After watching the opening scenes of Kiss of the Dragon, I exclaimed, "Jet Li can act... Who knew?" By the end of the movie, I knew he could write and produce too....

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Liu Jian: I am a cop.
Jessica: I am Santa Claus.
Liu Jian: Who is Santa Claus?

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After watching the opening scenes of Kiss of the Dragon, I exclaimed, "Jet Li can act... Who knew?" By the end of the movie, I knew he could write and produce too. After Hollywood used and abused the acclaimed Asian martial arts star, Li decided to take matters into his own hands. He teamed up with Luc Besson, the Parisian master who gave us The Fifth Element and La Femme Nikita. The result of the French connection is, ironically, Li's best English-language picture.

The plot is somewhat trite, but simple and effective. Liu Jian (Jet Li) is a top Chinese agent who comes to Paris to help shut down a drug cartel. When he is betrayed and framed for murder, Jessica (Bridget Fonda), an American prostitute, becomes his only hope to clear his name. And yes, she does have an endangered daughter, in case you are wondering...

Li is excellent in the lead role. Despite his formidable martial arts skill, he comes over as vulnerable and human. He plays the Chinese agent with quiet confidence and considerable charm. Tchéky Karyo (Bad Boys, La Femme Nikita) plays Inspector Richard with demented glee, a savage and sadistic French cop. Cinematic politics probably dictated the inclusion of a big American name in the movie. That might explain why Fonda is strangely miscast as the good-hearted hooker. Perhaps because she is "slumming" in a martial arts movie, Miss Fonda phones in her performance. She obviously forgot that her Aunt Jane turned a likeable hooker into an Oscar (Klute). Alas, the normally competent heir apparent to the Fonda acting dynasty never seems comfortable in her role, and her big-name involvement leads to a certain amount of talkiness in an otherwise action filled movie. By contrast, veteran actor Burt Kwouk (Cato from Pink Panther) totally nails his too-brief cameo and all but steals the show.

While the plot may be somewhat cliché, director Chris Nahon's treatment of it is not. He repeatedly sets up and then sidesteps both the Hollywood and Hong Kong standards. The brilliant martial arts sequences are crisp, fast, and believable. He avoids wire-fu, and his fight scenes are far bloodier than current Hollywood "rules" allow. Li's use of combat acupuncture is original, and proves both amusing and effective. While avoiding one-liners, the movie is genuinely and deliberately funny at times. At other times, plot twists take us by surprise. Yes, we know what is going to happen in the general sense, but the details are far different from our TV-numbed expectations. I particularly liked the original but realistic treatment of the surveillance tape at the end. Nuff said...

While Fonda's performance, the familiar plot, and several gaping plot holes detract from the overall package, this is still a very good movie. The pacing and direction are excellent. The Parisian setting is well used but not overbearingly so. Karyo is suitably manic. Li is likeable and believable, and the fight scenes are fantastic. Lets' face it, you go to see a martial arts movie for the fights, and these are all first rate. The opening hotel sequence is probably the best fight filmed in a western movie for many years. While it falls short of the hauntingly beautiful Hero which also stars Jet Li, Kiss of the Dragon gets a solid four stars.

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Kiss of the Dragon contains extreme realistic violence, sadism, prostitution and drug use. You might want to keep the kiddies out of this one.

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Kiss of the Dragon (2001)

Directed by Chris Nahon

Written by
Jet Li (story)
Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen (screenplay)

Cast:
Jet Li ... Liu Jian
Bridget Fonda ... Jessica
Tchéky Karyo ... Richard
Burt Kwouk ... Uncle Tai

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Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age