This is an okay Jet Li flick if you're into crazy wire work instead of real kung fu. I enjoyed it, but Jet Li has done better. He's also done worse. The kid who played Jet's son was great, though. Go check out Fist of Legend (original dubbed version is the best) or Tai-Chi Master (released in english dubbed form as Twin Warriors). I think someone else suggested this as well. Frankly, Jet's screen persona has always been kind of wooden. He's a martial artist, not an actor. So why does he hardly ever get to show off what he's REALLY capable of? If you want to see a Jet Li movie thats even wilder, crazier, and has more action (albeit wire-work) then check out Kung Fu Cult Master.
The New Legend of Shaolin
1994 [CN]
Action / Adventure / Comedy / Drama / History / Romance
Plot summary
A young father and his infant son are beset by forces of evil and corruption. They wander China, upholding their sense of honor and protecting the weak. When they are forced into combat, spectacular and hilarious fast-motion kung fu sequences follow. In the end, they must call on all of their abilities in a battle royale, to attempt to vanquish a supernatural man-monster or die trying.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
March 21, 2022 at 10:43 PM
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
Fun, but not Great
Decent Jet Li flick
Legend of the Red Dragon is a typical low budget martial arts period movie starring the legendary Jet Li. There is nothing too amazing or classic about this movie, but it's worth buying if your a hardcore martial arts or Jet Li fan.
The story is nothing original. It's the typical plot for a typical movie. Li's village is massacred by the ruling dynasty, he flees with his young son and teaches him martial arts. The two keep running from officials across the country, and end up protecting Shaolin kids also being sought by the empire. The acting is wooden, as would be expected. The movie is very predictable, and the comedy is corny. The characters are largely stereotypical, such as the female con artist, invincible villain, and arrogant children.
One special thing about this film is that we get to see Jet's abilities with the spear. The spear is one of Jet's better weapons, and it's not too common for him to use it in his movies. It is similar yet quite different from the staff, which Jet has used frequently through his career. Jet is pretty amazing with the spear, so it's a wonder why he doesn't use it more frequently.
All in all, it's an average Hong Kong 90's action movie. If your a big fan of Jet Li, get it to watch Jet Li with a spear. Otherwise, it's nothing. fancy.
American re-release a crime
The American re-release of this film, "Legend of the Red Dragon", is a mess. Shows how important seven minutes can be to a film. Deannie Yip's part (Red Bean's mother) is ripped to shreds for no discernible reason whatsoever, which unfortunately makes an important plot twist seem trivial. Also, she has the best comic moments in the original film. Columbia-Tristar is the villain here. They must think 'Fu film fans are stupid - which only goes to show how stupid THEY are. A real insult.
The original film is by no means a great film; intentionally anachronistic and overly dependent on special effects, it is clearly a kind of throwaway for Jet Li and director Wong Jing (although certainly not as trashy as their Wong Fei Hung parody, "Great Hero/ Last Hero of China"). Still, it is entertaining to a surprising extent, largely thanks to Yip's comic performance. If you can find the original (I saw it on a Tai Seng tape), don't expect much, but you may find yourself enjoying it for the characters if not the martial arts.