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Dragon
(2011)
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Edit
Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
| Donnie Yen | ... |
Tang Long /
Liu Jin-Xi
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| Takeshi Kaneshiro | ... |
Detective Xu Bai-Jiu
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| Wei Tang | ... |
Ah Yu
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| Yu Wang | ... |
The Master
(as Jimmy Wang Yu)
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Kara Hui | ... |
The Master's wife
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Wu Jiang | ... |
Xu's investigator
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Yu Kang | ... |
Yan Dongsheng
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Kenji Tanigaki | ... |
Yan's associate
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Li Jia-Min | ... |
Liu Xiao-Tian
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Zheng Wei | ... |
Liu Fang-Zheng
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| Xiao Ran Li | ... |
Bai-Jiu's wife
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Wang Chun-Yuan | ... |
Magistrate
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Cun Dai-Ying | ... |
Villager
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Li De-Fen | ... |
Villager
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Duan De-Qiang | ... |
Villager
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Edit
Add Full Plot
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
A sinful martial arts expert wants to start a new tranquil life, only to be hunted by a determined detective and his former master.
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Details
Language:
MandarinRelease Date:
4 July 2011 (China) See more »Also Known As:
Dragon See more »Box Office
Opening Weekend:
$11,137 (USA) (30 November 2012)Gross:
$11,137 (USA) (30 November 2012)Company Credits
Production Co:
Dingsheng Cultural Industry Investment, JSBC Eudemonia Blue Ocean TV & Movie Group, Stellar Mega Films See more »
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company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
"Wu Xia" may not be the martial arts flick in the "Ip Man" vein but it grips us right from the start with an intriguing plot, rich characterisation, breath-taking locales and top class performances. This combination is rare in a Chinese movie, let alone a kungfu flick. But then again, "Wu Xia" is not just a kungfu flick. It is also a detective mystery with CSI elements, and a family/clan drama with well-developed characters. The one downside to this effort by director Peter Chan is its supernatural ending that borders on the absurd.
The plot is set in 1917, and Liu Jinxi (Donnie Yen) is a paper-maker in a small village where he lives with his wife Ayu (Tang Wei) and their two sons. However, when a couple of bandits try to rob the local store, Liu intervenes and accidentally kills them in self-defence. Or so it seems until detective Xu Baijiu (Takeshi Kaneshiro) investigates the botched robbery. While Liu claims to be just the average guy, Xu (who is also a physiology expert and acupuncturist), suspects that he is hiding a deep secret, and goes all out to uncover the truth behind Liu's identity. Xu's dogged persistence threatens the peace of the typical clan settlement and even his own life.
The first thing that grabs us is the movie's detailed setting - in an idyllic valley with quaint thatch-roof homes that have cattle grazing on its roof. Scripter Aubrey Lam defines the social structure of the times in a scene when Xu asks Ayu to show him the back door. "There is no need for doors in a village like this," she replies.
The movie's 'CSI touches' are intriguing and even educational. As Xu probes into the deaths, we get replays of the action with illuminating insights into Xu's detective powers. There isn't much wushu-tye action in the early segments but the probes are nevertheless fascinating as Chan adds narrative details and character backgrounds to story.
The cast is top notch, with Donny Yen and Kaneshiro verbally sparring against each other. One can safely say this is one of Yen's best portrayals as a caring husband and father trying to escape a sinful past. Kaneshiro gets our sympathy as the obsessive cop who will risk anything to find truth and justice. His demeanour reminds me of Peter Falk's Columbo. Tang Wei (of "Lust, Caution" fame) personifies the rural housewife who is fearful that Jinxi would abandon her - just as her first husband did years ago.
And of course, it is nice to see veteran Wang Yu (of "One-Arm Swordsman" fame) in a cameo as a crime boss, and fighting another one-arm swordsman himself. All in all, Wu Xia, which was one of the highlights at the 2011 Cannes Fest, is a refreshing change to the usual kungfu thrillers. Now, if Chan had rendered a more credible ending, it would have been a masterpiece. (limchangmoh.blogspot.com)