Kiss of the Dragon (2001)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Chris Nahon

Writers (WGA):

Jet Li (story)
Luc Besson (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

6 July 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Kiss Fear Goodbye

Plot:

A betrayed intelligence officer enlists the aid of a prostitute to prove his innocence from a deadly conspiracy while returning a favor to her.

Plot Keywords:

Orphanage | Paris | Prostitute | Cut Arm | Acupuncture

Cast

Jet Li	...	Liu Jian
Bridget Fonda	...	Jessica Kamen
Tchéky Karyo	...	Insp. Richard
Max Ryan	...	Lupo
Ric Young	...	Mister Big
Burt Kwouk	...	Uncle Tai
Laurence Ashley	...	Aja
Cyril Raffaelli	...	Twin
Didier Azoulay	...	Twin
John Forgeham	...	Max
Paul Barrett	...	Pilot
Kentaro	...	Chen
Colin Prince	...	Lupo's Assistant
Vincent Glo	...	Pluto
Vincent Wong	...	Minister Tang

Also Known As:

KOD: Kiss of the Dragon (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
Le baiser du dragon (France) (pre-release title)
Le baiser mortel du dragon (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, language, some sexuality and drug content.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | French | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:18 | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18PL | USA:R (certificate #38364) | South Korea:18 | Germany:18 | Philippines:R-18 (cut) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (original rating) | Australia:M (TV rating) | Canada:18A (video rating) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Hungary:18 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (original rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Bateaux Mouches, Seine River, Paris, France

Company:

Europa Corp.

Trivia:

This feature is included in the first wave of Blu-ray releases by Fox. A total of five movies were included in this initial wave. The others being: Fantastic Four (2005), Behind Enemy Lines (2001), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) and Ice Age (2002).

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Bridget Fonda tells Jet Li that he has to sew up his bullet wound or it will get infected. In fact, (unless the patient is bleeding a lot) most soft tissue bullet wounds do best by simply cleaning them then allowing them to heal on their own. Sewing over a bullet wound unless you do a surgical scrub/washout is asking for a serious infection.

Quotes:

[Richard handing Isabel a matchbox car]
Richard: Here, sweetie.
Isabel: Don't you have any Barbies?
Richard: All my Barbies are working.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in War (2007)

Soundtrack:

Dont Blame It on I

Extraordinary Martial Arts Film

The action scenes in "Kiss of the Dragon" are outstanding. The skill of the players, and their direction is nonpareil. One doesn't see any of the little scenes where two or three fighters are jumping up and down waiting for their cues. Pay attention to the fight scene in the police training room. I think its the best I've seen. A trademark of Jet Li films seems to be a display of the highest quality martial arts. His skills, and those of his antagonists, provide detailed and polished confrontations that are simply thrilling. And I love those needles!

The pace of the film is excellent too. The action just keeps coming. There is just enough talking and character interaction to keep the plot alive and well. Bridget Fonda manages well in a role I think was not really designed for her. She is one of those actors who always finds her character and makes it work.

The film is violent, to be sure. And the bad guys are the worst. Their blatant, public methods are almost too much to believe. Still, the pace of the action leaves one little time to ponder details. One element I wish the director had left out is Jet Li dodging about a thousand rounds of full auto gunfire. Everyone seems compelled to shoot such scenes, but two guns raking rounds across the hotel lobby could not possibly miss. It is virtually enfilade fire, and no one could get through that. Otherwise, the firearms action was believable and thrilling to watch.

Even the music, though not my style, seems to work well with the action. The director puts it all together in a wild ride I can recommend to any action film fan.