Enter the Fat Dragon is obviously a pun on the famous Bruce Lee film but completely unrelated to it. It's also unrelated to the movie of the same title starring Sammo Hung. This movie here is however a quirky return to Hong Kong action-comedy cinema of the late eighties and early nineties. The story follows a cop who destroys half his city while trying to arrest a group of robbers and gets transferred to a static desk job. His overambitious fiancée also leaves him and attempts to become a popular actress despite an obvious lack of talent. The protagonist starts feeling depressed and gaining lots of weight in the process. Many years later, he gets a chance to redeem himself as he is asked to escort a criminal to Japan. Things quickly spiral out of control when the criminal escapes during a rest stop. The protagonist gets some help from Chinese emigrants in Japan to fix the problem but he soon realizes that influential groups and even police force are in on the coup. Things take a turn for the worse, when his former girlfriend, who happens to be in Japan for a publicity stunt, gets kidnapped. The chubby cop must fight his powerful opponents with his grit of yore.
This movie obviously has a rather nonsensical plot with a few too many exaggerated coincidences. The idea to make fun of overweight people also seems somewhat old-fashioned these days. Despite those minor flaws, Enter the Fat Dragon is however a highly entertaining action-comedy revival film. The characters are unique, quirky and diversified. The plot has numerous unexpected twists and turns. The locations are splendid and especially the Japanese Chinatown has been crafted with much detail in the studio. The humorous elements are over the top. The action scenes are dynamic and find the right balance between amusing and gritty components. The fact that this action-comedy movie includes dramatic, romantic and suspenseful elements makes for a wild ride.
If you are craving for Hong Kong action-comedy cinema of the late eighties and early nineties with Jackie Chan and the likes, Enter the Fat Dragon will bring that golden era back to life in a nostalgic but quirky way. The movie won't win any awards for creativity but is entertaining from start to finish and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Invite your friends, grab your popcorn, pour a few drinks and enjoy this movie to the fullest over and over again.
