Sex and Zen 3D

A 3D sex movie, especially one produced in Hong Kong and especially one with a pedigree such as the Sex and Zen movies from the 1990s, should be a lot of fairly harmless fun. There should be plenty of double entendres (and single entendres!), plenty of bosoms heaving out across the audience, and a plot that is as uncomplicated as the sexual positions are complicated.

For the most part, '3D Sex & Zen: Extreme Ecstasy' is that film. Extremely handsome boy meets extremely beautiful girl. They make a lot of love, but something's not right. So, the handsome boy goes off to consult various masters in hopes of improving things. That's the first half of the film. Rather unfortunately, the second half turns to violence, sadism, rape and torture, and where five minutes ago one was chuckling about the protagonist declaring "I must make love to ten women at the same time", suddenly one is faced with genital mutilation, followed by rape, then more genital mutilation, followed by... Well, you get the idea with that one.

I suppose a film has to go in a direction, and a sex film especially, once the thrill of seeing the actors and actresses naked has waned somewhat. It can become increasingly absurd and nihilistic, like many Russ Meyer films; change tack and take in another exploitation genre (such as, ummm, 'Zombie Strippers'?); or go for a message, which more often than not is 'actually, this much sex isn't that good for you' (take 'Austin Powers', if you will). 3D Sex & Zen goes somewhere between all three, and despite being about 20 minutes too long, somehow fails to deliver satisfactorily on any count.

The message that it does have is sweet, however, and understandable to people of all nations. And there's something charming about the fact that in Hong Kong, 3D Sex & Zen made more than Avatar on its opening day. Overall, it's worth a watch, perhaps more for what it is than what it says.