Fei hap Siu bak lung

So here's the gist of it: Phoenix Black, a pretty young woman in China two hundred or so years ago, a one-dimensional victim of the director's need to rehash the silly-teen-girl-who-loves-to-shop jokes, inherits the powers of the White Dragon via simulated computer-download. Because she's in love with the Prince, she must fight to save him from the country's top assassin, a man named Chicken Feathers. She is aided by Gene, a young man with an impressive knowledge of modern forensics.

Throughout the course of the story, though, Phoenix finds out that Chicken Feathers is a decent man, and falls in love with him as well. Now she must learn where her loyalties lie and uncover the mystery of who hired Chicken Feathers to assassinate the Prince.

To be fair, if you can stomach the first twenty minutes of silicon-age silliness blending with feudal China affairs, and the last ten minutes of western-world make-me-puke-mega-happy-endings, then the rest of the show ain't so bad. Though the wire-fu is growing tiresome, the sword play is decent. The love story is slightly appreciable, though on the whole less than respectable.

Cecilia Cheung, who's always delightful to see does an admirable job of taking a lame role seriously, and she gets to play a character with two cool names: Phoenix Black and White Dragon, Jr. The other supporting characters are just silly. The conspiracy story is dumb and over-abused in Western cinema. The blind assassin with a pure heart story is even more over-abused in Eastern films. I would have hoped that something coming out of Hong Kong would have had more substance.

The worst of the film, though, is that the director tries to blend modern silliness akin to Leslie Nielsen's Mr. Magoo (actually, you could reference just about anything Nielsen has done for the last twenty years) with all the pageantry of Eastern period-piece films. What you end up with is computer download power transfers, and a débutante of ancient China playing ancient Chinese songs on a flute while acting like a rock star and stage diving.

Needless to say, the mixing just doesn't blend. People who honestly express the thought that this is a great movie only demonstrate their foolishness, and an all-too-frightening penchant for idiocy.

Saw this on a double bill with "Springtime in a Small Town".

What an odd pairing!

"Springtime" was a deliberately paced, beautiful period piece and "The White Dragon" was an in-your-face laugh riot.

Another movie patron warned me that I would be wasting my time, but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.

Never laughed so hard at an Asian film!

A lot of sight gags but Francis Ng's over the top performance won me over. Cecilia Cheung does a credible job as his foil.

Certainly not "high art", but if you desire a little levity and silliness, you won't be disappointed.

The late afternoon-evening that I spent watching these two films is one of my favorite solo adult experiences, so they'll always hold a place in my heart.

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.

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).

Honestly the general story or theme of the movie is pretty good. I had feeling for the characters, there persona, especially Chickin Feathers. But there some things that bothered me in it also. First of all, what is the thing about Chinese incorporating flying in there martial arts. The Chinese kung fu itself is beautiful and grace full, they could do awesome martial arts movie whiteout adding stuff like that. I have a lot of trouble getting in the fights with this style. If i watch a sci-fy movie, i know there is gonna be stuff not possible, but a martial arts movie, i need it to seem at least with possible movement. I don't mind 1 or 2 wired shot, like Romeo Must Die or Jet Li's Fearless, but well... not a whole fight. Second the whole "computer stuff" ... what was that? Stupid. And finally, for a movie with martial arts in the synopsis, there is not much of it... There like 3 short fights in the whole movie... It felt way more like a drama than a martial arts movie. I don't say drama is not good, its just that the advertising seem wrong for me. But like i said, the story part, the "drama part" if you will was pretty good. It only needed a little more polishing on the fights, maybe 2 or 3 mores too, and the "comedy" aspect didn't felt at the right place at all.