Dragons Forever

I definitely got a more solid sense of Sammo Hung's directing here.

Wheels On Meals was a good introductory film for his directing, and I get a sense he likes telling a myriad of different genres in a story. It's similar yet different to the first film this week, with more an emphasis this time on the romance with ranges of good to spectacular bits of action sprinkled in. The story follows three men who by some means or another is employed by a shady corrupt business to gain land for their factory, each member has their own plans and forge brief alliances but none of them is telling the whole story leading to periodic clashes before the pin is dropped and they all go after the business. Again it sort of focuses more on the lives of these characters than the action itself, and I really really like that. That's the reason why I hold the Ip Man series so highly, it gives you character and the big fights which I feel works very well here as well. It's so interesting seeing Jackie play a lawyer and be more of a romancing kind of guy, instead of his down to earth everyman persona in most of his films. But that sure as hell doesn't mean he can't still fight. Once again all these guys are on even better form than Wheels On Meals in my opinion, bringing so much speed and precision to their strikes and getting a bit more acrobatic in their movements. The final fight is short but unbelievably outstanding, with so much going on and some hits that straight up made me cringe. I mean f***ing hell man, I need an ice pack just watching it I can't even fathom the actors going through it. It does not shy away from the falls and the impacts, it's really one of the most impressive fight scenes in cinema for me. We even get another standoff with Benny The Jet, didn't entirely plan that but he brings his further improved skill to the forefront. I mean you could break down those two fight scenes alone and really notice how much their styles, technique, and skill has grown. But like I said the film is more of a romance, with Jackie and Sammo having some one on one time with their lady friends which I actually did like. It never felt like it dragged or was pointless so I must commend the film for that. Solid 8/10, 4 stars check it out, and we jump straight to 1999 for the final Jackie Chan film of the week before the next theater going experience.