Fei hap Siu bak lung

What do you get if you take the uncomfortable teenage sense of humour of High School Musical and replace the music numbers with sword fights and martial arts choreography? Something very closely resembling The White Dragon, as it turns out.

And unfortunately this is not really a good thing. The very Western sense of humour clashes horribly with the Oriental aesthetic and ideals, making the whole experience more baffling and uncomfortable than funny or thought-provoking. More often than it feels more like a parody than an actual comedy, which I sense wasn't the intended goal of the film makers.

Aside from that, it's not even that good of a wuxia film. And not just because the immature jokes water the subject matter down, but because it lacks the grandeur and philosophy of a proper wuxia film. Again, more like a parody than a proper representation of its intended genre.

That's not to say that the actors are untalented or that the fight scenes are not fun to watch, but while it may look fine, it lacks soul and passion. Though admittedly this applies to most comedies nowadays, because it's so easy to gain cheap laughs by pandering to the lowest common denominator. In that regard this movie is no different from Hollywood's usual fare.

If you can stomach most comedies and would like to see one with a wuxia setting, then The White Dragon is worth checking out. But if you're looking for a traditional wuxia film or require some semblance of thought from your movies, then look elsewhere.

If you have ever watched a 90s Hong Kong action/comedy...say city hunter with jackie chan (ie: Jackie chan as Chun Li from street fighter) then you know just how unserious these movies can be. This is an example of it (this genre happens to be one of my favorites). This movie has managed to incorporate jokes from the new millenia into the a feudal china setting. If you aren't entertained by a teenage girl smashing a sitar on a pillar in rock star form and then crowd surfing, then this movie might not be for you. If you are however just looking to be entertained and don't really care if the movie is real quality or not then this will do. The story isn't really innovative, the jokes are pretty cheesy, the lines are pretty cheesy too, but you know if people didn't make these types of movies then there wouldn't be a cliché or a norm. So take it for what it is, a silly movie designed to entertain you with out a lot of drama or required brain power. It's a movie, it's job was to entertain, it did for the most part. I could probably do without the last couple of minutes of the movie.

6/10, it is average for the most part, Cecilia Chung looks pretty cute in this movie. The blind guy...just looks goofy or like hes having seizures. You might say I have no taste, I say don't be so picky, you might starve to death.

If you liked 'Cat and Mouse', this is a movie you're going to like. It is a great romantic comedy, where you inevitably fall in love with the characters. I enjoyed how they stepped it up a little with a touch of a different culture in it, but glad they didn't over do it. Cecilia Cheung is a funny woman with a lot of talent. I will watch movies that she's in, just because she's in them. She just seems so comfortable in the roles she plays, and humor seems to come easy to her. Her co-partner, who plays Chicken feathers, really brought his character out. I would like to watch more of his movies, because he played his role very well in this movie. He made quirky movements like a chicken, and a funky chicken at that, and was still quite charming and lovable. I don't know if people watch this because they are looking for action, but it is more of a romantic comedy with the bonus of action. The fighting style reminded me of the video game 'Mortal Combat', which I thought was pretty cool and can appreciate. I advise anyone watching this as a foreign film, to watch it with subtitles. Nothing beats hearing the tone of the real voices, and reading the subtitles is not difficult, but sometimes listening to voice-overs are. May I repeat...subtitles, subtitles, subtitles. I fear that some people did choose to have it sounded in English, which might have taken away from an otherwise good experience. This movie, and 'Cat and Mouse', are on my favorites list for romantic comedies.

I chanced upon this film quite accidentally. It was double-billed with "Springtime in a Small Town" and lucky for me, simply enjoyed it wholeheartedly.

This is a 'martial arts' film, told like a folklore, in period costumes and sets (prince and palaces), yet with modern touches noted in the dialog exchanges. Among the scenes of sword fights, kung fu artists jumping, flying around in woods and forests, rooftops and walls, there are constant witty banters and the use of pun on colloquial idioms and visual references. If you know Cantonese, you're bound to be readily giggling with delight the way the fun-poking lines being tossed around by the actors and actresses. There is an endearing casual rhythm to how the words are thrown out, matching the action or movement at hand. An example of a modern touch (probably recognized by anyone who's familiar with using computers and the Internet): the sign of 'downloading' on screen is being 'borrowed' (where the subtitle is) to denote transference of mastery power from one character to another (our heroine of the story played by Cecilia Cheung, to be specific). Hm, ain't it cool!

I like "White Dragon" more than "House of Flying Daggers" - both had scenes of action sequences among trees and bamboo, a blind hero (in 'Dragon')/heroine (in 'House'), noble intentions - somehow the storyline is more substantial, lively and playful, and endearing in "White Dragon." There's no dispute as to how stylish the way "House of Flying Daggers" was cinematic ally presented, how lavish the costumes in colors and fluid in movements, yet like "Hero," there's a certain aloofness to director Zhang Yimou's two recent highly artistic filmic efforts (sort of precious but touch me not). While director Wilson Yip gave us a story that we can simply get down and literally rollick with the characters, laugh and cheer with them to the basic values of good triumphs over evil, and love can win and unite hearts.

With "House" - we are kept at a distance, just watching in awe how beautiful Zhang Ziyi is and the sceneries and props. With "Dragon" - we get to jump in and be next to Cecilia Cheung's "Litte White Dragon," her spunk, swiftness and warm smiles, and Francis Ng's "A floor of Chicken Feathers," the personable blind assassin with heart, gentleness and quiet moves. The way the film is directed appeals to both young and old. Another modern approach example: the scene in the shop, the words uttered (subtitle translations) reminded me of moments in 'teenage' films like Tina Fey's "Mean Girls." Some might find the humor 'silly', while some may take it as comic relief with ease.

"(Little) White Dragon" (2004) is available on DVD - yes, NTSC ALL region, widescreen, DTS sound, 93 mins., subtitles English and Chinese. For more info, try a search on "White Dragon" "Wilson Yip 2004" or can check out Asian DVD stores online. If you want entertaining action and drama, fun and wit, charming romance, non-heavy-handed treatment, give this film a chance. A literal translation of the film's Chinese title can be: "Little White Dragon: Tempestuous Sea of Emotions."

Other Zhang Yimou films worth seeing are: "Happy Times" (2001), "Not One Less"(1999), "Ju Dou" (1990), "Red Sorghum" (1987).

I picked the DVD off the shelf with hopes of a Crouching Tiger/Hero/Flying Daggers experience..in fact, the DVD brief even makes a reference to this flick being in the same vein as House of Flying Daggers. Do not be fooled. The description given to this DVD on the case is misleading and will not aptly describe the movie whatsoever. With ancient Chinese musicians playing historical United States tunes on their flutes and references to McDonalds, this is nothing more than Mall Rats, Clueless and so much other teenage drivel pumped out by Hollywood studios wrapped in the beautiful costumes of the recent Chinese hits of late. The English dub is so fantastically painful that I found myself scrunching my eyes closed tighter than I thought possible. The plot does not suffer so much from the premise as it does from the horrible interactions of the characters who fill in the spaces between pointed scenes with American elementary school politics. Avoid this movie at all costs if you are looking for what is promised on the DVD description offered up by the distributor. Of course, if you are a 12 year old girl moving to china to go to school in a Chinese elementary school where all your peers will be imitating American culture learned from Saturday morning cartoons, then this is right up your alley.