Rating: 
Summary: Welcome to Dragon Inn, hehehe...
Review: Dragon Inn is a story about good versus evil set in a secluded tavern in a remote desert. Chow Wai-on (Tony Leung Ka Fai) and Mo-yan Yau (Brigitte Lin) are trying to escape the merciless Tsao Sui Yan and his desire to build his own empire with two royal children. The escape leads them through a tavern, the Dragon Inn. This water-hole is run by the deceitful Jade King (Maggie Cheung) and her gang, where strange things happen at night. When they later try to depart from the Dragon Inn, they cannot leave. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place, which makes this film a cumbersome event.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic
Review: Dragon Inn is under the background of the Ming dynasty, when the eunuches dominated in the state affairs. The opposing vassals were purged and the reign was corrupt. After a loyal vassal, who was to eliminate the interference of the eunuches, was persecuted by the eunuches, his underlings (played by Tony Leung and Brigitte Lin) tried to preserve his heirs. But the eunuches' secret police are everywhere within the pale, therefore they had to take the children towards the west deep into the desert, beyond the eunuches' reach. Before they could go through the last pass at the border, they stayed in the dragon inn to seek the help from the inn keeper to get through the pass while the enouches were pursuing. The keeper, Jin Xiang Yu (played by Maggie Cheung) was an opportunist woman, killing the lodgers and after the money, but able to get information and having close connections with both local officals and gangs. While the fugitives were waiting in the inn, the van of the eunouches arrived. The desert storm arrived to prevent anyone from leaving the inn, the strengths of both sides are equal and held with each other tightly with intrigue psychological battles. The tension here is extremely well portraited within the lonely inn in the stormy night of the desolate desert. When the main force of the eunuches came and thrashed the inn, the keeper decided to help the fugitives to escape......This movie is no doubt a classic with so much to commend. The peerless cinematography set in the broad desert is just desolately charming. Maggie Cheung's performance as the inn keeper with multi-dimensional character is absolutely exquisite. The love between Tony Leung and Brigitte Lin, who became fugitives to protect the children, though not the main theme of the movie, was just touching. I am a big fan of this type of movies and I am sure dragon is among the finest in its genre. I usually do not want to push others to watch a movie, but with an exception this time, I would like to heartfully recommend this movie to everyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Good movie, bad DVD
Review: Dragon Inn ranks high among costume martial arts films, and anyone who enjoys kooky, gravity-defying action scenes will enjoy it. The middle sags and the cannibalism subplot doesn't add much, but the battle at the end during a sandstorm is a must-see, as well as a beautifully balletic scene in which Brigette Lin and Maggie Cheung spar. Unfortunately, this "remastered" DVD is really just another Tai Seng rush job with a really grainy picture. It doesn't look much better than VHS. This movie deserves better.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Listen to David Chute
Review: Good fight scenes and plenty of them. David Chute indicated he found the constant fight scenes tedious, but why else do you buy/rent a martial arts film? Bridgette Lin and Tony Leung are two fugitives w/entourage that are on the run from the minions of an evil eunuch (Yen). Both groups are stranded at the Dragon Inn in the Gobi, and tensions slowly build to a final confrontation that leaves very few standing on either side. Bridgette Lin is magnetic as always, Tony Lueng also fills the screen, Maggie Cheung is entertaining as the oppurtunistic inn keeper, Donnie Yen gives a typically powerful demonstration of his martial arts abilities, and the Dragon Inns cook (wait to you find out what his specialty is) gives a very surgical performance of martial arts on Donnie Yen. While there's a bit of a lull in the middle, it's still Hong Kong Cinema at it's best, although from what the other reviews say, the DVD is kind of lousy. I wouldn't know, I bought it on VHS. In case your interested, this film was filled with more than the usual injuries behind the scenes. Bridgette Lin caught an arrow in the eye, and Yen got cut in the face right across his eyebrow, which is very unlucky in Chinese culture. It was also originally supposed to star Jet Li, but just before that, Li's agent, a former triad (Chinese mafia) was shot down, apparently in a power struggle between two gangs working inside the Hong Kong movie industry. After that, the films shooting rights passed elsewhere. Real life havoc aside, Dragon Inn is very solid H.K. Cinema.
Rating:
Summary: MADNESS! WHAT THE...
Review: HAS ANYONE ELSE NOTICED THAT THIS MOVIE IS UTTER INSANITY? Sure, the plot starts off all normal action-packed asskicking ragged heroes set against an impossible foe, and even retains a bit (a very little bit!) of sanity up until about the last five minutes. Unfortunately, out of respect for the amazon guidelines about not ruining the plot I had to erase most of what I have ti say about that, but those poor souls like myself who have just watched it and have come to read and write reviews in order to regain sanity know what... I thought I was jaded to movies, and if this doesn't spin you head around for you, I don't know what will. Have fun! Keep in mind: I gave this film 5 stars, it is a wonderful, mad experience that no one should miss, in a realm all of it's own. I can't began to compare it to anything else, and it would almost be worth it to film your own facial expressions as you watch this. And don't attempt to drive or operate heavy machinary too soon after you finish.
Rating:
Summary: Jaw-Dropping! Heart-Stopping!
Review: I highly anticipated this DVD version (all-region) for nearly a year. I couldn't wait to watch it, knowing it was a highly acclaimed film in HK. My first reaction to this movie was "unsure"...there were scenes that simply made my mouth drop, and the plot was not what I quite expected. Yet, it left me astounded with an urge "to want" to watch it again...as I did, it turns out to be a wonderful film full of drama and charming effects. Its a brilliant fable of heroic swordsmen, evil officials, and heart-stopping drama, where chaos among other things center within the "Dragon Inn". Brigitte Lin is captivating as usual; beautiful, mysterious, and portrays such inner/outer strength in her character. Maggie Cheung plays the promiscuous bar owner of "Dragon Inn"; she's great, spunky, and strong minded. Tony Leung play a cool and collected swordsman; great expressions. And Donnie Yen, well he was maked-up in something I'm not accustomed to seeing him in, nevertheless, he brings out all the intense action in the end with his evil eunuch presence and remarkable martial arts skills. *Another DVD Plus: English Audio is an option!! And there's also a Comentary option by Ric Meyers, which I personally enjoyed; very informative and insightful.
Rating:
Summary: Jaw-Dropping! Heart-Stopping!
Review: I highly anticipated this DVD version (all-region) for nearly a year. I couldn't wait to watch it, knowing it was a highly acclaimed film in HK. My first reaction to this movie was "unsure"...there were scenes that simply made my mouth drop, and the plot was not what I quite expected. Yet, it left me astounded with an urge "to want" to watch it again...as I did, it turns out to be a wonderful film full of drama and charming effects. Its a brilliant fable of heroic swordsmen, evil officials, and heart-stopping drama, where chaos among other things center within the "Dragon Inn". Brigitte Lin is captivating as usual; beautiful, mysterious, and portrays such inner/outer strength in her character. Maggie Cheung plays the promiscuous bar owner of "Dragon Inn"; she's great, spunky, and strong minded. Tony Leung play a cool and collected swordsman; great expressions. And Donnie Yen, well he was maked-up in something I'm not accustomed to seeing him in, nevertheless, he brings out all the intense action in the end with his evil eunuch presence and remarkable martial arts skills. *Another DVD Plus: English Audio is an option!! And there's also a Comentary option by Ric Meyers, which I personally enjoyed; very informative and insightful.
Rating:
Summary: summit of new martial arts movies
Review: I own the VHS version, bought a long time ago for about twenty-five dollars. Can you believe that? I bought it when HK movies weren't as mainstream as it is today. I'm glad to see that it is in DVD version and it isn't totally dubbed in English. Some of the HK movies now available in DVDs are dubbed in English and doesn't offer any other audio options. And that is always dissappointing. I actually saw this movie in a theater in LA back in the early 90's. I brought a friend with me who's never seen an action film for HK and she was freaking out specially at the last 20 minutes of the film. Who can forget the cleaver manuever on Donnie Yep's right leg. And this is what makes this movie so neat and quirky. And there's a lot of gems in this movie as well, like Brigette Lin, Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung. The cinematography is also something to be marvelled at. The dry arid dessert where the Dragon Inn sits in the middle of nowhere is perfectly photographed. I swear you could almost feel the gritty sand between your incisors. The martial arts by Lin specially is breath taking. The scene where, Cheung and Lin were exchanging bathrobes in a balletic dance is quite unique. I like Peking Opera Blues, but this movie it is a cut above becuase of its originality and the great chemistry between the three main characters. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Peking Opera Blues
Review: I own the VHS version, bought a long time ago for about twenty-five dollars. Can you believe that? I bought it when HK movies weren't as mainstream as it is today. I'm glad to see that it is in DVD version and it isn't totally dubbed in English. Some of the HK movies now available in DVDs are dubbed in English and doesn't offer any other audio options. And that is always dissappointing. I actually saw this movie in a theater in LA back in the early 90's. I brought a friend with me who's never seen an action film for HK and she was freaking out specially at the last 20 minutes of the film. Who can forget the cleaver manuever on Donnie Yep's right leg. And this is what makes this movie so neat and quirky. And there's a lot of gems in this movie as well, like Brigette Lin, Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung. The cinematography is also something to be marvelled at. The dry arid dessert where the Dragon Inn sits in the middle of nowhere is perfectly photographed. I swear you could almost feel the gritty sand between your incisors. The martial arts by Lin specially is breath taking. The scene where, Cheung and Lin were exchanging bathrobes in a balletic dance is quite unique. I like Peking Opera Blues, but this movie it is a cut above becuase of its originality and the great chemistry between the three main characters. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Inns, Deserts, and Kung Fu!
Review: I purchased Dragon Inn because I liked Brigette Lin's performnace in The Bride with White Hair. She does an excellent job in this film too. Dragon Inn follows the plight of a group of freedom fighters trying to rescue the fugitive children of an executed official. The childeren are really nothing more than bait to lure Brigette Lin and her band into a trap where a power hungry unich (Donnie Yen) tries to kill them. When the ambush fails the group escapes to the dry desert where they stop at Maggie Chun's Inn. While at the Inn there are several power struggles between the freedom fighters and the evil unichs until the finale. Maggie Chun plays the opportunistic owner of the Inn and puts an interesting twist into the story. I don't want to give the whole story away, but I will say that there is both kung fu and swordplay in this film. Both are done well. All in all Dragon Inn is an excellent balance between action and a good story line. The action scenes actually have purpose and make sense to the story. I'd also like to mention that the English dubbed version on the DVD in done well, if you don't like subtitles, and there's also a Mandrian and Cantonese audio version. Ric Meyers also includes and audio commentay which sheds some interesting light on the satire of the film. Apparently most of the characters and situations were a partial satire on the pre mainland China take over of Hong Kong. If you listen to the commentary you'll see what I mean. Dragon Inn is one of the best Kung Fu films available on DVD. If you're a martial arts fan, or you just want to expirement, add Dragon Inn to your collection. Everyone who's watched my copy as enjoyed it so far, including my wife.
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