While predictably, he discovers his true devotion is to Vietnam, especially when he finds himself increasingly attracted to Thuy, it leads to a series of escalating confrontations as the rebels square off against not only their French oppressors but also men like his former captain who were hired to put their lives on the line to rid themselves of the rebel threat.
The film, as Dragon Dynasty notes on the box, features “an acrobatic fighting style rarely seen in the U.S.” However, it’s far more than just an ultra-violent entry into the world of the martial arts genre. Moreover, it’s a highly compelling and intellectually challenging storyline that will no doubt benefit from a second viewing as it’s so visually engrossing that at times (and no doubt due to the incredible fight choreography) we get so caught up by the stimulus our brains switch off and we just appreciate it on a purely visceral level.
While China has been an unparalleled leader in offering up superlative martial arts films, those who’ve appreciated not only other Dragon titles but especially the epic structure evidenced in Zhang Yimou’s House of Flying Daggers and Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon will find themselves overwhelmed by this Vietnamese production which seems inspired by not only those films but also American adventure films and westerns as well.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
Take that, stuck-up Arizona film pricks!