Kiss of the Dragon DVD

• Cert:
• Cat.no: 22230 DVD
• Running time: 98 mins
• Year: 2001
• Pressing: 2002
• Region(s): 2, 4, PAL
• Chapters: 15
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
• Languages: English
• Subtitles: English
• Widescreen: 2.35:1 (Technovision)
• 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
• Macrovision: Yes
• Disc Format: DVD 9
• Price: £17.99
• Extras: 4 Featurettes, Storyboard sequence, Martial arts demo, Multi-angle sequence, Action gallery, Trailer, Six TV spots, Audio commentary

Director:

Chris Nahon

(Kiss of the Dragon)

Producer:

Screenplay:

Cast:

Liu Jian: Jet Li
Jessica: Bridget Fonda
Richard: Tcheky Karyo
Mr Big: Ric Young
Uncle Tai: Burt Kwouk
Aja: Laurence Ashley

Kiss of the Dragon finds Liu Jian (Jet Li) in a tight spot when recruited to sort out an international drugs conspiracy in Paris, but when it transpires that the cop he’s to assist, Inspector Richard (Tcheky Karyo), is so bent he failed technical drawing because he couldn’t find a ruler that was straight, the film soon launches into another cat-and-mouse frenzy as bad goes after good because good has incriminating evidence about bad.

In a seedy hotel room, hookers Jessica (Bridget Fonda) and Aja (Laurence Ashley) are entertaining a Chinese businessman, but when Aja almost kills him and the police have it all on tape, Liu Jian goes in to stop her, then Richard enters the room, instructs his colleagues to stop filming and shoots Aja and finishes off the businessman. But, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, they didn’t quite stop the tape in time and Jet Li goes on the run with the tape in hand. And since Jessica also got out of the mess unscathed, she becomes a target too, so Jet Li must protect her. Oh, and she’s got a daughter too, so you know the kid’s going to be in danger.

Unfortunately, for such a comparatively short film, there needs to be more action – and with some originality. A few minutes of high-octane fisticuffs and shooting gives way to another 15-20 minutes of very little as Li and Fonda chat each other up, even though Fonda’s dressed up like the hooker-fishwife from hell.

There’s a great moment early on when Richard tells one of his underlings to go down a laundry chute after Jet Li, to which the hesitated reply comes, “Boss… I think…”, and he’s rewarded with a bullet in the head. Richard points at another minion and shouts, “You! And don’t think!”

The film has a three-way link between cast and crew members. Luc Besson directed Nikita, starring Tcheky Karyo, which was remade in 1993 as The Assassin starring Bridget Fonda. Pink Panther co-star Burt Kwouk makes a cameo appearance as Uncle Tai, who spends his time housing dangerous Chinese operatives and feeding them with noodles. At the age of 72, isn’t it a bit of a heavy responsibility? There’s even a Cato reference late on in the movie.

Jet Li kicks bottom.

The film is in anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen and debut director Nahon fills the frame well. However, as well as a few sparklies on the print, there’s three jump cuts in the film as a result of a bad edit – once as Fonda headbutts another prostitute and another as her pimp Lupo gives her a slap across the face. How those got beyond quality control is beyond me.

Dolby Digital 5.1 sound comes in English only and is fine with car chases, gunfire and kicking, but nothing out of the ordinary.

The extras begin with four featurettes. Jet Li – Fighting Philosophy (11 mins) shows various cast members talk about the fight scenes, interspersed with clips; Cory Yuen – Action Academy (8 mins) features the action director in conversation over the choreography of the fight scenes; On the Set Action (2 mins) in which a few fight scenes are clipped together, with extra footage thrown in of the camera that’s filming the camera filming them; and the simply-titled Featurette (4½ mins) – one of those bog-standard pieces that act as little more than an extended trailer.

The Police Gymnasium Fight: Martial Arts Demo runs for 2 minutes and shows the practicing for Jet Li’s attempt to defeat umpteen opponents in one battle. Also in there are storyboard sequences for the laundry chute scene and the orphanage, a number of action gallery photo stills, including poster artwork, a trailer and six TV adverts. This is rounded off by an audio commentary from the director and its two leads. All in all, once you’ve looked at most of these extras, they’re not things you’ll return to.

Subtitles are in English only, there are only 15 chapters and some menus have sound, while only the main one has subtle animation.

Jet Li stops the baddies
practicing their Broadway routines.

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