Dragon Tiger Gate is based on a Chinese manhua of the same name by Wong Yuk-long. It focuses on the eponymous Dragon Tiger Gate, a martial arts academy founded to take in young kids and teach them to defend their society. At the forefront of the film are the Wong brother, played by Donnie Yen and Nicholas Yes, who are separated at a young age, one of them staying with the Gate and one of them ending up as the enforcer to a criminal overlord.
And then there's Turbo (Shawn Yue), an American-Chinese street kid who has come to the Gate to learn martial arts. Turbo is by far the best character in the film. Every scene he's in is absolutely perfect. I wish this film was all about Turbo.
The film's fight scenes were choreographed by Donnie Yen and that definitely shows. The fights are highly detailed, spatially self-aware and cool beyond believe. Whenever the endless dialogues and lamentations of woe cease and the characters are allowed to do the kung fu, the film is very good. Unfortunately that's like one third of the film.
It also doesn't help that the film relies heavily on CGI to tell its story. And let me tell you, computer visual effects are not what early 21st century Hong Kong cinema was known for. These are some atrocious effects.
Still, there is passion beneath all the jank on display. Turbo is cool, most of the fight scenes are cool, some of the locations are cool. It's just that the rest of it is pure garbage.
And then there's Turbo (Shawn Yue), an American-Chinese street kid who has come to the Gate to learn martial arts. Turbo is by far the best character in the film. Every scene he's in is absolutely perfect. I wish this film was all about Turbo.
The film's fight scenes were choreographed by Donnie Yen and that definitely shows. The fights are highly detailed, spatially self-aware and cool beyond believe. Whenever the endless dialogues and lamentations of woe cease and the characters are allowed to do the kung fu, the film is very good. Unfortunately that's like one third of the film.
It also doesn't help that the film relies heavily on CGI to tell its story. And let me tell you, computer visual effects are not what early 21st century Hong Kong cinema was known for. These are some atrocious effects.
Still, there is passion beneath all the jank on display. Turbo is cool, most of the fight scenes are cool, some of the locations are cool. It's just that the rest of it is pure garbage.