Dragon (2012)

That was an excellent one.

Absolutely brilliant

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The name of the film doesn't exactly help in explaining what this is about. Basically what we have here is a film that very much is derivative of "A History of Violence", a North American movie which was quite popular for anyone who may not have heard of it before.What we have is Donnie Yen as our lead who is found out to not be the weak feeble countryman but is hiding a dark secret that may lead to danger for all those he loves. Takeshi Kaneshiro stars as the moral minded detective who opens up a pandora's box with his investigations into Donnie Yen's character.Now this is a film that combines the beauty of big scale Chinese movies with some sublime martial arts choreography, wonderful to watch. Ridiculously good fun but sadly the movie does seem to fail in the last quarter or so, I just guess they didn't know how what to do after all the twists and turns earlier on in the film.It's worth a viewing if you enjoy martial arts, but I feel it will appeal to many others too for the direction, settings, acting and suspense. It's a fine film but could have been much more. Enjoyable enough.

Simply put: It is hard enough to find a really spectacular film, one that stands out above the others.It is even harder to find one which, the moment you see it, you know there will be never be anything like it again because it is a "one of a kind." This is the real deal. The opening scene is the eastern version of the opener in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE 2005 (also, not by coincidence, one of my all time faves) and the remainder of the arc is very similar, allowing for the cultural variations.Donnie Yen arguably gives one of the most nuanced performances of his career, Takeshi brings back memories of Peter Falk in Columbo, and the beautiful Wei Tang remains one of the most overlooked Asian actresses.A caution: if you go on a Wushu binge and approach this as just another Kung Fu spectacular, you will get annoyed and confused.If you take the time to savour the plot development and the subtle performances, you will have the time of your life.

DRAGON, a Chinese remake of Cronenberg's A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE with added martial arts action, is a fine-looking film. The period setting is brought vividly to life and the plot moves at a fair old whack, always avoiding cliché in its exploration of a former gangster attempting to lead a decent life as an ordinary family man. Of course, it's a Donnie Yen film, so there are the inevitably lengthy and detailed martial arts sequences which are typically strong and help to lift the movie's entertainment value immeasurably.Elsewhere, the material does feel a little strained at times and the story seems to fall apart as it progresses. The second half is noticeably inferior to the first, and the film seems to be merely treading water up until the final confrontation between anti-hero and villain. Still, the producers deserve kudos for casting martial arts star and genre icon Jimmy Wang Yu (completely unrecognisable these days, it has to be said) as the chief bad guy.In addition, there's a serious and finely-tuned performance from Takeshi Kaneshiro as a detective investigating Yen's background. Kaneshiro's character is somewhat incongruous given the provincial nature of the rest of the movie but Kaneshiro can always be relied upon to deliver carefully mannered performances and his role here proves no exception to that rule.Come the roll of the final credits, I was left feeling mildly entertained by the material, but also slightly dissatisfied, purely because the quality of the action isn't on par with the highs of IP MAN 1 & 2, FLASH POINT and other Yen classics. I've been spoilt by such films, and as a result Dragon felt a little lacklustre, more watchable as an interesting curio than a full-blooded fight flick.

Peter Ho-Sun Chan directs the intriguing, entertaining martial arts film "Dragon," by utilizing his art house sensibilities. With a narrative as intense as the set pieces, it is an intriguing thriller about two men seeking redemption from their past. Partnered with the narrative are strong performances, intense action sequences, and beautiful cinematography.The story takes place in China in the year of 1917. A man named Liu Jinxi (Yen) resides in Liu Village with his wife Yu (Tang Wei) and their two sons. One day, two men try to rob the local store, which Liu just happens to be at. The two criminals end up dead, and Liu is the only one that walks away. The unusual event catches the eye of Xu Baijiu (Takeshi Kaneshiro), a detective who is convinced Liu isn't the man he says he is. Once Xu has confirmed there is more to Liu than meets the eye, the psychological conflict between the two men begins. Both actors, Yen and Kaneshiro are fantastic in their roles, with fine character development enhancing their stellar performances. Liu is a complex character, determined to live an ordinary life, but evidently hiding something terrible. The opening scene depicts him dining with his family in a tranquil home, and it is so genuine a moment that his sincere desire for reform cannot initially be doubted. However, as word of his whereabouts spreads, Liu's resolve is sternly tested, and he is forced to directly confront the demons of his past.The first fight scene is entertaining in itself, then magnified when attack is meticulously reconstructed in Detective Baijiu's mind. The action is replayed, with an added focus on the crucial moments. The method of physiology in which Detective Baijiu analyzes the crime scene and attack is unique and captivating. Director Chan uses a range of visual effects, particularly to add precise detail to the development of internal wounds, a technique that remains effective throughout the film.The last 20 minutes of "Dragon" take you completely by surprise. The conclusion of the last fight will make or break your opinion of the film. Nevertheless, "Dragon" delivers swift kicks and a barrage of bone crunching punches to the standard expectations of a remake. "Dragon" is a stunning display of martial arts action, mesmerizing detective work, and engaging performances.