Today’s quick review: Dragon Lord. Dragon (Jackie Chan), the delinquent son of a respected gentleman (Tien Fung), would rather play sports, flirt with girls, and make mischief with his best friend Cowboy (Mars) than attend to his studies. Dragon lands in even more trouble than usual when he runs afoul of a band of rebels, whose leader (Hwang In-Shik) is planning to fund their operations by stealing priceless artifacts from the temple.
Dragon Lord is a martial arts action comedy starring Jackie Chan. Dragon Lord uses the same ingredients as Chan’s other films, but it mixes them in different proportions. As usual, the stunt work is the movie’s strong point, with impressive feats of sports and acrobatics from both Chan and the supporting cast. However, a shallow protagonist, a jumbled plot, and mediocre comedy make the film less endearing than Chan’s other work.
Dragon Lord has a handful of weaknesses that keep it from matching Chan’s best work. The movie juggles several subplots that never pay off, including Dragon’s love life and his sports career. The action scenes are technically impressive, but they are less memorable than Chan’s most creative stunts. The movie also opts for a different sort of humor than usual, keeping the fights serious and relying on Dragon’s hijinks for its laughs.
The result is a movie that still holds some appeal as a light-hearted action comedy, but which isn’t as polished as Jackie Chan at his best. If you are in the mood for some skillful action, Dragon Lord may be worth a shot. If you’re looking for sharper comedy or more likable characters, you may want to opt for one of Chan’s other movies.
For a more polished take on a similar premise, try The Legend of Drunken Master. For a more ridiculous martial arts comedy from Stephen Chow, try Justice, My Foot!. For another martial arts period piece, try The Five Venoms or Return to the 36th Chamber.
6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for solid stunts and otherwise mixed craftsmanship.