NUMBER 2 (男儿王2) (2025)

Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Ong Kuo Sin
Cast: Mark Lee, Jaspers Lai, Darius Tan, Kiwebaby Chang, Gadrick Chin, Gina Tan, Estovan Reizoo, Marcus Chin 
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: NC16 (Mature Theme)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment, King Kong Media Productions and Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 28 January 2025

Synopsis: The Queens are back! Facing the prospects of being phased out with their old gags, the team engage in sideline odd jobs to keep their livelihoods afloat. Chee Beng, who is moonlighting as a property agent got into a bad altercation while being humiliated during one of his viewings. The result of this bad PR causes Chee Beng to be expelled from the drag community and barred from performing in Singapore. However, an opportunity arises, a drag competition in Thailand! Chee Beng pushes for the team to compete and regain their former glory while dealing with his rebellious teenage son, Mason.

Movie Review:

Local comedian Mark Lee has come a long way. From a supporting character on a weekly TV comedy programme to an award winning actor, Lee has proven himself to be a versatile personality in showbiz. In 2020, he starred Ong Kuo Sin’s Number 1, a drama comedy about a middle aged white collar worker who reluctantly joins the drag queen industry after being retrenched. It was a critical and commercial hit, with Lee getting a Best Actor nomination at the 57^th Golden Horse Awards. The local production was recognised with the Best Costume and Makeup Design prize at the ceremony.

It was naturally a big thing for Singapore, and that naturally calls for a sequel. While some may debate whether a second movie is necessary, we are happy to report that it is a bigger (thanks to the larger budget), bolder (in terms of production value and definitely splashes of gaudy colours) and campier production.

Aptly titled Number 2, Lee returns as Chow Chee Beng in this 95 minute movie. He is now a property agent who gets involved in a PR disaster when social media influencers pretending to be clients trick him into dressing up as a drag queen during a house viewing session. As a result, he loses his job and in a bewilderingly funny sequence, our protagonist goes through a trial (with Kumar as a judge) and is banned from performing as a drag queen in Singapore.

Things aren’t going well for Chee Beng at home too. While the relationship with his wife (Gina Tan) isn’t rocky anymore, his English speaking son (Estovan Reizo) is giving him a headache. The young boy’s ambition is to be a social media content creator, so you can imagine how things aren’t exactly aligned between the bickering father and son pair.

A man has got to do what a man has got to do. With a need to pay for expenses, Chee Beng gathers The Queens (returning cast members Jaspers Lai, Kiwebaby, Darius Tan and Gadrick Chin) and they jet off to Thailand for a drag queen competition where a huge prize money prize awaits the winning group. To make things interesting, Chee Beng’s son follows along (it’s the school holidays) because he manages to convince his father to document The Queen’s journey.

As expected, The Queens run into a series of hilarious setups and disasters. And they are truly funny, thanks to a game ensemble cast led by Lee, who delivers another heartfelt and winning performance that reminds us why he is one of the best actors in Singapore.

You see The Queens painstakingly get ready for a performance which puns Thai pop duo China Dolls’ “Sawadika” – we found ourselves tapping our feet along to the infectious tune. Alas, the show they put up ends on a catastrophic note, and it is time to cue the touching scenes. The story co written by Ong and Lai explores father and son dynamics this time round, and while the emotions are not as poignant as the first movie, the plot still does a decent job at pulling your heartstrings.

With more elaborate costumes, choreography and production values, this is an immensely enjoyable sequel. There are even original songs with cleverly written lyrics sung by The Queens that you want to see performed live.

Movie Rating:

(You will cheer The Queens on as they deliver bigger and bolder performances in this entertaining sequel)

Review by John Li