Ma qiao fei long (1997) User Reviews

If you haven't heard of Vincent Zhao (aka Chiu Man Chuk), then it's time for an introduction

[gorthu · 8/10 · 18 April 2009]

Vincent Zhao is a professional gambler who wants to acquire a greencard so that he can go to Hong Kong. He has to find someone to marry him so that he can get the card. Enter Josephine Siao, who plays a cop with a gambling addiction. Siao is one of my favorite actresses so it was a joy to see her with a good role. It's a good movie, and there are some really nice fights. Zhao gets to show off in a few scenes, and the final fight with Ken Lo is really cool. Everyone who has seen Jackie Chan's Drunken Master 2 knows that Ken Lo is the man, and he proves it once again here. He has been in a lot of movies over the past 6 or 7 years, but I haven't seen a fight scene from him in quite a awhile, so I had to rewatch my VCD of Mahjong Dragon to feed the Ken Lo craving I was having. This movie is darker than most Hong Kong fighting movies that were coming out at the time, and holds up as a good movie on repeated viewings. If you like good action movies, then be sure to check this out if you get a chance. You won't be disappointed.

Good mix of everything you want

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 5 May 2020]

Zhao Wenzhou is the nominal hero of MAHJONG DRAGON, a Hong Kong mix of comedy and action that sees him playing an ex-con and master gambler who finds himself pursued by an old enemy for a share of his riches. The star - best known for being styled as a new Jet Li in the likes of THE BLACK SHEEP AFFAIR - supplies plentiful wirework-assisted action in the film's sprawling, gang-orientated fight scenes. However, the real star of the show turns out to be supporting actress Josephine Siao, best known as child prodigy and mainstay of such comedic hits as PLAIN JANE TO THE RESCUE.

Siao delivers a note-perfect turn as the gambling cop, and each of her scenes is testament to her timing and ability. The rest is a mix of the usual stuff, with Ken Lo supplying impressive legwork as the main baddie and even a cameo from Shaw mainstay Ku Feng. There's a lot of emoting, some cheesy tragedy and romance, good and frenetic fight scenes and a fast pace. These features combine to make it a superior affair.

Could be good, but isn't

[theravada_maha · 4/10 · 13 July 2000]

I have the Vietnamese version, so it's really poorly dubbed, but the subtitles are there. But the plot is so tedious that I didn't really care during the last 30 minutes. There's a fight between Chu Man Cheuk and Ken Lo that's decent, yet wire assisted, but besides that there's nothing really satisfying. Ken Lo plays almost no role and I bet had he had more time it could have been worthwhile.

Josephine Siao to the rescue!

[niz · 10/10 · 6 January 2002]

What could have been a rather mundane, forgettable gambling/kung-fu movie is saved by a brilliant comic performance from Josephine Siao. Her timing, facial expressions, and deadpan delivery as a down-on-her-luck Hong Kong police woman are a joy, making Mahjong Dragon into an often hilarious comedy.