I wanted to see this film based on a trailer for it on a kung-fu DVD. This film looked very different from anything else Jackie Chan has done and from everything else that I've seen of Chinese films. It took some time to track the DVD down.
Black Dragon is based on Frank Capra's Pocketfull of Miracles (1961). From the way Black Dragon has been made it is apparent that Jackie Chan intended it only for Chinese audiences. On the DVD the language choices are Cantonese or Mandarin. The characterizations, plot situations, conflicts and resolutions do not use western story structure.
The male characters tend to fill several types for this kind of film while the female roles seem to break from those traditions. This comment is based on commentaries to several other Chinese films, where these types are described.
I found that the film lacked depth and the plot fell short of being cohesive.
Analysis aside, this film is very entertaining. It is upbeat, zippy and likable. One of the high points, for me came with the singing of the title song by Anita Mui early in the film. The song involves a montage of developmental incidents along with several costume and setting changes for the singer and chorus, which deftly indicated passage of time.
The fight sequences, while entertaining, really do not advance the story in any way and are more of a show case for Jackie Chan's acrobatic and martial arts talent. Beyond that they don't really add to the film. What I'm trying to say here is with or without the fight scenes what you have here is a pretty good film.
I recommend that you see this film if you get the chance and I would say that it would be suitable for children from around seven years and up.
Black Dragon is based on Frank Capra's Pocketfull of Miracles (1961). From the way Black Dragon has been made it is apparent that Jackie Chan intended it only for Chinese audiences. On the DVD the language choices are Cantonese or Mandarin. The characterizations, plot situations, conflicts and resolutions do not use western story structure.
The male characters tend to fill several types for this kind of film while the female roles seem to break from those traditions. This comment is based on commentaries to several other Chinese films, where these types are described.
I found that the film lacked depth and the plot fell short of being cohesive.
Analysis aside, this film is very entertaining. It is upbeat, zippy and likable. One of the high points, for me came with the singing of the title song by Anita Mui early in the film. The song involves a montage of developmental incidents along with several costume and setting changes for the singer and chorus, which deftly indicated passage of time.
The fight sequences, while entertaining, really do not advance the story in any way and are more of a show case for Jackie Chan's acrobatic and martial arts talent. Beyond that they don't really add to the film. What I'm trying to say here is with or without the fight scenes what you have here is a pretty good film.
I recommend that you see this film if you get the chance and I would say that it would be suitable for children from around seven years and up.