Directed and co-written by Hong Kong filmmaker Fruit Chan, the production appears to be a silver screen exercise for its action stars to demonstrate their fighting chops no different from a circus act.
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Seemingly an attempt at the martial art crime action thriller genre, Invincible Dragon is a loose depiction of mildly dark stories that takes place in an unrealistic society. Directed and co-written by Hong Kong filmmaker Fruit Chan, the production appears to be a silver screen exercise for its action stars to demonstrate their fighting chops no different from a circus act.
While most action films would open to impress, Invincible Dragon’s opening action scene set in the dark alleys behind a Chinese restaurant was shockingly let down by poor editing (Tin Sup Fat). Not only did the cuts removed the exciting frames from the action sequences, it also presented a confused action choreography to its audience.
Technical production values fortunately caught up right after the opening scene and didn’t cause any further woes to the film (except for the cheesy dubbing that is released in regions like Singapore). Chan only began his main story from this point on where a serial killer targeting only female police officers took centre stage. Adopting a gender-driven crime, it matches Chan’s past cinematic themes of dark issues but unfortunately not Chan’s intentions for Invincible Dragon.
Forget about the half-hearted attempt at infusing psychiatric problems within its main lead and protagonist Kowloon (Max Zhang). The correlation of Kowloon’s mental issues and behavioural traits are merely plot devices to tie him up with a convenient love interest in the form of a Chinese medicine practitioner played by Hong Kong based Taiwanese actress Annie Liu.
Without revealing the motive of the serial killer, it is the direct contrary of what many might have thought to be a psychopath killer with complex issues. Everything is set up to allow Zhang to have opportunities to fight on the silver screen with a few supporting action cast members before the final showdown with Alexander Sinclair (UFC mixed martial artist Anderson Silva).
There is plenty to watch in the final showdown where mixed martial arts deliver quick and impactful blows and brawls that the sport is known for. It is also a change for some viewers to see Zhang in a different form of martial art (after Zhang’s display of Wing Chun in the recent Master Z: Ip Man Legacy).
All is lost when Kowloon actively explores his psychological state of mind where he summons the nine-headed dragon during moments of anguish. It is uncertain if Chan had any core agenda behind the nine-headed dragon, but to most viewers it certain appear to be a bad call of judgement.
Invincible Dragon is nothing that most might expect from Fruit Chan’s involvement in the film and therefore nothing more than a popcorn fare for genre fans. While it might just be a genre exercise intended as a side project for Chan, it would however be interesting to observe Max Zhang’s subsequent choice of film projects that will define his onward career.
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