Review of Kiss of the Dragon (2001) by Andrew M — 11 Aug 2010
After the mediocre Romeo Must Die I wasn't expecting much from this, but it turned out to be surprisingly decent. It's darker, grittier and contains a lot more blood, violence and attitude - just what you want from a Jet Li action flick! Yes it's cliched and formulaic but it has an addictive aura of coolness about it and there are some great fight scenes, unspoilt by wire work.
Jet Li is right at home as tough Beijing cop Liu Jian and actually has chemistry this time with the female lead, played by Bridget Fonda - another improvement on Romeo Must Die. The rest of the cast play your usual selection of cops, officials and henchmen but Tcheky Karyo stands out as the main villain.
His ranting corrupt detective is a lot of fun. Is KOTD Li's best Hollywood movie? Very possibly. I mean there are others vying for that oh so coveted crown but how many of them have Li owning his enemies with the "Kiss of the Dragon" - a distant cousin of the "Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique" that involves a needle, paralysis and lots of blood?!
This review of Kiss of the Dragon (2001) was written by Andrew M on 11 Aug 2010.
Kiss of the Dragon has generally received positive reviews.
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