Dragon (2012)
Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 25
Fresh: 21 | Rotten: 4
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 6.1/10
Critic Reviews: 9
Fresh: 7 | Rotten: 2
No consensus yet.
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Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 4,638
My Rating
Movie Info
Liu Jin-xi (Yen) is a village craftsman whose quiet life is irrevocably shattered by the arrival of two notorious gangsters in the local general store. When Liu single-handedly saves the shopkeeper's life, he comes under investigation by detective Xu Bai-jiu (Kaneshiro). Convinced that Liu's martial arts mastery belies a hidden history of training by one of the region's vicious clans, Xu doggedly pursues the shy hero-and draws the attention of China's criminal underworld in the process (c)
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Cast
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Donnie Yen
Liu Jinxi, Tang Long -
Takeshi Kaneshiro
Xu Bai-Jiu, Xu Baijiu -
Tang Wei
Ayu -
Yu Wang
Master -
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Jimmy Wu Wang
Master -
Wei Tang
Ayu -
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All Critics (25) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (21) | Rotten (4)
"Dragon" has enough interesting left turns in style, mood and psychodrama to make it stand out.
Top CriticThe movie hurtles along at a pitch of sentiment and melodrama that would make MGM blush, and it's mostly very diverting.
As a whole, it does not quite work, especially at the end, when Mr. Chan tries for a Shakespearean climax of filial rebellion and paternal rage.
The widescreen cinematography and mountain rain-forest locations retain their interest, as does the deftly incongruous score, which ranges from samba to hard rock.
The large canvas and pseudo-superhero tactics work for a bit, but then the action gets sidetracked in place of myth-building.
A martial-arts morality play as lithe as it is forceful.
There are good action sequences but it has been ham-fistedly cut for UK distribution.
Yen again proves one of the few martial artists equally adept with subtler emotional beats.
Dragon roars.
Chan's film may be derivative of plenty of other films (most notably David Cronenberg's A History of Violence) but it manages to keep things fresh and exciting.
Full of blistering action sequences worthy of the Shaw Brothers legacy. A treat for martial arts fans.
A superior martial arts film with excellent cinematography and a story to match.
a mannered mix of detective story, morality tale, family tragedy and Buddhist allegory, all wrapped in virtuoso visuals and some very tricksy action choreography... The story may be familiar, but wuxia has never quite looked like this before.
Peter Ho-Sun Chan's frenetic, high-kicking thriller runs a full 20 minutes shorter than it did at Cannes in 2011 and feels all the better for it.
An exhilarating opening fight scene sets the stage for this otherwise cheesy chop-socky Hong Kong saga.
Dragon delivers a few 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.
Gracefully acted, brilliantly shot, and effortlessly combining both character study and superb butt kicking, Wu Xia is an excellent post-modern subgenre gem.
Yen's strengths have never been in his expressiveness, and Dragon plods when it centers on dramatic struggles, then leaps exhilaratingly to life whenever the fighting begins.
A fun collision of "A History of Violence," traditional over-the-top Hong Kong martial arts pictures and sort of a "C.S.I.: Yunnan Province."
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Latest News on Dragon
November 29, 2012:
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Foreign Titles
- Dragon (Wu xia) (DE)
- Dragon (Wu xia) (UK)
As the enigmatic paper-maker in a small idyllic town with the unassuming name Liu Jinxi, Yen has finally delivered a performance which equals that of Ip Man, one that showcases his best as a dramatic actor and as a martial artist.
Aubrey Lam's story raises a number of moral dilemmas, in particular whether a man can truly start anew without having to atone for his past sins, and whether there is a place for humanity in a world governed by laws and regulations. This is at the very heart of the complex intertwining relationship between Liu and Xu (played by Kaneshiro), and a fascinating one which director Peter Chan explores with panache. There is no hero or villain between the two rather, both are simply pushed up against each other by their past and the circumstance by which they had made their mutual acquaintance.