Le Poing de la vengeance

There's a special place in my heart for old school Jackie Chan films. For some reason, when I look to my JC collection for something to watch, I tend toward the older fare.

On the surface, DRAGON FIST is pretty average. But if you're an old school fan, you can't help rooting for virutally everyone in the film. Yan Yee Kwan (sometimes Yam Sai-kun) is one of my favorite bad guys; he was also excellent in Fearless Hyena, Once Upon a Time in China, Iron Monkey, and Heroic Trio. James Tien and Nora Miao bring a lot of respectability to the cast as well.

The plot offers some nifty twists. The fights are strong. I have to agree that the film takes itself just a little too seriously. If Jackie's early work could be measured on a "stiff-o-meter," DRAGON FIST would fall squarely between TO KILL WITH INTRIGUE and FEARLESS HYENA. Not coincidentally, that's about where it falls in his chronology.

Much of the charm of these films for American viewers -- and it can't be disregarded, especially for those of us who grew up in the 70s and 80s -- is the afternoon matinee "Kung Fu Theater" nostalgia factor. It imbues them with a quality that I can't ascribe to many of Jackie's later films. I love POLICE STORY, etc. -- the production values are generally much higher, the stunts are mindblowing -- but those are a different breed altogether. They occupy a different place in film history, and in my esteem.

Jackie has done another good old movie. This film has alot of action and the end is action packed too. This film is fun. This film is great for a person that doesn't know which Jackie Chan's old film to see. This film has the revenge your master's death plot. But otherwise the film is action packed with one or two funny parts. "Wei Lo" was the director again. He always makes Jackie films look good on tv. And Jackie kicks but at the end of the movie. Thats classic. So go rent or buy today.

Standard kung-fu revenge fare, but the man who would soon become the clown prince of Hong Kong martial arts films gives a very credible performance as the hero who is pushed beyond all endurance while just trying to keep his head down. Chan has a solid supporting cast in this film, too: Yen Shi-kwan (who later portrayed the white-haired villain in Chan's first directorial effort "The Fearless Hyena") as the guilt-ridden fighter who vanquished the hero's sifu, plus reliable Lo Wei standbys Nora Miao and James Tien. Best of all, the choreography bears Chan's unmistakable stamp, resulting in a particularly satisfying climactic duel during which the hero uses a crutch to fend off his opponent's sharpened metal tonfas.

Entertaining fights, as well as decent sets and costumes, earn "Dragon Fist" six and a half stars.

This is actually a well made film. because of that, I doubt very highly that it was directed by Lo Wei. My vote is that Chan, once allowed to choreograph the fight scenes, just went ahead and directed the film, much as what happened with Bruce Lee and The Chinese Connection, another film claimed by Lo Wei that he didn't actually direct. In fact that's pretty typical for Lo Wei - probably half the films he made were directed by the actors while he was off gambling, drinking, or sleeping it off.

At any rate: Although the film is heavy handed and a little slow, the story is not without interest (this is one of the few 'fu films where we see a potential villain repent and become a good guy), and the performances are all above standard for this genre in the mid-'70s. I believe this film, I believe its characters. Certaily not a masterwork, but a worthwhile dramatic 'fu film.

Oh, and the fight scenes are all pretty good.

Jackie Chan's master is dead, so he travels with their survivors. But when they come to a new town, he finds himself -- and them -- caught in the middle of a feud between a clan and gangsters.

This came out after SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW and DRUNKEN MASTER, so it looks like a reversion to a safe but standard formula. Actually it was filmed before, which makes me think they rushed the other movies out, or perhaps this was shelved until Chan's suddenly risen star made its release commercial. There may be a tendency to denigrate it because it isn't the comedic Chan, but that, I feel, would be an error. I think it can be enjoyed for what it is, another highly competent film by director Wei Lo.