Movie Review by Nigel A. Messenger
Starring: Jet Li, Bridget Fonda, Tcheky Karyo, Laurence Ashley, Burt Kwouk, Cyril Raffaelli
Director: Chris Nahon
Jet Li stars in this Luc Besson action picture as Liu Jian, a police detective sent from China to help Paris police uncover an international drugs ring. It doesn’t take long however for Liu to realise that the real mastermind behind the drugs and prostitution syndicate is none other than Richard (Tcheky Karyo) the French police detective in charge of the investigation, who not only seems to have total disregard for the law but uses his entire police unit to enforce his brutal reign of terror.
In order to protect his empire of crime Richard frames Liu for murder. To prove his innocence Liu must retrieve a video recording made of Richard committing the murder, at which point he reluctantly enlists the help of Jessica (Bridget Fonda), an American being forced to work as a hooker by Richard who is holding her young daughter hostage. Now Liu must also free Jessica’s daughter, get the tape and stay alive as he is hunted by Richard and the Paris police.
KISS OF THE DRAGON is based on a story written by Jet Li, and his amazing martial arts expertise combined with Luc Besson’s superb talent for directing high quality action movies makes this a highly enjoyable movie that couldn’t be boring if you sat through it six times in a row.
Bridget Fonda also turns in a faultless performance as the ‘wants to go straight and get her daughter back’ hooker, not a glamorous role in any sense but she plays her character perfectly.
Ultimately KISS OF THE DRAGON is literally one incredible action scene after another and has to be Jet Li’s best movie to date.
