Movie Scene
'Kiss of the Dragon' is lackluster martial arts mess

By Jack Garner
Gannett News Service

KISS OF THE DRAGON (Rated R for violence, profanity) Two Stars (Fair) A messy martial arts saga about a secret Chinese agent (Jet Li), trying to bust a drug gang in Paris. Bridget Fonda and Tcheky Karyo co-star for director Chris Nahon. The charismatic Li energies the screen, but the between-fight moments are lackluster. Twentieth Century Fox, 100 mins.

One expertly employed needle can cause paralysis, another can literally kill a person by forcing all the blood to his head. (That charming maneuver gives the film its title) and also accounts for the film's static – and gory – finale.)

Fortunately, Li also finds ample opportunity to kick and chop because, quite frankly, sticking pins in folks isn't riveting cinema.

Li plays Liu Jian, a top-secret Chinese agent, assigned to work with Parisian cops on a case that's never fully explained. It's apparently some sort of French connection drug bust, but I'm just guessing.

From the start, Liu has problems. The chief French cop, Richard (a hammy Tcheky Karyo), shows himself immediately to be a turncoat. In fact, he's a very bad, very busy fellow – running a drug business, an extortion racket, and a string of prostitutes on the side.

One of those hookers " the one with the heart of gold" is Jessica. She's a forlorn Midwestern American girl who's been trapped into prostitution and strung out on heroin because Richard has kidnapped her daughter.

Bridget Fonda, a talented actress without much to do, and deserving better, plays Jessica.

As luck would have it, of all the doors in all the streets in all of Paris, this particular prostitute hangs out in front of Liu's. They become reluctant buddies – and Liu now has two reasons to bring down Richard and his assorted thugs.

Fortunately, Li performs an impressive variety of fight moves and action stunts to justify the film for martial arts fans.

First-time director Chris Nahon mistakenly puts the best action scenes early in the film, leaving the finale with little impact.

Probably the smallest of all action-film stars, Li makes his diminutive size work for him. (For example he battles a Scandinavian thug who seems seven feet tall – and impressively goes through him like a chainsaw through a Poplar tree.)

Li has an undeniable screen presence – and legitimate martial arts credentials.

Like Jackie Chan, he reportedly does his own stunts; but, unlike Chan, he's humorless.

Rated R, with strong violence and profanity.

Jack Garner is chief film reviewer for the Gannett News Service.