Watching Dragon, Hidden Growler - Film Reviews

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All films are stories. Told by writers, directors and many other creative people. This fact holds true wherever in the world they are made. I find many Chinese and East Asian films very innovative and highly entertaining. Here are a few I'd like to share.

Rawle Austin presents...

Dragon Tiger Gate - A Review

This is a comic book movie like no other. Told in Cantonese with English subtitles we are pulled into a world where the amazing is on display from the beginning. Director Wilson Yip says "The spirit of the Dragon Tiger Gate is to uphold justice, and not turn to the dark side. This is the theme of the story, this is the most important thing to bring out." That just about sums it up.

The story is basically about two brothers who, separated at an early age, find themselves reunited under extreme circumstances. Donnie Yen stars as Dragon Wong, one of the two brothers. He is the bodyguard of the crimelord Ma Kun of the Lousha Gate and Yen plays him as a brooding but fair individual. He is clearly the master of his craft.

Donnie Yen is the best martial artist out there at the moment in my opinion. In the tradition of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li he has transcended the form to become top of the game. He is the action director and co-producer of Dragon Tiger Gate, choreographing the many fight scenes brilliantly by grounding them in reality, despite the fantasy aspects within.

Nicholas Tse stars as younger brother Tiger Wong. The film is told from his point of view and we follow his story throughout. He was brought up in a Kung Fu school by master Wong Jianglong. He has a more innocent view of the world but his kung fu is in top form. Able to employ the Dragon Slaying Kick, Tiger Wong unwittingly angers the Lousha Gate and thus sets in motion this rollercoaster of a movie. Tse plays him him well and you immediately fit in his shoes and feel for the character.

Click here to check out Dragon Tiger Gate - 2 Disc Ultimate Edition [DVD]

The brothers are joined by Turbo Shek, played by Shawn Yue. His comical exterior (and his hairstyle) belies his tragic childhood and his skill with nunchakus. The crimelord's daughter Ma Xiaoling is played by actress Dong Jie and comes to ally herself with the aforementioned trio. Her life is wrecked by the big bad in the movie, Shibumi. Dragon Tiger Gate is adapted from the Hong Kong comic book and has 20 million readers.

It took 5 years to make and was indeed crafted with love when you see the spectacular action set pieces and special effects. The performances of the cast were perfect throughout with a lot of emotion coming through especially with the use of flashback sequences to childhood. Dragon Tiger Gate is a martial arts film with a hint of fantasy, a dash of superhero and a splash of the supernatural. I give it an 8 out of 10 for its ambition and the finished product. It's well worth seeing.

< Niu Niu - A Young Master of the Piano | Geisha Assassin >

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