Action Hunter

After having watched Project A and Wheels on Meals, I couldn't help having some high hopes for this last one with the three leads together for a final time. I guess I'm a bit disappointed over how simple it was, but then again, it's what you should expect from a Hong Kong Action Comedy from the 80s.

The film is split into three parts - introducing the three leads, two of the leads romancing the women and final part the fight with the bad guys. I'm sure there could be ways to make the film more smooth in it's storytelling, but we're not really introduced to the main baddies reason for being bad until the last part of the film. Instead they make silly gags about Yuen trying to hide a listening bug device in one of the womens apartment, helping Jackie out, or just Yuen attacking Jackie during one of his dates. Sure, we get great fights these times, but you don't really feel like there's much on stake these time. Although, even I have to admit that when the three of them fight each other, I got some Three Stooges vibes, in the best way possible, I laughed out loud over how greatly choreographed it all was. However, the weakest part of the film was the whole romantic section between Jackie and his love interest as well as Sammo and his - poor Yuen just had to be the comic relief in the end. The romantic part slowed the whole film down and caused a hiccup in the otherwise fast-moving narration.

The best part however is the third act, the famous fight(s) in the bad boss' factory. You can tell that Sammo as a director knows how to use his actors right, Wah Yuen is amazing and laugh-out-loud funny with his sneaky kicks and keeping the cigar in his mouth all the time, too bad we don't got more of him. We also got Benny Urquidez as the boss' henchman, I've only seen two films with him, but damn, I will never forget his face, looking so intimidating and really giving Jackie a challenge until the end. I rate the last part of this film 10 out of 10, but sadly the middle drags it down. Still, it's a great ending to this trilogy.

It's amazing what you can do in your "last collaborative effort." With other movies behind Chan, Hung, and Biao like "Winners and Sinners" and "Wheels on Meals" (weird-as-all-hell names, if you ask me), the three kung-fu-teers, as they've been called, made their last, and what I consider best of their films. The inimitable Jackie Chan plays a lawyer, and a corrupt one at that. However, he does beat a healthy load of bad guys into body casts, with his pals Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao along for the ride. Scary kickboxer Benny "the Jet" Urquidez dukes it out with Jackie for the last time as a generic thug, subsequently getting his villainous rear knocked from here to the god-awful studio that made "Baby Geniuses." Give this movie a try. You won't be disappointed.

Dragons Forever may be one of Jackie Chan's best and certainly one of his most satisfying films. It contains some of the best fight action of his career,and an equal amount of humour,but also has a reasonable plot,some character development and a welcome dose of romance,something which is usually sidelined in Chan films. In fact,this is one Chan movie which might be enjoyed just as much by the gals as well as the guys.

This was the last film featuring the great trio of Chan,Samo Hung and Yuen Biao,and it sees them experimenting a bit by playing against type. Chan is really good as a shady,skirt chasing lawyer,and Biao is very funny as a mentally unstable thief {some versions of the film remove two of his scenes,so beware},but Hung,who was easily the best actor of the three,gives the stand out performance as Chan's devious gun running buddy. A great deal of time is given to Hung's and Chan's romances,and there is one really touching if over the top scene involving Hung with a megaphone trying to get his potential girl to trust him in front of loads of people.

Some of the film's slapstick perhaps goes on a bit,but there are some terrific scenes where the three heroes keep comedic-ally fighting each other,sometimes all at one time. Don't worry action fans,amidst all this romance and slapstick is some superb fighting. The fights are not that many in number and some are quite brief,but Chan looks near his best and Hung and Baio also shine. Chan's running battle with a gang of heavies on a ship and his duel with Benny Urquidez {a thrilling battle and not at all like the Chan/Urquidez match in Wheels On Meals} are amongst his best fights ever. Just try and keep a a note of all the stunt men who do extremely dangerous falls during the climax! As often with a Hung-directed film,the violence is a bit stronger than the usual Chan film.

As usual there is the odd scene which doesn't work,such as when Hung apologizes to his girlfriend and she......smashes him in the face with an iron bar!-after which they make up! The film was rushed and sometimes looks a little rough around the edges. Nevertheless,this is a truly enjoyable all round movie which should satisfy even if you're not really into martial arts movies!

Dragons Forever seems to me to be a little overlooked amongst Jackie's other more celebrated movies such as Project A or Armour of God. It's a pity, because I've seen more then 40 of his movies and Dragons would be in my top ten or very close.

It's practically your perfect Jackie Chan movie; great action, great humour, and just a lot of fun to watch. I didn't find the romance side painful at all, though character's motivations can be a little shady.

As you might know- Jackie, Samo, and Yuen Biao haven't appeared together in a project since Dragons Forever, and as much as i enjoy Jackie alongside a Tucker or a Wilson, it would be just great to have those three reunited again some day soon!

The comedy is VERY funny (casting Jackie as a lawyer is funny in itself, intentionally I hope), the romance is sweet and the action is (expectedly) spectacular. The film is marred only by its inconsistent tone: there is a little too much violence toward the end, which doesn't sit too well with the rest of the movie. By the way, I watched the dubbed version, and this may be one of those rare instances where the dubbing does not significantly detract from the film - in fact, it probably ENHANCES the comedy. (***)