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Kiss of the Dragon (Full Screen Edition)

Kiss of the Dragon (Full Screen Edition)

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $13.48
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Crap.
Review: And Jet Li doesn't really deserve much of the blame. Without him, in fact, this flick would be absolutely worthless. But it says a great deal when some of the on-set video shots actually look more exciting than the actual film used onscreen.

Director Chris Nohan has no idea how to make an action movie. Kiss of the Dragon takes four shots to say something that should take one, and the result is a complete mess of fast cuts, all poorly executed. When you have an amazing action star like Jet Li, famous for his agility and grace, why would you want to interfere with us watching him? Kiss of the Dragon's modus operandi is to use every shot the director grabbed on set, obsessively "cut on action", and to interrupt things just when Li is about to launch into a fantastic move. Maybe some people believe fast cuts make better action sequences. I say: Take a look at how the masterful Richard Donner filmed Li in Lethal Weapon 4. Oh yes, and Nohan fills almost every showdown scene with incredibly bad rap music, where the lyrics completely interfere with us actually
*hearing* the hand-to-hand combat. Sound does half the job when you direct a fight sequence, and in Kiss of the Dragon, I counted at least a dozen body blows that were missing sound effects. Drunken Master 2's fight sequences (probably the best ever) moved three times as quickly, but didn't miss a single beat, so this film has no excuse.

When the action in an action movie tanks, there isn't much left, is there? So we are free to revel in the incredibly bad acting of Tcheky Karyo and Bridget Fonda. Fonda is trying hard, but her character is a walking, talking cliche. But Karyo has no excuse for his frothing mad-dog act. Imagine Gary Oldman in The Professional, only 100 times more over-the-top, and you have probably the worst action-film villain since William Sadler's lacklustre turn in Die Hard 2.

And the script? What script? Apparently it was based on a story by Jet Li himself and the structure seems sound, but the dialogue is a joke and the "dramatic" scenes totally unmoving. Moments intended to be funny aren't; moments of supposed connection fall flat (Li and Fonda have zero chemistry); supposed "suspense" sequences simply drag on and on. The opening scenes, for example, exhibit the same fussiness as in the cutting, taking four scenes to say what should've taken one. By the time something finally happens, I've had to endure so much bad dialogue (and, again, Karyo's ludicrously bad performance) that I barely care. Actually, I don't at all. And the ending? A re-definition of "bad", looking like something that came out of a low-budget, amateur European gore flick, except it looks even more ridiculous than anything from the Nekromantik movies.

I hope The One would be better, because it's about time Jet Li got to make a good starring vehicle on these shores. That shouldn't be difficult, since Kiss of the Dragon qualifies as filmmaking of the lowest order.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Quality DVD
Review: First of all, this movie is nowhere near Jet's best work. His best work is from the Hong Kong films. However, this is an entertaining movie with some great fight scenes by Jet Li. He's always great at that. I would give the movie 3 stars out of 5, because it does drag a little bit and some of the acting isn't altogether great. But the sound quality and picture are great, and the DVD has many cool special features, documentaries, behind the scenes footage. One thing you notice in the Jet Li training sequences is that they don't speed up some of his fight scenes that much...the guy is quick. If you're a fan of Jet Li, this is a worthwhile DVD, because all the special features bring the total rating to 4 stars.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not his best, but better than most
Review: KOTD was a dissapointment compared to Fist of Legend. I have truely been ruined since viewing that movie. Jet Li and Bridget Fonda was simply wasted. The fight scenes were the only redemming quality. If not for them and the sound track I would have asked for my money back. I hunger for anything with Jet Li in it, since he is the best martial artist since Bruce Lee without a doubt. However I wish someone would come along and truely exploit his true talents as was tasted in Fist of Legend. KOTD was excellent compared to most action movies, but lack when compared to the capabilities of Li. And to not get Li and Fonda together and add some passion is truely a crime. Hopefully someone will come out with these 2 in a movie worthy of their talents.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: BIG ENDING WORTH THE PRICE
Review: There's no denying Jet Li's physical charisma. In "KISS OF THE DRAGON" (CBS/Fox) he's a Chinese secret agent fighting his way through the entire Parisian Police Bureau after he's double-crossed in a sting operation. Extreme fight sequences and a climax that alone justifies the rental if not the purchase of this disc. Luc Besson co-wrote the screenplay that needs a whole lot less talk and even more action. Bridget Fonda gives her all in a thankless role as an ex-junkie hooker from heartland America. Stars Jet Li and Bridget Fonda join director Chris Nahon in a loose, entertaining and interesting commentary. Additional bonus material includes four featurettes, two storyboards analysis, still galleries and more.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Jet Li at his best
Review: This film was fantastic. It is definately Jet Li at his best, his martial art moves will not disappoint you and the storyline is good. Overall a brilliant film and is a must buy for anyones collection.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Kiss of the dragon
Review: This I one of the worst movies that I have seen. The previews make this movie a must see, but the movie isn't. The fighting is alright, but the camera angles mess up the fight scenes. The plot is the worst and Bridget Fonda was horrible. If you want to see a must see Jet Li movie-see Romeo Must Die. I should have taken $.. out of my pocket and flushed it down the toilet.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: BOO YA!
Review: Ranking much higher than "The Enforcer", but not quite as high as "Lethal Weapon 4" or "Black Mask", Kiss of the Dragon is one of Jet Li's better films. Although I liked "Romeo Must Die" & "The One" RMD was missing in really great fighting scenes (although the few short fights were pretty good), and "The One" was pretty much the opposite, with plenty of great fighting, it was lacking in the storyline department.
Kiss of the Dragon has almost enough plot, and almost enough good action... but not quite enough. It also might have been the fact that there were a bunch of Chinesse in France but everyone was speaking English... I think I heard half a dozen French words in the whole film... a little disappointing, and confussing (well, not confussing, it's a movie and they can get away with whatever they want).
Overall it should have recived a 3.5, but I rounded up for good behavior.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: No strings attached.
Review: Jet Li takes on the entire Paris police mano-a-mano in Chris Nahon's rousing blood-n-guts policier "Kiss of the Dragon." Li plays a Chinese cop who is sent to Paris to assist in the capture of a smuggler, but is framed for the smuggler's death by a very, very corrupt French detective (Tchecky Karyo). To clear his name, Li must not only battle Karyo's inexhaustible supply of Eurotrash henchmen, but also protect the life of the sole witness to the smuggler's death, a hooker with a heart of gold (a dirty-haired Bridget Fonda). His only weapons are his body, various found items (snooker ball, steam iron, chopsticks) and a bracelet of acupuncture needles.

That's it in the way of plot. Li's a minimalist actor, but his dramatic reserve compares nicely to scenery-chewing performances by Fonda and the usually understated Karyo, who here can be seen smacking up prostitutes, threatening small children and screaming all of his lines. Li and the film are at their best when Li is in motion, and he's never been better than he is here. There are no outlandish wire effects, as there were in "Romeo Must Die" or some of Li's Hong Kong pics; everything he does looks plausible, albeit difficult. While the film displays Li's athleticism and blinding speed to good effect, it doesn't make Li out to be Superman; he sweats, bleeds, takes plenty of blows, and in most scenes appears a foot shorter than his costars (including Fonda). Nahon, unfortunately, proves true the stereotype that western directors can't shoot martial arts scenes; too many medium shots and quick cuts obscure the action. At the end, though, Nahon gets the hang of things, and lets Li show his stuff in a battle against a pair of Aryan supertwins. If you've ever wanted to beat up people twice your size or turn household items into deadly weapons a la MacGyver, "Kiss of the Dragon" should serve to fuel your fantasies. Overall, a nice blend of Luc Besson's advert-glossy travelogue/actioners and Golden Harvest's bare-bones martial arts films.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: It's average
Review: The fighting is definitly the strength of this film, fast paced and brutal. Li uses everything that he can get his hands on and proceeds to give all the badies a lesson smiteing.
But aside from the fighting the film is sort of flat. The plot is very thin and not new. They have a wonderful French actor as the villain [can't remember his name.] But they fail to use his talent. He comes across as the average run-of-the-mill lunatic. There was nothing special about his character at all. That is such a shame as he is so good.
Fonda was ok, but her character seemed odd to me for the entire film. Never quite on the same level as the plot wanted her to be.
My favourite character was Li's china contact [Kato in the old Pink Panther movies.] He had deapth and good lines.

Overall it was an enjoyable film and well worth the watch for the action. Just don't expect too much.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Dark Is The Jet
Review: Maybe I'm getting old, but this DVD was so brutal, violent, bloody, depressing, etc. that I stopped watching it about half way through. I have several Jet Li movies, all the Once Upon A Time In China flicks. I admit Jet's moves are great, but whatever message he planted in the story (which he wrote)sank somewhere in all the gratuitous violence and language. Don't buy this unless you enjoyed the Texas Chain Saw Massacre.


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