American Dragons

American Dragons is an archetypal 'Buddy' police action film where the main character (Tony Luca – Michael Biehn) is caught in the middle of a gang war between the Mafia and the Yakuza whilst being lumbered with a Korean Detective (Joong-Hoon Park). Despite a totally unoriginal plot, American Dragons is a very good film and definitely has the edge over the average 'Buddy' films that were so popular in the 90s.

What really sets this apart from other police films is the chemistry between the two main characters. Their bickering throughout the film adds amusement and highlights how cultural differences can have an effect on people's relationships. Luca's apparent racism at the start is not a sign of evil, but of misunderstanding and ignorance. The pair's inevitable journey to becoming friends is done very well and does admirably to avoid becoming cliché. Rather than one character saving the other character's life, it is the stories they tell of their path to becoming a cop and what guided them being where they are that leads them to discovering they have more in common than they first imagined. This, of course, is only after they have a raging fight in a back alley which is broken up by a homeless man threatening to call the police!

For a direct to video film, the overall quality of the film is very good. The stage lighting is consistent throughout and it is always clear what is occurring on screen. The adrenaline pumping music is one of the best aspects of the film and does a great job of putting the audience on the edge of their seats, especially during action sequences. The fight scenes in the film are also very good; there are a couple good martial arts fights and some great fighting by Biehn.

This is by no mean Michael Biehn's most challenging role, but he certainly rises to the occasion and does very well in the more emotionally demanding scenes, showing guilt and remorse very effectively in the scenes involving the murdered civilian. It is good to see an actor have such fun with a role as Biehn does in this film. He certainly enjoys playing the tough, cynical cop who punches his way to the truth. Whilst the chemistry between Biehn and Park was good, Joong-Hoon Park does appear to have some struggles coping with his English in this film which occasionally affects the delivery of his lines. Other than that, he performs competently in the film displaying great shock at American's lack of respect for policemen and is great in the banter between Luca and his character (Kim). The rest of the cast is a bit of a disappointment. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is almost wasted in this role, an actor of his calibre should definitely have been given more screen time. The only other actor worthy of a mention is Don Stark who is terrific as the clichéd mobster, Rocco.

What really lets this film down is the script. To be honest, it is abysmal and the script writer should really be ashamed of himself for forcing people to emit such rubbish. With a story that was lacking anything new, a good script was required for the film to gain any real credibility and it is for this reason that film never got a theatrical release.

While definitely not a masterpiece and not as good as Lethal Weapon, American Dragons is a thoroughly entertaining piece which grips the audience really tight and even adds some occasional touching moments.

American Dragons is a hugely underrated film that more people should definitely know about.

Biehn plays Tony Luca, an NYC detective working undercover trying to take down the Fiorino Mafia family. When some unfortunate events cause that investigation to "go sideways", he is transferred to another case, in the Chinatown area where there have been some murders. It seems someone is bumping off Yakuza gangsters and leaving a mysterious Black Lotus emblem. Enter Detective Kim (Park) from the Seoul police department. He comes to America because he has a score to settle with the evil Matsuyama (Tagawa, playing yet another gun-toting bad guy, see Danger Zone ,1996). He teams up with Luca, who also has his own score to settle with amoral gangster Rocco (Stark). So it goes that, despite some initial conflicts due to their different cultures, the two pugilistic cops must take down their respective enemies before a mob war breaks out between the Mafia and the Yakuza.

American Dragons is stylish and artsy, yet dark and brooding. It has an engaging storyline, and despite the fact that it has some brutal, gritty violence, it also has some unexpected humor which leavens everything out.

You really get your money's worth, as there are two personal vendettas that must be settled, and two super-evil bad guys that must get their comeuppance. Luckily, there are two heroes, in the form of Park and Biehn. Biehn gets some great lines and seems as intense as the movie itself. Try to imagine a better, more adult, mature version of Last to Surrender (1999). Also, if you can, try to imagine a MUCH better version of Massacre (1985). While 'Dragons shares some plot elements from those two films, what's really interesting is the similarity it bears to Punisher: War Zone (2008), both in the style in which it is filmed and the plot.

The cinematography truly is a double edged sword here, as it is inventive and stylish, but often the scenes are just too dark to see. It's almost funny how every bar, restaurant, police station or anywhere else in the movie never turns its lights on. A lot of the time it looks like they are talking in the dark. The station house resembles the one from the Law and Order franchises, and that adds to the "police procedural on steroids" feel and even the Captain of the Precinct is reminiscent of that show's Van Buren. But here they're clearly trying to save money on electricity.

The whole movie is a of a much higher caliber than the usual action junk, and you can tell some thought went into everything, from the rockin' soundtrack to the fact that even here there's a training sequence! This, and other clues tell me the filmmakers are action fans themselves and know what they are doing. It's nice to know you're in good hands when you watch a movie.

So remember, "So foul a sky clears not without a storm" and watch American Dragons tonight - it's a cut above the rest.

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New York detective Tony Luca is paired with South Korean detective Kim after a failed sting, as they navigate a deadly Mafia-Yakuza conflict while facing cultural clashes and personal demons.

Orion's American Dragons (1998), also known as Double Edge and The First to Die, inexplicably skipped a release in the U. K. until 2005. Director Ralph Hemecker blends action and drama with shades of American Yakuza (1993) and Black Rain (1989). The cinematography by Ernest Holzman enhances the noir-like atmosphere, while Joel Goldsmith's score adds tension and intensity. The action sequences are a mixed bag-some are executed with precision, while others are less well executed. With scattered fistfights and shootouts the tense opening, alley fight, bowling alley encounter are particularly notable highlights.

Michael Biehn delivers a strong performance as the hardened Luca, bringing both edge and depth to his role. Park Joong-hoon holds his own, adding humor and charm. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa makes an impression as Matsuyama, though his screen time is limited. Don Stark as mobster Rocco injects energy, making his scenes particularly engaging.

The film strikes a balance between gritty action and lighter moments, offering amusing one-liners without veering into full buddy-cop comedy. Biehn shines and carries the film effortlessly.

While Hemecker's offering may not have the scale or reach the heights of likes of Red Heat (1988), it's still wonderfully atmospheric, embracing the fish-out-of-water dynamic, creating a stylish crime shoot-em-up.

Ok, so this is just a cheesy action movie but that doesn't mean you have to hate it. It's got a lot of plus points. The performances of the two leads is good and they do have actual chemistry. Plus this movie is funny; whenever the cops come to a dead end they just beat some people up. There is a fight every few minutes. It's great. Plus it teaches kids an important lesson: VIOLENCE SOLVES EVERYTHING! Wooooo!

What I don't get is how come Michael Biehn isn't a bigger star. He is quality.

If you see "American Dragons" on TV then give it a look, you might like it as much as I did.

You might not though. I'm not promising anything, ok? OK?

New York undercover cop Luca has his cover blown during an attempted sting on mobster Rocco. The fallout leaves a cop and a civilian dead. Meanwhile in Korea officer Kim lives in the shadow of his wife and child – murdered by a gang called the black orchid. When Luca is moved top homicide he finds a connection to the black orchid gang – bringing Kim from Korea. The two must work together to stop the mysterious assassins causing a gang war between the mob and the Yakuza.

I thought this would be a martial arts type US cross over movie – and I wasn't far off. In fact this film covers all stereotypes of the mismatched-cop movies. We have a foreign cop, a hard assed cop, a firm but fair black captain etc etc. The cliches are overpowering and the story itself is nothing special. Because of the cliches you never get to the point of getting to believe in the characters. The action scenes are OK but it's nowhere near the type of martial rats stuff I expected – even Martial Law is more exciting.

The cast are mixed – Biehn is OK but really overdoes the tough guy stuff and delivers his lines flat. Park is not much better, at times I thought he was poor because he was foreign and at other times I thought he was poor because he was rubbish. Tagawa is always value for money – but has too small a role. The rest of the cast are nothing more than stereotypes – police captain, mobsters, informants etc. The whole cast is one big cliché.

The ending deserves special mention (don't worry I'm not spoiling the end!), the line `yeah, see you – but next time I'll come to Korea!' is typical of this mass produced straight-to-video gumph, already planning an international sequel….

Overall it's almost rubbish. The fact that you know exactly what to expect from it means you're not disappointed (there's a backward compliment!) but it's still pretty poor. May I suggest you watch Rush Hour instead – it's cliched too but it has more energy, comedy and flair. This is very workmanlike stuff.