The idea that the past is somehow retrievable by those who want it enough has long occupied the imagination of young director Derek Kwok. His debut, The Pye-Dog, and more recent release, Gallants, both displayed a certain naivety – and, to some extent, complete ignorance of the reality of a world that has since moved on – that is oddly touching. Kwok’s latest, Frozen, represents his silliest venture to date, despite its less-than-half-baked sci-fi conceit.

Upon visiting Hong Kong with her father and grandfather, who are both scientists, Wing (Janice M. Vidal) learns that her mother has secretly been kept in vitrification in their backyard since the latter was seriously injured in a car accident – and gave birth to Wing – some 20 years ago. As the 18-year-old mother, Monica (Janice Man), wakes up from the deep freeze, the pair go on a search for Kit (Aarif Rahman), Wing’s biological father and Monica’s one great love, only to find a bum (Leon Lai) slumbering under a bridge.

“It feels like a sci-fi B-movie from Hollywood,” Wing observes at one point, clearly pre-empting her director of any accusation over the story’s laughable scientific set-up. With Leslie Cheung’s melodic tunes drowning the soundtrack, the film echoes Kwok’s sentimental indulgence with its incessant flashbacks to Monica and Kit’s high school love. For the audience, Frozen is like a visit to the purgatory of memories, where fashion is neon, Leslie Cheung is all the rage, and Leon Lai is still rocking his headband on the dance floor.

Edmund Lee

Dir Derek Kwok, Category IIA, 98 mins, Opens September 2