Connect with us

Featured Article

Dragon Review

Donnie Yen Dragon

Director: Peter Chan.

Starring: Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Wei Tang, Kara Hui.

Running Time: 115 minutes.

Certificate: 15.

Synopsis: China, 1917. Liu Jin-xi (Donnie Yen) is a friendly family man enjoying a quiet life. But when he stops a robbery in a local shop and accidentally kills one of the criminals, obsessive detective Xu Ba-Jiu (Takeshi Kaneshiro) suspects there is more to this humble paper merchant, and dark secrets soon come to light.

Donnie Yen is one of the most revered martial artists working in cinema today. His achievements go back almost 30 years as both an actor and an action choreographer and he includes Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh and Jet Li among his contemporaries. However, he has not come close to their level of success in western cinema and is really only known amongst Kung Fu aficionados. He proves in DRAGON that his leading man credentials match his fighting skills and in Jin-xi he provides a subtle, nuanced character study that serves as the beating heart of the film.

His figurative sparring partner is Detective Ba-Jiu (Takeshi Kaneshiro), a Sherlock-style policeman with an attention to detail and approach to analysis that invites a reading of Asperger’s. As he deciphers clues around the fatal fight in the shop, he replays the action based on the evidence left behind. The scuffle in his head is different to what we see, making us question which version occurred and he physically wanders around his mental recreation, much like Benedict Cumberbatch’s great BBC detective. Not only that, but when narrating his analysis of the body damage, we are presented with snazzy CG animation that sets it apart from most films of its genre.

Kaneshiro is terrific as the cop with a strict moral code who uncovers Yen’s secrets and in doing so comes into conflict with his own beliefs whilst setting in motion a chain reaction that will affect everyone in the village. With Ba-Jiu and Jin-xi discussing the nature of karma, cause and effect and the interconnectivity of live events, you know where to come if you like a little philosophy with your action.

Sterling support comes in the form of Wei Tang as Jin-xi’s wife, Ah Yu, with her downplayed expressions and coyness hiding a backstory and wealth of emotion that erupts tragically in the second act. Their adorable children have eyes even wider than the lush landscapes director Peter Chan presents, and Kara Hui has a ball as a badass killer who gets limited screen time, but makes the most of it in a breathtaking rooftop chase.

Chan, Yen and screenwriters Joyce Chan and Oi Wah Lam seem to have made a conscious decision to honour quality over quantity ensuring the few scraps are significant. Every blow has a purpose and meaning, not just for the logic of the battle, but for the progression of the characters. Though some Kung Fu fans will be disappointed with the lack of wall-to-wall smack downs, most viewers will be pleased by the strength of the action.

The best way to approach DRAGON (a meaningless title, incidentally) is to primarily view it as a drama. It is a piece about identity and perception, philosophy, redemption, truth and faith, which includes some spectacular and occasionally brutal martial arts. It is a superb and very human work.

4 Stars DRAGON is released in UK cinemas today.

John is a gentleman, a scholar, he’s an acrobat. He is one half of the comedy duo Good Ol’ JR, and considers himself a comedy writer/performer. This view has been questioned by others. He graduated with First Class Honours in Media Arts/Film & TV, a fact he will remain smug about long after everyone has stopped caring. He enjoys movies, theatre, live comedy and writing with the JR member and hetero life partner Ryan. Some of their sketches can be seen on YouTube and YOU can take their total hits to way over 17!

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Latest Posts

More in Featured Article