Are Louis Koo and Lau Ching-Wan the next famous film comedy team? Director Chan Hing-Kar sure seems to think so, since he's paired them up in five movies, including his (along with co-director Janet Chun) latest release, the gambling-themed comedy Poker King. Though nothing here is brilliant, everything presented is serviceable enough, and fans of Hong Kong comedies are guaranteed at least a few chuckles. That is, if they can get through Poker King's overlong running time.

Coming in at a couple of ticks over two hours, Poker King definitely ends up wearing its' welcome thin by the end. That's a shame, because the basic elements are solid enough. The jokes aren't high art, but they aren't the kind of annoying over-the-top screaming and toilet humor that permeates far too many Hong Kong comedies, either. Lau Ching-Wan and Louis Koo obviously have good chemistry together, which leads to them having a lot of fun acting in this movie, and that feeling is nicely transferred on to the viewer.

Unfortunately, what should be an easily digestable story about a man taking over a casino from its' crooked owner is made less palatable by the bloat thrown into the script. Do we really need to devote significant screen time to Louis' sidekick trying to find love? The attempts at real pathos come off as hollow, given the breezy nature of the rest of the film. Plus, the side stories really take away focus from what should be the true emphasis in a movie called Poker King: the gambling. The gaming scenes are actually quite well done, but there just aren't enough of them.

At its' core, though, Poker King does do what it ostensibly sets out to accomplish -- delivering cute brainless entertainment. But one can only turn off their brain for so long before the act becomes tiresome. The film-makers should take the old adage of "less is more" and apply it to their next production, since even viewers with the longest attention spans shouldn't really be expected to sit through two-plus hours of light comedy on a regular basis and enjoy it.

RATING: 6