Tai Bo and his cop pal that they have twenty-four hours until evil spirits possess them all and cause major death and mayhem. It used to be that Chinese ghost stories had blow-out effects, name stars, and even period sets; these days, you pine for hopping vampires. Made for easily agitated teenagers. (1.5/4) [Reviewed by Steve Spinali] Reviewer Score: 3