Kiss of the Dragon

A pretty pleasant surprise. It may be a B-movie, but it doesn't pretend to be anything profound, it's got pace and momentum and most importantly, Jet Li pulls no punches and evokes the old Bruce-Lee days in the final battle against a group of trainees. He even tries to act within his capabilities. Tcheky Karyo is a charismatic villain as he should be, and Bridget Fonda plays it like a dream. If Luc Besson's production workshop only churned out these kind of lighthearted films, I wouldn't have the slightest objection. (09/05/2003)

The first good film Jet Li made in the West. The usually excellent Karyo overacts shamefully, but that, somewhat paradoxically, actually saves the film. (11/16/2004)

I enjoyed the storyline of the Chinese agent even more, which made the impact on the ground even harder when Bridget Fonda took over the reins. The excessive emotions, unfinished action scenes, and zero suspense are partially redeemed by the surprisingly well-graduated finale, but ten minutes of fantastic action don't outweigh the rest of the suffering. (07/26/2006)

Jet Li knows how to move incredibly well without tons of digital effects and various crutches and accelerators, which we have seen enough of in his films. Fortunately, Kiss of the Dragon has a European touch and it's bloody obvious. From the action style to the choice of locations (Paris), it has everything that a proper action movie should have: an amazing villain, a likeable beauty, a proper hero, and above all, thrilling action that is truly abundant and excellently shot; lively, fierce, and uncompromising. As far as quick and simple action films go, it's fantastic entertainment. (05/07/2005)