Taking the Drag Out Of..... (Kiss of the Dragon (DVD))

Member Name: utero

Product:	Kiss of the Dragon (DVD)
Date:	27/02/02 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Kick Ass Action, Honest Brutality

Disadvantages: No Real Story, Not Really Believeable

Chow Yun Fat, Jackie Chan, Stephen Chow, Donnie Yen, Bruce Lee. All names instantly associated with asian cinema. Add to that list one Jet Li, a small perfectly formed man who just happens to be capable of kicking your ass very quickly and efficiently.

Li decided to enter the american market with an appearance in Lethal Weapon 4, not the most ideal of introductions but hey it's a start. Next was a starring role in the film Romeo Must Die, an action film with some good action but a story that really didn't make much sense when all was said and done. Now comes Kiss of the Dragon. All the elements are here for a good time. You have a script collaborated on by one Luc Besson, you have Li in Paris and you have the female element taken care of by the always dependable Bridget Finda. You also have a villain who is actually not the slightest bit a pussy.

"SO UTERO, WHAT'S IT ABOUT?"

Well Li plays a Chinese intelligence officer Liu who goes to Paris to assist on an assignement to capture a renowed drug baron. However he soon gets embroiled in corruption and deception. Soon he's a wanted man, framed for murder by a snarling and vicious police detective named Richard (Tcheky Karyo). Whilst in hiding he gets entagled with a helpless prostitute Jessica (Fonda) who has a connection to Richard.

"IS THAT IT?"

Yes I'm afraid so, those looking for a deep and meaningful plot should look elsewhere. Kiss of the Dragon has it's eyes set firmly on the action.

"SO WHAT KICKS ASS?"

Well the action certainly does rock and there's a great deal. Guns are fired in great amount and there's some brilliantly coreogrpahed action scenes where bad guys get taken on and fried with red hot irons to the face while some even meet the nastiest of ends. It teaches you that grenades really shouldn't be messed with and where there's a snooker table there's a way.


I found myself heavily getting into the action from the outset. At times it was so brutal that I actually found myself lauging and recoiling at the sheer brutality on show. Li himself is a more hardcore version of what we've seen from Jackie Chan in the Rush Hour movies. That's slapstick vilence, this is more real.

What I also liked about the film is the fact that it was pretty hard ass. The villain Richard is someone who's completely off his head. Anyone who even questions his orders doesn't get a second chance. Karyo has played this kind of character before in Bad Boys and I never once found him to be over the top. His menace is real and that makes his come-uppance much more satisfying as a result.

Fonda as well is always enjoyable and dressed as a hooker throughout the movie...well what's not to like?

"YEAH BUT WHAY THE THREE STAR RATING?"

Well you see this is a film with no real substance and a plot that purely serves as a structure for action scenes. The rest of it is completely unbelieveable. You see at times things happen that you would imagine would cause great concern for the law enforcement in Paris. Yet there seems to be no one who's bothered. It's as if Richard is the chief of the police in Paris and no one could care less that someone was being brutally beaten in front of a packed restaurant. Also you never really understand what the purpose of Li's visit to Paris is. You only understand once you've read the plot synopsis. It's a real case of good action but zero story whatsoever. Some film's fail to disguise this fact but Dragon has enough enjoyment to cover up the cracks.

"SO WOULD I LIKE IT?"

Well if you like your action mindless and your films the kind that requite no thought then you'll love it. In fact I forgave all the shortcomings as there's something about the sheer honesty of the brutality on show that really appealed
to me.

However with more of a story this could have been something special. Maybe it was at one point. It certainly feels that some of the character moments were left on the cutting room floor.

Still at under 100 minutes you could do a lot worse.

Summary: