Fire Dragon
Director: Yuen Wo-ping
Year: 1994
Rating: 8.5
A terrific kung fu flying tale that has spectacular
fights and great spectacle, but also takes the time to develop the characters
and allow the viewer to care about them. The evil Prince Six is trying to
overthrow the current regime and his main weapon of assassination is the
Fire Dragon, Brigitte Lin. She has the power to create and throw fire at
will – along with the usual assortment of other deadly kung fu skills.
A letter evidencing Prince Six's betrayal has come into the hands of Ming
(Max Mok) and he tries to bring it to the attention of the authorities.
Brigitte is given the mission to get it back. In escaping from Fire Dragon,
Ming has the letter stolen by Sandra Ng, the proprietor of a troupe of entertainers.
Sandra has "borrowed" it because she has developed a crush on Ming and does
not want him to go. All of Fire Dragon's attempts to find the letter fail
so she takes on the identity of an ordinary woman and stays with Ming and
the troupe. Once living with these people though she begins to like them
and takes on feelings of humanity.
One evening her sister, Snow (Elsie Yeh), who is also a killer for Prince
Six comes and murders a few of the innocent troupe and this troubles Fire
Dragon a great deal. Finally she gets an order from Prince Six to kill the
Prime Minister if she wishes to be free from any obligation to him. Will
she follow her Master's orders or follow her conscience? Some wonderful flying,
sword fighting, special effects, weapons and characters in this film that
has more explosions than a Hollywood summer film. Brigitte Lin is stunning
in both Fire Dragon and ordinary woman mode. None of the quality of the action
should be surprising as it is directed by Yuen Wo-ping.
