Sorry, this movie sucks

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

This film was released to pretty dreadful reviews, but I always felt it was Jet Li's best English language film. "Romeo is Bleeding" is also quite good, but Li has a story credit on this one and the script was written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, the schlocky team behind enjoyably cartoony action films like the Transporter and Taken franchises. Both of those series are entertaining semi-serious action/revenge nonsense, and that is pretty much what "Kiss of the Dragon" is as well. Li plays a Chinese police office going to Paris to arrest a Chinese drug lord, but finds himself framed by dirty French cops. Li goes on the run, but with help from prostitute Bridget Fonda, to crack the drug ring. The story isn't really all that great, like most Besson pictures ("Leon" being the main exception), but the action is terrific (Li's regulars collaborator Corey Yuen was the martial arts choreographer on this film). Besides Li being an amazing martial artist, which is the main reason to watch this film, Fonda is quite good in what is her second to last theatrical film performance before retiring from acting. This movie made me miss her. Fonda was never Meryl Steep, but she was always very likable and genuine in her films, whether it was a silly action flick like "Point of No Return," a rom-com like "It Could Happen to You," or an indie like "Scandal," she was always good. Besides Fonda, you also have the reliably good Ric Young as the slimy drug lord and Burt "Cato from The Pink Panther" Kwouk in a small role. As with most Besson productions, this is slickly made if empty headed entertainment, but Li (with aid from Corey Yuen) and a good performance by Fonda, manage to elevate this above Besson's usual output.

Kiss of the Dragon (2001): Dir: Chris Nahon / Cast: Jet Li, Bridget Fonda, Tcheky Karyo, Max Ryan, Ric Young: Action film that uses violence to justify crime. Title regards a poisonous dart that Jet Li uses on attackers to paralyze and kill them. While undercover in Paris he witnesses a murder that he is framed for. His only alibi is a prostitute who is forced to take drugs and forbidden to see her daughter. Li takes pity on her and mops up the floor with dozens of faceless villains leading to a disgusting climax. Director Chris Nahon is basically filming a series of stupid fights that he could have gotten cheaper at a bar on drunk night. Li is there to fight and kick the living hell out of as many bad guys as possible. Perhaps he is going for the world record of most idiots beat up within the shortest time frame. Bridget Fonda is there to sink her career. It is obvious that she is attempting to distinguish herself from her acting family, which is fine, but this is not the film to do it and neither was Lake Placid or Monkey Bone. Tcheky Karyo plays the boring crooked investigator villain whose defeat isn't as satisfying as we are suppose to believe. Other roles are about as broad as any household appliances that get destroyed throughout this mindless junk. It is just justified revenge just for the thrill of exploiting violence. This film should be sliced and diced with a butcher knife. Score: 1 / 10

Martial Arts Movie for Action Fans with Jet Li in Hyperdrive and the Carnage Never Stops. This is Comic-Book Stuff with Our (Super) Hero Displaying Powers Absent in Mortal Men. It is All Ramped Up, Over the Top, Very Violent, and the Movie Takes No Prisoners.Luc Besson from Behind the Scenes Delivers, Along with His Superstar Jet Li, an Action Movie that Pulls No Punches and is a Ride-Along of Ridiculous Fight Scenes that are Always a Hoot for Fans of this Type of Stuff. There is Plenty of Bang for the Buck.The French Detective can go a Few Beats too Far Pushing His Subordinates Around and Bridget Fonda as the Human Anchor Whore with a Heart of Gold and a Cute as a Button Daughter in Tow, May be at Least One Beat too Good to be True, but there had to be Something to Pause the Mayhem. She Does, but Only a Brief Pause and We're Back to Kicking Ass.Overall, with Very Little Wire Work, Jet Li Fans can File Back in Lock Step, and Action Movie Adrenaline Types will have Very Little to Gripe About. It is Nonsensical, Bone Crushing, Bloodletting with its Heart Buried Beneath the Brutality, but it is Pumping the Pathos Enough to Allow Some Humanity to Contrast the Otherwise Inhuman Villains.No Compromises Here, this is One that Delivers what it is Selling in an Ultra-Stylistic Ballet of Blood, Bone Snapping, and Bullets and it is One of Jet Li's Best.

Jet Li faces off against the French police in this silly martial arts action flick, brought to us by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen. The plot, where Jet Li's character, Chinese intelligence officer Liu Jian, is betrayed by Inspector Richard of the French police, who don't really operate like any police force I've ever seen... more like a mob of some sorts. They even have their own prostitution ring, and there don't seem to be any consequences for the innocent people that get caught in the crossfire of their gunfights. But Liu, whilst escaping the hotel where he's been framed for murdering a Chinese drug lord, manages to grab enough evidence to prove his innocence on a cassette tape. Richard wants that cassette, and he's willing to do anything to get it back and silence Liu. While that's going on, Liu also becomes acquainted with a prostitute played by Bridget Fonda named Jessica, whose daughter is held by Richard as a form of leverage.Well, the plot is stupid and makes no sense. In a city like Paris, no law enforcement agency would get away with the carnage Richard and his men dish out in their attempts to catch Liu, but that's besides the point. It's a silly, one man army action movie dedicated to Jet Li fans who wanted to see more realistic fight scenes, and that is what we fans get. It's violent and it's fun, and it's a satisfying actioner that requires suspension of disbelief.Suspend and enjoy, my friends.