Dance of the Dragon

I found the movie to slow for my taste. But I should admit that this movie is an interesting movie. With a fort and back story line, little dialogs, and beautiful dance, the movie is worth to watch.

It has some memorable scene and dialog and I still have it in my mind for some time, which indicates that the movie was able to bring a lot of my attention.

There is another movie in the same genre entitled Billy Elliot, and in my opinion Billy Elliot provide much more interesting storyline and ending. But some aspects in the movie are totally different so we can not really compare the two of them.

Anyway, the movie is worth to watch. If you like a slow dance, you will love this movie.

I went to the sneak peaks screening of this film on the weekend at the cathay. I can't believe the Korean scenes were filmed in Singapore. I have been to Korean villages just like the one in the film, very authentic, well done, also the Korean family scenes are exactly the way I experienced it, most Singaporeans may not have seen these villages in Korea, the film is spot on!.. Jang Hyuk in this film gives his best performance to date, very different from the tough rolls in his series. Fann looks beautiful and I cried in two of her scenes. Jason Scott Lee is looking great and his performance is both touching and rewarding. well worth seeing this film!!!!!

This movie is the story about a man that is passionate about dancing and it's basically his dream to be a ballroom dancer. The director picked a good actor for this role which is Jang Hyuk who is an actor that is passionate no matter what role he takes. And it really shows in this with his dancing and all. I am not a fanatic when it comes to these types of dancing but the build up is good enough to make me care about the protagonist and what he is going through. Especially since his character is very peaceful one. The main plot of this movie revolves around the protagonist named Tay Kwan...Glad there is no "Do" at the end and his relationship with father and his female dancing instructor who is also passionate about dancing. And also bonds with through dancing. But a bit of a conflict comes in when the dancing instructor's ex-boyfriend gets in the picture, although he isn't a real bad guy, he is forceful, aggressive and a bit of a bully. And the character is played by Jason Scott Lee which is another great choice because he brings this presence of masculinity and charisma to make him somewhat likable. Even if his character has a forceful exterior he can be a wuss. Since I believe if a man loves somewhat he should try to win her heart even if there is competitors after that person as well. Instead of trying to bully or try to get rid of the competitors. But that is my thought anyways. Also Tay has a difficult time accomplishing his dream because of financial reasons. Jang Hyuk still slightly speaks English with a bit of Korean accent like in "Please Teach Me English" except not as bad. But because of his circumstance in the movie, it makes it work. This is a good romantic dance movies that has to do with the passion of dancing and a bit of rivalry even if the build up is a bit slow at times. It's a well made movie with some good build up that shows the distance some people would go even if they have to risk a lot to accomplish their dream.

7.2/10

This movie cannot be appreciated by those of a superficial nature. It is a profound drama with tales of romance and passion. Most of the show consists of scenes with the main characters in deep thought, leaving much of these thoughts to the viewer's imagination. In line with the typical Korean drama, this show may seem slow-moving but in actual fact is rich in emotions which one must delve deep into to understand. The three main actors have put on stunning performances, with Fann Wong still looking fabulous at her age. Her part as an ex-champion and dance instructor comes across most aptly through the pain one can notice in her eyes. Jang Hyuk does a very convincing portrayal of Tae, with his deep passion for dance able to successfully strike a chord in viewers. The soundtrack for the final scene was very appropriately selected, with fitting and moving lyrics. Beautiful cinematography. Good art-house fare.

Dance of the Dragon is a beautifully-shot film with great performances especially from the leads, Jang Hyuk, Fann Wong and Jason Scott Lee. The story could have been more tightly edited, and more realistic locales could have been used, but generally the film is lensed well with strong characterization. Dialogue bordered on the cheesy/hokey at times though - it could be improved. The soundtrack bordered on the dramatic and could have been rendered more subtly. But generally, what blew me away was the strength of the film through the performances of the cast. They raised the film to a level unprecedented for an international cast and crew. Jang and Fann should see success if this film travels.