At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

The powerful mobster Leung, who is protected by the dangerous and wicked Huan Fai, sells two hundred Japanese weapons and ammunition to a Chinese gang. He uses the smuggler Luy Fu to bring the weapons but the smalltime thief Kim and his gang heist the shipment on the road and dump the cargo into the sea. However, he lures Luy Fu and asks a large amount to return the weapons with the intention of traveling abroad with his brother. Meanwhile Kim befriends Fan Ming, an undercover police office from Shanghai that is investigating the illegal activities of Leung. When the mobster finds that Fan Ming is a policeman, Leung ambushes him and Huan Fai and his men stab the officer that falls from a cliff into the sea. Kim brings Fan Ming's fiancée Ipi Feng to the house of his lover, the prostitute Hung, and tells Ipi Feng that her fiancé was murdered by Leung. She decides to revenge the death of her beloved Fan Ming with tragic consequences."The Young Dragons" is a terrible debut of the director John Woo. The stupid and lame story recalls a spaghetti-western where most of the characters die in the end. Considering that Leung and Luy Fu are arm dealers, it is ridiculous that their gang do not use pistols or revolvers but only kung-fu. The Brazilian DVD released by Continental distributor has a shameful low quality image. My vote is three.Title (Brazil): "Chacina em Pequim" ("Slaughter in Pequim")

John Woo's feature Length debut was released by Golden Harvest after a severe editing job. A unique film due to the fact it was John Woo's cinematic debut as a director. After working under the great Chang Cheh, Woo takes his turn in the director's chair. Young Dragons is a very violent and gritty film about low life criminals and their sadistic counterparts. Hark Fung-On and Dorian Tam appear in this film and the two go at it like a couple of mad dogs.Early fight choreography by future star Jackie Chan and several action set pieces make their debut in this film. John Woo likes to reuse old action set pieces (The fight in the Mansion and the duel on horseback, i.e. Motorcycles come to mind). Not a brilliant or a bad film, satisfactory action film. Entertaining at times, Young Dragons is an okay action film. But an essential for die hard John Woo fans.Recommended for fans of this genreBFactoids: Future star Shing Fui-on makes a cameo apperence along with the director John Woo.