...early forensic science encounters martial arts mysticism, in this enthralling and action-packed period set piece, called "Dragon", from 2011. A compellingly thought-provoking storyline...an extraordinary depth in characters across the spectrum...a lush & rustic setting and locale, almost a character unto itself...and extraordinary performances, make this intriguingly complex and inner-woven martial arts mystery, an absolute delight to visually bear witness to. Martial arts action superstar Donnie Yen, having proved himself quite the prolific actor, over the past couple decades (..."IP Man", "14 Blades", "Hero", "Killzone", "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen", amongst numerous others), continues to amaze and intrigue here, in his dynamic martial arts ability, coupled with an equally adept and compelling flair for drama, in a captivating tale of mystery, dark secrets and hidden agendas...
...the year is 1917, and a quiet, humble and content paper maker, Liu, having forged a relatively happy and tranquil life, with a devoted wife and children, in a quaint little Chinese village, finds himself reluctantly pulled into the spotlight as a local hero, when he skillfully defends himself and a shopkeeper against a couple of thieves, in a store he happened to be frequenting. A sprawling and death-defying in-store combat, results in a fatal end for the thieves, and Liu seemingly relishes the appreciative admiration from the village populous, as well as his family, but clearly appears to shade an underlining desire for the attention to quickly subside...
...a dogged and determined detective, Xu, aptly skilled in what might be considered an early form of forensics, is quickly dispatched to the village, to investigate the incident, and is immediately taken aback at how a seemingly simple and average man like the now-heroic Liu, having reportedly never previously exhibited such extraordinary martial arts skills, suddenly takes to the task. Encountering a vaguely detailed defiance when repeatedly engaging Liu in query, only serves to compellingly drive Xu further into investigation, and progressively convinces him that there's a lot more to Liu, than meets the eye...an undeniable sense of deception, which Xu insistently warrants further enlightening, in an effort to settle the case at hand. As events further unfold, dark secrets are unveiled, past lives are revealed, hidden truths are uncovered, lives are invariably shaken, and in the end, one cannot help but ask...Can one so easily escape one's evil past?? The past almost always catches up, time doesn't erase or forgive one's crimes, and such crimes must be answered for...debt must be paid...sacrifices, inevitable and necessary...
...showcased amidst the mystery and intrigue, is some of the most dynamic martial arts exhibition set to celluloid. Director Peter Chan, coupled with star Donnie Yen's reputed contribution as action choreographer, clearly has a deftly welded hand and eye for how best to staged martial arts combat...hardly restricted by minimal space, wide open space, wide angled combat coverage, and even up-close combat, which is typically the most difficult to express on film. Amazingly enough, some of the film's best and most intriguingly choreographed action moments occur here, when the investigative forensics aspect of the storyline is applied, and actor Takeshi Kaneshiro, as Xu, is intermixed into re-staged fight sequences with the combatants...sometimes quite up close to them...as a sort of 'fly on the wall', as the character sorts through the clues at hand, in determining the flow and sequence, in how the combat unfolded, blow-by-blow...
...wrought with a few interesting surprises...including a supporting role by famed martial arts star Wang Yu...once, the 'The One-Armed Swordsman'...here, cast as a vengeful crime lord, and at some point, engaging the Liu character, in a manner ironically 'connected' to Wang famed one-armed swordsman character..."Dragon" is a most exciting and entertaining martial arts entry...not to be missed...
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