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Kiss of the Dragon [2001]
![Kiss of the Dragon [2001]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51H0J7G0V2L._SL160_.jpg)
On the DVD: Kiss of the Dragon is a film that relies on its superbly choreographed fight scenes, so luckily the anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 widescreen presentation is spotless. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track positively shakes the room in the action sequences and atmospheric music by Craig Armstrong perfectly underscores the highs and lulls in the drama. Extras are plentiful: the audio commentary from Director Chris Nahon with Jet Li and Bridget Fonda is informative. "Jet Li--Fighting Philosophy" is a 12-minute bluffer's guide to Li and his life on and off-screen. "Cory Yuen--Action Academy" is about the work of long-time Li collaborator Yuen and details his fighting methodology. The "Police Gymnasium Fight: Martial Arts Demo" follows Yuen and fellow stuntmen blocking the stunning battle sequence. There are also a number of production stills and trailers for other Fox releases. --Kristen Bowditch
RRP: £17.99
Our Price: £3.86 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
In Kiss of the Dragon, Chinese undercover agent Jet Li chops his way through Paris after he's framed in some sketchily defined drug sting operation. The fight sequences are tough and quite brutal, and the over-the-top finale is arguably worth the price of admission, wherein an implacable Li takes on the entire Paris Police Bureau, working his way up toward police chief Tchéky Karyo's office through cops, a pair of peroxide-blond twin henchmen, and a whole class of kung fu cadets. Coscreenwriter Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita) should know by now what makes for a nifty genre piece, but the woeful dialogue is a shame, and there aren't nearly enough action sequences to get your blood boiling. Poor Bridget Fonda gives it the old-school try in a thankless role as an ex-junkie prostitute from the Midwest whose young daughter is being held captive by duplicitous police chief/drug lord/pimp Karyo (who fairly inhales the scenery). Director Chris Nolan might have pushed further the strangers-in-a-strange-land camaraderie between Li and Fonda, but the script still would've sunk him. --Steve Wiecking
Not his best film
Review date: 2007-10-21 Rating: 4 out of 10
I know that most reviewers here rate this film high. Here is the truth. The film is not at all great, as it has such an average storyline and the script is silly. But if you just want to see action scenes and very basic story and very average direction, then buy it. Looking at the features on the DVD, its obvious why it was so bad as the director was a commercial director and this was pretty much his first movie. He looks young too. 25 maybe. As a martial arts film fan, the fights were a little not up to the standard. The scene where Jet fights the black guy. This was a around 6foot muscle black guy. Jet cud have used more moves do beat him. It just wasn't enough and didn't do it for me. The end fight with the twins was unconvincing too. Action director Cory yuen is lucky hes still working on films as he gets paid too much. Am sure someone who hasn't been in films as long as he has cud do a better job. The best is Yuen woo ping and shud work on every Jet movie. The director was too young and did not have the experience or talent. Although Jet is a legend in China and the world as he was the national champion in China when he was a kid.( Incase people dont know, kung fu in China is a sport. They don't fight, they just demonstrate like a gymnast would and they have a scoring system)
At the end of the day he's just short small framed asian guy and shud have made more use of his skills to fight the black guy and the twins. He's also not getting younger as he was at least 38 or 39 when making this film so his competition days are over! On the features, his interview he sais he's been doing it for 30 years, i dont care cos someone younger like 25 whos been doing it for 5 years has quicker moves cos as it is nature! I have respect for Jet as he is a super entertainer but he has no talent when it comes to direction, chereography or storytelling. The story was from Jet and it is so basic! Cop get in trouble by corrupt cop. Cop saves prostitute and daughter from corrupt cop! Wow. Jet you sure spent some time thinking this one up! I say it like it is. Please check out my other reviews.
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Reviews
Entertaining but Rough
Review date: 2007-04-20 Rating: 8 out of 10
I expect most of these Hong Kong martial-arts films to be packed with action but most feature either a little humor (Jackie Chan) or beautiful scenery ("Hero," etc.) or wild special effects ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and more).....but this one features a mean edge. I'm not used to seeing these Asian films with a lot of profanity (mainly f-words) or bloody scenes almost to the point of being gross, which one scene was in here.
The hero is likable guy played by Jet Li. Despite his martial arts penchant for violence, he has a soft, boyish look to him and doesn't seem to fit the type. He's always the gentleman in here, with no profanity either. The villains, led by Tchecky Karyo, are brutal. Bridget Fonda, playing a hooker, at least wasn't some "Pretty Woman" type figure. She was rough, too, but at least realistic and I give her credit for not worrying about how she looked in here, beauty-wise.
I don't regret seeing this film. It was entertaining, but beware: it's a rough movie.
Excellent, low budget, martial arts, film
Review date: 2004-12-30 Rating: 10 out of 10
One of the best martial arts movie I ever watched. Staged in Paris, an unpretentious and charismatic Jet Li delivers action and emotions with choreographic charm.
One of the Best of Jet Li's Recent Films
Review date: 2004-09-14 Rating: 8 out of 10
Wow! All the other reviewers have said just about everything there is to say about this film (some of there reviews must be longer than the film's script).
The action in this film is nicely filmed. Jet Li is stunning. Burt Kwok (star of the Pink Panther and Harry Hill) shows that he can be a very good serious actor. Fonda is spot on.
I'd rate this film above The Enforcer and The Black Mask, but below Once Upon a Time In China and Fist of Legend.
With a little more Kung Fu and a bit less gunplay it might have rivalled Jet Li's best.
The best and the worst of Jet Li
Review date: 2004-01-31 Rating: 6 out of 10
This is certainly the most anti-French film I ever saw! Jet Li decided to write a story and he should have kept himself to what he knows to do best of all: to kung-fu fighting.
So, let's briefly view the story: to depict a really mean guy, Li decided to create a Head of Police that goes around killing his own mates, killing by-standers and it seems that the French authorities regard this as normal since not even an inquiry is set to clarify the head of police conduct.
If you though impossible that a single man could defeat the whole police force of Paris, you are wrong: Jet Li can do it, and no problems for him afterwards... great! But if you think this is dumb enough, you are wrong! You get the story of the American girl, a single mother, that meets the "bad" French guy. So she goes to France, the bad guy kidnaps the daughter and puts her in an orphanage, and the "poor" American citizen does not go to the American Embassy or to the French authorities... Instead she becomes a hooker in order that no harm comes to her daughter...And viewing the film one wonders if Jet Li had not popped out from China as a supercop, would she still be a hooker in Paris, until... she had came to the age of retirement? her daughter had came of age? The bad guy had died of some lost bullet? Silly? Not in this film. You can still watch in the movie: i) a group of mean policemen in the orphanage (the policemen that go along with the bad guy during the film, but in shorter numbers than in beginning, since the "baddie" had already killed some of his police staff at this stage of the film), while all the personnel of the orphanage was certainly having a vacation at the time because no one else, aside the policemen and the children were there; ii) although a ferocious pursuit to Li was carried on during most of the film, he can still carried the wounded American girl to the hospital, on foot through the streets of Paris, without being pursued; iii) have a police agent (or just a henchmen from the head of police?), disguised as steward from some airliner, partially destroy the entrance of a 5-star hotel and no questions asked (one good think about this scene was that there were no hotel attendants or personnel: maybe Li, when he wrote the script, advised everyone in the hotel to go some place else; iv)... I think there is no need to go on. Stupidity is part of the plot. Li should learn something about Europe before writing stories for his own pictures. In the EU policemen don't go around shooting everybody or they would get into serious trouble. Pity Li did not kept himself to what he is really does best (Kung-Fu fighting) and asked somebody else to write a story.
But if the story shows Li at his worst, the fighting sequences show Li at his best.
In all, if you want to view Li in a film that has some coherent history buy some other of his films. If you really don't care, and have viewed his other films and crave for more, buy this one. In all, the film itself does not deserve more than 2 stars.
Taking into account that you get subtitles for the hearing impaired (I consider this a "must" in every DVD), an interview with Li, a film commentary and a trailer this DVD barely manages to reach the minimum 3 stars.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Jet Li|Bridget Fonda|Tchéky Karyo|Laurence Ashley
Creators:
Jet Li|Bridget Fonda|Tchéky Karyo|Laurence Ashley (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
EAN: 5039036009560
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2002-08-12
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 98 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2001-07-06
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Original Language)