Kiss of the Dragon (2001)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Chris Nahon

Writers (WGA):

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

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
Stéphane Jacquot	...	Richard's Right Hand Man
Stefan Nelet	...	Tang's Assistant (as Stefan Sao Nelet)
Peter Sakon Lee	...	Tang's Assistant (as Peter Lee)
Isabelle Duhauvelle	...	Isabel Kamen
Yannick Derrien	...	Bodysearch Boss
Francesca Disca	...	Red Hair Hooker
Taïra	...	Fat Hooker
David Gabison	...	French Minister
Bertrand Waintrop	...	Customs Official
Alain Zef	...	Video Technician
Nicolas Herault	...	Video Technician
Jean-Marc Huber	...	Fat Thug
Franck Tiozzo	...	Thug
John Maczko	...	Thug
Claude Brécourt	...	Concierge
Jean-Georges Vongerichten	...	Barman
François Nguyen	...	Chinese Bodyguard
Jocelyne Isaac	...	Subway Agent
Raymond Khamvene	...	Fat Chinese Chef Wong
Urfé Koupaki	...	Taxi Driver (Rasta)
Gregory Galin	...	Hotel Clerk
Alexander Koumpan	...	Driver Place de la Concorde
Daniel Milgram	...	Taxi Driver
Bernard Flavien	...	Coroner
Eric Averlant	...	Coroner
Marc Ligaudan	...	Assistant Coroner
Frédéric Moulin	...	Cop (Sentry Box)
Alain de Catuelan	...	Cop (Station)
Ludovic Berthillot	...	Cop (Lift)
Guillaume Lamant	...	Newspaper Man
Lina Chen	...	Hooker
Barbara Bernard	...	Hooker
Pat Tourne	...	Hooker
Crystalle Seeram	...	Hooker
Karen Drotard	...	Hooker
Sabine Ben Rhadi	...	Hooker
Saadi Spera	...	Hooker
Stéphanie Martin	...	Hooker
Stéphanie Durand	...	Hooker
Carmelle Edma	...	Hooker
Schana Réaux	...	Hooker

Directed by
Chris Nahon

Writing credits (WGA)
Jet Li		(story)
Luc Besson		(screenplay) &
Robert Mark Kamen		(screenplay)

Produced by
Luc Besson	....	producer
Steve Chasman	....	producer
Bernard Grenet	....	co-producer
Jet Li	....	associate producer
Happy Walters	....	producer

Original Music by
Craig Armstrong
Chino XL

Cinematography by
Thierry Arbogast

Film Editing by
Marco Cavé

Casting by
Franck Baldino
Gaëlle Barenton
Hélène Chéruy
Max Morel

Production Design by
Jacques Bufnoir

Art Direction by
Frédéric Bénard

Costume Design by
Pierre Bechir
Annie Thiellement

Makeup Department
Frédérique Arguello	....	hair stylist
Clément Bagot	....	special makeup effects artist
Sophie Benaiche	....	key makeup artist
José Lucas Casas	....	key hair stylist
Guillaume Castagné	....	makeup artist
Guillaume Castagné	....	special makeup effects artist
Véronique Delmestre	....	makeup artist
Christian Garcia	....	key hair stylist
Denis Gastouet	....	special makeup effects artist
Stéphane Malheu	....	key hair stylist
Jean-Christophe Spadaccini	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Laurent Cavalier	....	production manager
Thierry Guilmard	....	unit production manager
Didier Hoarau	....	production manager
Laurent Lasnon	....	assistant unit manager
Franck Lebreton	....	unit manager
Jean-Baptiste Leclère	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gilles Bannier	....	first assistant director
Gaëlle Barenton	....	first assistant director: second unit
Felix Baudouin	....	second assistant director: second unit
Emmanuel Breton	....	second assistant director
Stéphanie Champault	....	third assistant director
Jacques Eberhard	....	first assistant director
Claire Galloy	....	assistant director: location unit
Sophie Lévy	....	second assistant director
Alfred Lot	....	first assistant director
William Pruss	....	first assistant director: second unit
William Pruss	....	second assistant director
Gérard Pujolar	....	first assistant director
Hans Titze	....	third assistant director
Corey Yuen	....	action director
Sylvie Zadjner	....	second assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Lionel Callari	....	property master
Tristan Girault	....	assistant property master
Yvan Hart	....	plasterer

Sound Department
Anne Delacour	....	adr editor
Anne Delacour	....	dialogue editor
David Donaldson	....	sound programmer
François-Joseph Hors	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dominique Lacour	....	sound engineer: second unit
Frédérique Lebel	....	foley editor: fights
Maud Lombart	....	assistant sound editor
Maud Lombart	....	foley editor
Didier Lozahic	....	sound re-recording mixer
Fred Mays	....	post-synchronization
Daniel Ollivier	....	sound engineer: second unit
Pierre Picq	....	boom operator
Vincent Tulli	....	sound designer
Vincent Tulli	....	sound engineer
Soazic Veillon	....	foley editor
Stéphane Vizet	....	boom operator
Ken Yasumoto	....	sound engineer

Special Effects by
Philippe Alleton	....	special effects technician
Vincent Cerutti	....	pyrotechnician
Pierre Foury	....	special effects supervisor
Daniel Lenoir	....	special effects technician
Pascal Molina	....	special effects
Jean-Pierre Moricourt	....	special effects technician
Benoît Squizzato	....	special effects technician
Piotr Styczen	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Pierre Blain	....	Inferno artist
Pierre Blain	....	digital compositor
Lucie Bories	....	digital compositor
Stephanie Boutinaud	....	digital effects artist
Alain Carsoux	....	visual effects supervisor: Duboi
Arnaud Chelet	....	visual effects supervisor: Eclair Numerique
Jacques Delzescaux	....	visual effects supervisor: Eclair Numerique
Séverine De Wever	....	production coordinator
Yann Doray	....	digital artist
Antoine Douadi	....	Flame artist
Sylvian Fabre	....	digital compositor
Xavier Fourmond	....	digital compositor
Vincent Frei	....	rotoscope artist
Julius Friede	....	color grader: Eclair Numerique
Olivier Gadal	....	visual effects
Aurelie Lajoux	....	digital compositor
Bruno Le Provost	....	3D supervisor
Jeremie Leroux	....	digital compositor
Jean-Christophe Olivier	....	Inferno compositor
Antoine Simkine	....	visual effects executive producer: Duboi
Philippe Soeiro	....	main titles effects
Philippe Soeiro	....	visual effects supervisor: Eclair Numerique
Daniel Trujillo	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Virginie Arnaud	....	stunts
Francis Auguy	....	stunts
Alain Barbier	....	stunts
Francis Bataille	....	stunts
Serge Bechit	....	stunts
Joseph Beddelem	....	stunts
Joseph Beddelin	....	stunts
Jean-Marc Bellu	....	stunts
Affif Ben Badra	....	stunts
Vincent Bersoulle	....	stunts
Didier Biddar	....	stunts
Mark Bizet	....	stunts
Michel Bouis	....	stunts
William Cagnard	....	stunts
Carriel Chartelain	....	stunts
Bernard Chevreul	....	stunts
Ken Chung	....	stunts
Stephane Codou	....	stunts
Gilles Conseil	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Pierre N. Cuvens	....	stunts
Yannick Derrien	....	stunts
Sandra Escoda	....	stunts
Rémy Escoffier	....	stunts
Alexandrine Felquin	....	stunts
Bénédicte Follet	....	stunts
Sylvain Gabet	....	stunts
Alain Gaudiard	....	stunts
Jean Girard	....	stunts
Pascaline Girardot	....	stunts
Yves Girard	....	stunts
Jean Yong God	....	stunts: Cory Yuen Stunt Team
Albert Goldberg	....	stunts
Alain Grellier	....	stunts
Pascal Guégan	....	stunt coordinator
Philippe Guégan	....	stunt coordinator
Alain Guerillot	....	stunts
Jean Hadouch	....	stunts
Vincent Haquin	....	stunts
Christian Henning	....	stunts
Marc Hoang	....	stunt double: Jet Li
Marc Hoang	....	stunts
Karim Hocini	....	stunts
Enrico Horn	....	stunts
Jean-Claude Houbart	....	stunts
Sam Kai-Sen Huang	....	stunts: Cory Yuen Stunt Team (as Kai Sen Huang)
Mouloud Ikhaddelene	....	stunts
Ian Jenkins	....	stunts
David Julienne	....	stunts
Emilie Jumeaux	....	stunts
Vanny Khos	....	stunts
Ming Beaver Kwei	....	stunts: Cory Yuen Stunt Team
Pascal Lachamby	....	stunts
David Tai Vim Lai	....	stunts: Cory Yuen Stunt Team
Emmanuel Lanzi	....	stunts
Tse Ming Lao	....	stunts: Cory Yuen Stunt Team (as Tze Ming Lau)
Julien Laurent	....	stunts
Lobo	....	stunts
Gregory Loffredo	....	stunts (as Greg Loffredo)
Pascal López	....	stunts
Stéphane Margot	....	stunts
Patrick Médioni	....	stunts
Florent Mismetti	....	stunts
Christophe Moindreau	....	stunts
Philippe Morel	....	stunts
Waho Mosel	....	stunts
David Moulin	....	stunts
Frédéric Moulin	....	stunts
Eric Nesci	....	stunts
Louis-Marie Nyee	....	stunts
Sébastien Peres	....	stunts
Eric Petch	....	stunts
Erim Pramitcche	....	stunts
Frederick Renard	....	stunts
Christophe Roblin	....	stunts
Pierre Rousselle	....	stunts
Thierry Saelens	....	stunts
Loïc Saintilan	....	stunts
Olivier Schneider	....	stunts
Wincent Shea	....	stunts
Patrick Steltzer	....	stunts
Tarubi	....	stunts
Michaël Troude	....	stunts
Frederic Valet	....	stunts
Frédéric Vallet	....	stunts
Olivier Vitrant	....	stunts
Christian Wagner	....	stunts
Tak Yuen	....	stunts: Cory Yuen Stunt Team (as Richard Chung Tak Hung)
Mathew Lorenceau	....	stunt fighter (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Stéphane Azouze	....	director of photography: second unit
Stéphane Azouze	....	video supervisor
Fabien Benzaquen	....	assistant camera
Eric Bialas	....	Steadicam operator
Fabrice Bismuth	....	assistant camera
David Campbell	....	crane operator: Technocrane
Juliette Castanier	....	second assistant camera
Mathieu Caudroy	....	Steadicam operator
François Chevreau	....	assistant camera
Emmanuel de Fleury	....	assistant camera
Vladimir Duranovic	....	grip
Hugues Espinasse	....	clapper loader
Nicolas Herdt	....	director of photography: second unit
Sophie Lelou Mollard	....	electrician (as Sophie Mollard)
Eric Le Roux	....	Steadicam operator (as Eric Leroux)
Eric Le Roux	....	camera operator (as Eric Leroux)
Lylo	....	camera operator
Vincent Muller	....	assistant camera
Benoît Pain	....	camera trainee: second unit
Bruno Privat	....	director of photography: second unit
Tarik Rebeihi	....	assistant camera
Laurent Tangy	....	focus puller

Casting Department
Barbara Fiorentino	....	casting: USA
Géraldine Mouton	....	extras casting

Editorial Department
Yseult Huret	....	assistant editor
Isabelle Julien	....	color timer
Stéphane Kazadi	....	assistant editor
Bruno Patin	....	color timer
Philippe Reinaudo	....	digital intermediate technical director
Charlotte Rembauville	....	assistant editor
Kathy Thomson	....	digital colorist
Frédéric Thoraval	....	additional editor
Soazic Veillon	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Craig Armstrong	....	music arranger: vocals
Craig Armstrong	....	orchestra arranger
Craig Armstrong	....	programmer: orchestra
Craig Armstrong	....	score arranger
Matthieu Dallaporta	....	assistant music mixer
Matt Dunkley	....	additional orchestrator
Emma Ford	....	music supervisor
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Stephen Hilton	....	music programmer
Stephen Hilton	....	musician: keyboards
Gary Jones	....	music supervisor
Dave Jordan	....	music supervisor
Patrick Kiernan	....	orchestra leader
Jenny O'Grady	....	choral coordinator
Jojo Villanueva	....	soundtrack coordinator
Cecilia Weston	....	conductor
Geoff Foster	....	score recordist (uncredited)

Other crew
Nathalie Carles	....	personal assistant: B. Grenet
Frédéric Cauvy	....	weapons advisor
Alexandre Desmars	....	assistant location manager
David Donaldson	....	additional programming and keyboards
Matt Dunkley	....	midi transcriptor
Craig Scott Galper	....	language coach: Mr. Jet Li
Hugo Gélin	....	director: making-of featurette
Aurelien Gimenez	....	acting coach: Mr. Didier Azoulay
Eric Govignon	....	production assistant
Bruno Guilhem	....	assistant to unit manager: second unit
Harold Guskin	....	acting coach: Mr. Jet Li
Ming Beaver Kwei	....	personal assistant: Mr. Jet Li
Hung Woo Kwong	....	cook: Mr. Jet Li
Rodolphe Lanaro	....	location scout
Philippe Letode	....	location scout
Colette Martin	....	production accountant
Marie McFerran	....	production coordinator
David Meanti	....	production assistant
India Osborne	....	assistant: Luc Besson
Armelle Phaeton	....	personal assistant: B. Grenet
Katia Sourzac	....	personal assistant: Luc Besson
Hugo Veludo	....	trainee production assistant
Karen Waks	....	assistant script supervisor
Karen Waks	....	script supervisor: second unit
Corey Yuen	....	martial arts choreographer

Production Companies

• Europa Corp.
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
• Quality Growth International Ltd.
• Current Entertainment
• Immortal Entertainment
• Canal+

Distributors

• EuropaCorp. Distribution (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (Sweden) (2001) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. (2001) (Spain) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Australia (Australia)
• 20th Century Fox Australia (New Zealand)
• 20th Century Fox Italia (Italy)
• 20th Century Fox (UK)
• 20th Century Fox (Mexico)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Buena Vista International (Argentina)
• Europa Diffusion (France) (video)
• Fox Video (video)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• New Films International
• RUSCICO (Russia)
• Tobis StudioCanal (Germany)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (North America)

Special Effects

• Duboi (digital special effects)
• Éclair Numérique (digital special effects)

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  music recorded and mixed at
• Audio Factory  virtual sound editing
• Camagrip  grip material and transportation
• Car Grip Films  grip equipment & trucks
• Central Color  still laboratory
• Cine Echafaudage Services  grip material and transportation
• Cinécool  end titles
• Cinésyl  grip material and transportation
• DCA Audiovisual  sound transfers and synching (as DCA)
• Dakota Music Services  music preparation
• Digidesign  virtual sound editing
• Digital Factory  sound editing and re-recording
• Digital Factory  sound mixed at
• Guegan Stunt and Equipment  stunt rigging
• Immortal Records  soundtrack
• Key Grip System  grip material and transportation (as K.G.S.)
• Laboratoires Éclair  film lab
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)
• Maratier  costume rental
• Metro Voices  choir (as The Metro Voices)
• Metro Voices  choir (uncredited)
• Technovision France  camera equipment provided by (as Technovision)
• Transpalux  electrical provider
• Virgin Records  soundtrack

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:

The only scenes that used CGI are when Jet Li falls down the laundry drop with CG flames surrounding him and in the hotel scene when Jet Li kicks the ball from the pool table.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Liu escapes the boat and jump under the bridge, he quickly join a metro platform. The name that can be seen on the wall is "Invalides". When Liu enters the metro train the name can still be seen, but when the metro train leaves the station, the other station name boards on the wall display "Porte des Lilas". (The scene was actually shot in the former "Porte des Lilas" metro station that is now dedicated for the shooting of films. The Director forgot to ask the staff to change all the station name boards to "Invalides".)

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 Danika (2006)

Soundtrack:

Dont Blame It on I

A Martial Arts Action Film Done Right

Liu Jian (aka "Johnny") is a top level cop from Bejing on temporary assignment in Paris to aid French police in a sting operation to take down a Chinese heroine kingpin. But things go bad and a double-cross ensues, leaving Liu Jian framed for murder and running for his life. One is thing certain, though, our hero won't be taken without a fight... a really good fight... and a few more after that. Luc Besson's screenplay isn't exactly creative, but given the genre, it's pretty darn good. I know I sure sighed with relief that Liu Jian (played with subtle excellence by Jet Li) wasn't driven by some emotionally haunting past, like the death of a wife and child, as is so typical in super-cop action films. In fact, we get just the opposite--a man who simply loves his job and does it very well, but is still human enough to make mistakes, feel pain and make realistic choices (well, mostly).

The story isn't without its flaws, however. Mindless thugs do play their part and there is an utterance of the most over-used villain line of all time: "Bring him to me alive; I'll deal with him myself" (or something to that affect). But somehow, it doesn't sound quite so corny coming from actor Tcheky Karyo (as Inspector Jean-Pierre Richard), who manages to play the heartless villain with a great deal of intelligence. Rounding out the cast is Bridget Fonda's Jessica, the prostitute with a good heart and, yes, a young daughter in jeopardy. But despite its few formulaic shortcomings, Kiss of the Dragon still delivers.

What really stands out in this film is the way the fight sequences flow with the rest of the story, unlike so many other movies that seem to be constructed around a few preconceived action scenes. It's a martial arts action film done right. Thanks to the superb direction of Chris Nahon, Kiss of the Dragon is classy, well paced and gives us a near perfect blend of drama and levity (no ridiculous one-liners here, but definitely some laughs along the way). Best of all, Nahon engages the audience and makes the story work to a reasonable level of believability.