Dragon Fist (1979)

Boring

best movie i've ever seen.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

If you're a recent Jackie Chan convert, or you've been watching his films since 'Police Story' his backlog of seventies films is a daunting place. There's a lot of terrible, terrible stuff out there. You might have seen 'Eagle Shadow Fist' or 'The Killer Meteors' and shied away from anything else. I wouldn't blame you. But he made some decent films in this era. It's just a matter of finding them.The Director of Dragon Fist is a man called Lo Wei. I say a man, not a director. Lo Wei was more interested in Gambling than directing.Bruce Lee nearly came to blows with Wei in the filming of 'Fist of Fury'. Wei spent more time listening to horse racing and sleeping than he did with a megaphone. The result? Lee got his own input. Better movie. That's maybe the point with Lo Wei. The less he directs, the more the other people direct. And that could be a good thing.Lo Wei director or produced (almost) all of Jackie Chan's films between 1976 and 1978. Chan = Lee. That was the plan. At first anyway. His first starring role in this period was 'New Fist of Fury'. It didn't work. Wei was trying too hard. When he sleeps the stars talent takes over. Anyway, Chan can't play straight. Or can he?Most of us will be cursed to see Dragon Fist in it's 4:3 pan and scan, poorly dubbed, damaged washed out version. Even taking this into account I think it's the best film Jackie did before 'Snake in the Eagles shadow.' (yes 'Snake and Crane arts of Shaolin' had the best action, but it wasn't as good a film.)This film is crying out for a remake.It takes the simple themes of revenge and distorts them till your not sure who's in the wrong. Or Right.Yam Sai-Kun plays the bad guy. One of his earliest roles. He's a hard, hard man. In the late 60's he swam from China to Hong Kong with the aid of a basketball. He later played roles in Films such as 'Fearless Hyena' and 'Iron Monkey'. But this role, like Iron Robe Yen in 'Once Upon a Time in China' is one of his most psychologically complex. He chops off his leg early on to try and ease his guilt. His self redemption seems, to this viewer, to excuse him of his crime. That makes things more uncomfortable when it's the very crime that Jackie's out to avenge. Jackie, in his role as avenger, blurs the line between good and evil. He joins the 'bad guys' (to comply with the black and white polarisation of these films). He goes too far. But he goes further. There's always a point when you think. 'Come on Jackie, realise that your fighting for the wrong side, beat the hell out of them.' But he still fights. It's a dark film.Budget constraints. Technological constraints. Lo Wei. Lot's of elements try and turn this film into the 70's schlock it's often compared to. But somehow it rises above all of this. The Choreography varies between the average and the mind blowing. Chan hasn't been better in a straight role until Crime Story (15 years later.) You can probably pick this up for a few pounds. If so it's a good place to start. Enjoy.

This is another Chan period film with a "revenge for killing my master" plot. Chan has more of a central role in this film than in his previous films. There are several fights in the film involving Chan, but most of them are limited in scope until the final six or seven minutes in the showdown sequence. Then we see one of the better Chan fights amongst all his earlier films. The dubbing isn't the best and the plot is nothing new, nor is its execution. This is a good chance to see Chan in one of his earlier efforts where he has a central role, unlike many of the films where he has a smaller supporting role. There is no sense of humor here either, as Chan's later films have. Overall, typical of its kind, not up to later Chan efforts. *1/2 of 4 stars.

Jackie has done another good old movie. This film has alot of action and the end is action packed too. This film is fun. This film is great for a person that doesn't know which Jackie Chan's old film to see. This film has the revenge your master's death plot. But otherwise the film is action packed with one or two funny parts. "Wei Lo" was the director again. He always makes Jackie films look good on tv. And Jackie kicks but at the end of the movie. Thats classic. So go rent or buy today.

This is another Jackie's good Kung-Fu film (without comedy plot) in his 70's. If you like Jackie Chan and Kung-Fu movies, you will definitely enjoy this one. If you are worrying about which ones to see from his 70's films, you must be careful .He appeared in so many titles in 70's so naturally there're many garbage as well. But this one also will be for ya!