That story pops up again and again, some questioning its validity and others taking it (and Kowloon) as legend. See, in the introduction of Kowloon, he tells the story of the time when he went on an adventure with a nine-headed dragon as a child. Wong the narrative seems keen on treating Kowloon as borderline insane. It certainly doesn’t help that through Dr. Moments like this one are pervasive throughout Dragon, disrupting the flow of the narrative in its more interesting aspects. This sets up a fun, yet minor automotive stunt sequence that doesn’t serve the story at all. Wong (Annie Liu), Kowloon’s sometime-doctor and the daughter of a Macau tycoon, to drive Mo to the building when local cops intercept her. As an example, there’s a scene in which Mo and Kowloon are trying to get into a Macau-based establishment in order to do some investigating outside of their jurisdiction.
#The invincible dragon series#
The trick is you have to be willing to make it through endless voice-over short-handing scenes which are utilized in place of taking the time to build moments of meaning, through scenes that are basically tossed together without transition so that the characters move from one point in the narrative to another, and through a series of complex narrative beats used to get you to a conclusion so balls-out crazy that you’ll still be thinking about it months after you’ve finished the film.
Top-Bottom: Kevin Cheng as Tso Chi-tak and Max Zhang as Kowloon in INVINCIBLE DRAGON. Speaking of Zhang, the character of Kowloon enables him to stretch his more dramatic skills in a way we haven’t seen in films like Uprising or Master Z as the character grapples with loss after loss, sending him from top tier undercover cop to loose cannon out for justice. Once the puzzle is put together, there are few holes in the logic, demonstrating that writer Kee-To Lam ( Three Husbands) and co-writer/director Fruit Chan ( Three Husbands) weren’t just interested in creating moments for Zhang to kick ass, but to create something far more compelling.
#The invincible dragon serial#
The serial killings and the subsequent escalation of events is explained slowly, like a picture slowly gaining higher resolution, adding elements of a thriller to the relatively straight actioner. Dragon isn’t the first film to run its lead through the emotional ringer to elevate the pay-off in the final confrontation and the way Dragon attempts it is admirable. Upon completion of Invincible Dragon, it’s easy to see what kernel of an idea birthed this film, what narrative thread it tries to follow while also offering moments of martial arts action.
L-R: Max Zhang as Kowloon and Anderson Silva as Alexander Sinclair in INVINCIBLE DRAGON.
Even when Invincible Dragon just lets loose, going absolutely full-tilt insane, the execution of the narrative is so rushed and haphazardly edited together that very little satisfies even if it’s entirely memorable. Enter 2019’s crime drama actioner Invincible Dragon (originally titled The Invincible Dragon) with a home release from distributor Well Go USA, whose track record of films includes Swing Kids (2018), The Witch: Subversion (2018), Better Days (2019), First Love (2019), Shadow (2019), and Furie (2019), and you’d think you’d be set for an exciting, blood-pounding time. Personally, after seeing him in Master Z, hearing the name Max Zhang immediately perks my ears up as the notion implies I’m going to be in for a good time. His movements are fast, his skill precise, and his presence commanding: the perfect combination for a star in the making. With turns in Ip Man 3 (2015), Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), and Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018), Max Zhang is slowly becoming recognizable in the stateside martial arts community. Home › Recommendation › Home Release › Crime drama “Invincible Dragon” proves to be vulnerable after all.Ĭrime drama “Invincible Dragon” proves to be vulnerable after all.
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