Kiss of the Dragon (2001)

In the five years since Jean-Claude Van Damme kicked criminal backside in the streets of Paris in the intense MAXIMUM RISK, Western newcomer Jet Li (an established martial arts actor in China and beyond for the last twenty years, only now gaining western recognition) is back and doing much the same thing, although with even more style. Unlike Li's recent bomb THE ONE, KISS OF THE DRAGON is an action thriller par excellence, blessed with an extremely good pacing and level of suspense, some intriguing and surprisingly well-developed characters and a plot which mixes tense thriller antics with some very nice martial arts action. The film begins with a major set piece, as Li finds himself framed for a gruesome murder involving a Chinese drug lord and a drug-fuelled prostitute, and must battle a legion of corrupt policemen in the claustrophobic confines of an upper-crust hotel. The action is fast and furious, incorporating an excellent use of props with a steam iron, a laundry chute, and even a snooker ball coming into play during the stylish proceedings! From here on the film slows down a notch, taking care to develop the characters and especially Jet Li's cop. Li - in much the same way as an early-era Steven Seagal - exudes a brooding menace and level of bubbling violence even when he doesn't speak, and when he does get to act he does so with conviction, subtlety and skill. Li is superbly supported by Bridget Fonda, giving her finest performance to date as a tragic prostitute, hooked on heroin by the corrupt Inspector Richard, and forced to sell her body due to her daughter's incarceration by the evil mastermind.It's also good to see old-timer Burt Kwouk turning up in a non-comedic supporting role, even if all he does is spout a few words of wisdom. Also on hand is Tcheky Karyo, playing the most deranged cop since Gary Oldman in LEON (it comes as no surprise that Luc Besson also produced this movie), a criminal you love to hate who gets his just desserts come the finale, which involves the forbidden "Kiss of the Dragon". As a novel touch, the film sees Li carrying a bracelet full of needles, which he can place into people's necks in a second and paralyse them, or much worse as we eventually see during the climax.The film is well-shot throughout and makes great use of the Parisian locations, which are as always aesthetically pleasing despite focusing on the dark underbelly of the capital (this may be a reason that American thrillers set in Paris almost always turn out to be good) and the script is intelligent for a change and has realistic dialogue. First-time director Chris Nahon proves to be surprisingly adept at his job and the level of excitement in the film never lets up, even during some lengthy dialogue scenes between Li and Fonda, as they are handled poignantly and with finesse, thus developing a level of chemistry between the stars which is rarely seen in this genre - and thankfully they don't ruin things by having the two leads jumping into the sack at the first available opportunity.The action sequences are inserted well into the flow of the plot and the only flaw is the editing, which is sometimes so quick that you can't clearly see what's going on (then again, if a multi-million pound blockbuster like THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING can make the same mistake, I can forgive this film too). A steady amount of firepower is used in the movie, with huge machine-guns and grenade-launchers ripping up the scenery and shredding extras; it may not always be realistic for this to happen, but it makes for great spectacle. The film doesn't skimp on the violence either, with the fights being invariably bloody and gruesome, including a sick but funny gag involving a pair of legs, neck-breakings and more. Don't even get me started on the hilariously disgusting climax, either, in which Karyo's character undergoes one of the most painful deaths imaginable.As for the martial arts, they are superb and rightly so, considering Li's ability. My favourite is probably the moment when he takes on a class of black-belts which offers impossibly fast stick fighting and tons of excitement. Other highlights include the amusing one-on-one with the muscular black guy (who just happens by to show up and fight Li) and the excellent two-on-one at the end in which Li fights a pair of huge blond twins in an office and teaches them both a nasty lesson. KISS OF THE DRAGON is not just a good film; it's a great one, and one which reaffirms my faith in film getting things right occasionally. Highly recommended.

This is one of those guilty pleasure movies for me. Jet Li is a stranger in Paris, arriving to right some wrongs. The movie presents some wonderful fight scenes with Jet Li. I especially love the battles with the "twins", two look-alike bodyguards.The beautiful Bridget Fonda, a truly underrated actress, stars as a woman who has been victimized and forced into prostitution. And though this movie came out in 2001, US police forces are just now receiving training to identify similar victims of sex slavery.The movie's title is referenced in almost the final scene but is well worth the wait. Gosh, it is fun!

Can Jian protect Jessica, rescue her daughter, and give Richard the kiss of the dragon? Now, this is just about the stupidest question I have heard this year. Of course, Jet Li can do all that and more. There is no job too big for the super hero without super powers. As usual, there is more action in this film that you can comfortably enjoy in one sitting. You will need to come back over and over to enjoy it.Bridget Fonda (Jessica) hasn't done much lately. I remember her best from "It Could Happen to You." She really performed in this film and added immensely to my enjoyment. Can Jian protect Jessica, rescue her daughter, and give Richard the kiss of the dragon? Get real!

At the time of this writing, I can see that 242 IMDb users have already taken time off their busy schedules to review this film. That number is a significant multiple of the number of professional reviewers who opined on this production in first run! Which raises the question, why another review? Answers are as follows: 1. The IMDb averaged rating is not merely a little wrong, it is crazy wrong. This is one of the most coherent martial arts films ever done. It stars Jet Li. Legendary wildman Luc Besson is behind the typewriter. The under-utilized Bridget Fonda single-handedly carries the female portion of the film, and does a great job. Several of the fight scenes are as carefully conceived and choreographed as anything Bruce Lee ever attempted. (See the "twins" scene). 2. The script works, I mean it REALLY works. The idea of a lone agent from China seems a bit stretched, until you realize that, if China were to send a lone gun, it would likely be Jet Li. The double-cross works because, you figure, if anyone understands French cops, it would be Besson. The kidnapping works. The fight scene with the pool balls works. The bickering between Li and Fonda at the noodle shop works. The acupuncture angle works. The ending is fantastic. Do you see where this is going? The hallmark of a really good film is that you can watch it from beginning to end and remain engaged. This story delivers. 3. I have explained in my other reviews that I have seen too many martial films in my lifetime. I am no longer sure if I could pass an ink blot test, I would probably think the ink blots were trying to kill each other. This is especially true after my recent review of KILTRO (also done for IMDb). I think I lost brain cells watching that. But this I do know: KISS is my second-favorite martial arts film, ever, (The first is Forbidden Kingdom, also reviewed here). If this is not a near-perfect film within its class, nothing is.