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Cast:
Jet
Li
Bridget
Fonda
Tcheky
Karyo
Burt
Kwouk
Ric
Young
Action:
Yuen
Kwai
Producer:
Luc
Besson
Jet
Li
Steve
Chasman
Bernard
Grenet
Happy
Walters
Director:
Chris
Nahon
Score:
 
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KISS
OF THE DRAGON
AKA:
KOD: Kiss of the Dragon
Year:
2001 Reviewer: Tony
Ryan
Jet
Li's follow up to the lacklustre 'Romeo
Must Die' promised us a mixture of Luc Besson's 'Nikita'
and Jet's finest hour (and a half) 'Fist
of Legend'. I almost laughed when I heard that claim,
however, my expectations were still high.
There
are many good things to come out of this film, with the amount
of action being one. From start to finish there are a number
of highly violent, stylish and competently choreographed fight
sequences. 'Fist of Legend' they ain't, but they jump over and
above anything seen in previous American action films (barring
'Drive'
and 1 scene in 'The Matrix'), and they’re streets ahead of RMD
and 'Rush
Hour'. On the downside, good choreography is not the be
all and end all of a good fight scene. Camera positioning,
editing and music all combine to create the scene, and this is
where Hong Kong movies still reign supreme. For all Yuen Kwai
and Jet's efforts, it is the MTV-style editing and close-up
camera-work which reduces your viewing pleasure. You end up
feeling a little sea-sick, wishing the camera man would stand
still and the editor would put his scissors away.
The
movie has a nice feel to it, with larger than life characters
and great scenery. Jet is more assured in his quiet and
moody mode, more reminiscent of his Lethal Weapon 4 role
than RMD’s almost schizophrenic bad guy/good guy.
Bridget Fonda is nowhere near as annoying as some people have
made out, while Burt Kwouk is always entertaining. It also had
me laughing out loud at one point when Jet is approached in a
Bar with the phrase: "Men’s toilets. Now!"
A
lad's with lager film, but one that doesn't fail in it's
objective: Jet Li kicks ass…violently…and lots of it. I'm
still waiting for another 'Fist of Legend' and fear I always
will be. One request to American producers: can we have Jet Li
and Yuen Woo Ping working on one film? Please?
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