DRAGON TIGER GATE was a film that had very good things said about it in the build up, so I was guilty of overestimating what this film would have to offer. It's nothing more than a lightweight popcorn flick, packed with cheesy melodramatic scenes and so-so acting and some awesome action. As a Hong Kong martial arts film, I guess most fans will seek this out for the latter quality, watching it chiefly for the kung fu. While the fight scenes are, indeed, great, they really only occur at the beginning and ending of this movie, with a long void in between which focuses on character instead of action.
Donnie Yen, a 44 year old actor cast as someone in his 20s, looks the part very well, and you'd never guess that he's twenty years older than the character he plays. Nicholas Tse, who put in a very good performance in Jackie Chan's NEW POLICE STORY, reverts here to a simple pretty-boy role and doesn't make much of an impact; in fact, he's pretty bland. Shawn Yue is saddled with the character of Turbo, a weapons expert, and is about as good as Tse. Of the rest of the cast, only Yuen Wah and Kuan Tai Chen give really good performances, acting-wise as well as fighting-wise, but that comes as little surprise considering their pedigree.
I didn't much care for the dialogue or the story; based on a '70s comic book, it's reminiscent of the fluff we've seen countless times before in films like THE MEDALLION. The action, when it comes, makes up for its absence elsewhere. The opening battle in the restaurant is the stuff of classics, reminding me of WARRIOR KING in more than a few places; when it's followed up with a second huge battle a few minutes later, I was in heaven. Alas, the film doesn't follow this pattern, as nothing more happens for an hour. Then we're treated to an eerie showdown in a softball court which manages to be atmospheric and exciting, and finally the turbo-charged climax, laden with special effects, in which the three heroes team up to tackle a masked demon. The fight scenes use a combination of stunts and wire-work and are generally good; I didn't mind the CGI, either, which looks decent at the film's climax – I particularly liked Yue's magic bell effect. So, good action, but not enough of it; I didn't mind DRAGON TIGER GATE, but I wasn't blown away by it either. It's a simple popcorn flick, entertaining while it lasts but instantly forgettable.
Donnie Yen, a 44 year old actor cast as someone in his 20s, looks the part very well, and you'd never guess that he's twenty years older than the character he plays. Nicholas Tse, who put in a very good performance in Jackie Chan's NEW POLICE STORY, reverts here to a simple pretty-boy role and doesn't make much of an impact; in fact, he's pretty bland. Shawn Yue is saddled with the character of Turbo, a weapons expert, and is about as good as Tse. Of the rest of the cast, only Yuen Wah and Kuan Tai Chen give really good performances, acting-wise as well as fighting-wise, but that comes as little surprise considering their pedigree.
I didn't much care for the dialogue or the story; based on a '70s comic book, it's reminiscent of the fluff we've seen countless times before in films like THE MEDALLION. The action, when it comes, makes up for its absence elsewhere. The opening battle in the restaurant is the stuff of classics, reminding me of WARRIOR KING in more than a few places; when it's followed up with a second huge battle a few minutes later, I was in heaven. Alas, the film doesn't follow this pattern, as nothing more happens for an hour. Then we're treated to an eerie showdown in a softball court which manages to be atmospheric and exciting, and finally the turbo-charged climax, laden with special effects, in which the three heroes team up to tackle a masked demon. The fight scenes use a combination of stunts and wire-work and are generally good; I didn't mind the CGI, either, which looks decent at the film's climax – I particularly liked Yue's magic bell effect. So, good action, but not enough of it; I didn't mind DRAGON TIGER GATE, but I wasn't blown away by it either. It's a simple popcorn flick, entertaining while it lasts but instantly forgettable.