Dragon Fist Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Dragon Fist Blu-ray Movie Review

Dragon Fist is an exciting and action-packed kung-fu film. Distributed by the Lo Wei Motion Picture Company, Dragon Fist is also known under the alternate titles of Dangsang Martial Arts and The Wild Big Boss. Produced by Hsu Li- hwa and Lo Wei, Dragon Fist stars Jackie Chan. Dragon Fist co-stars Nora Miao and James Tien. Released in Hong Kong on April 21^st, 1979, Dragon Fist is an excellent film for Chan fans.

Tong Huo-wan (Jackie Chan) trains in the art of kung-fu. Tong Huo-wan aims to be a master of the skill of kung-fu by learning all the best moves by master San-thye. The training is abruptly ended when Tong’s master is killed by the villainous kung-fu leader, Master Li (Yen Shi-kwan).

Tong seeks revenge for San’s death and he fights Master Li. Things become more complicated when the fighting is also amplified by the feuding battle between a group of gangsters and a local kung-fu clan. Can Tong emerge as the victor and defeat the killer of his kung-fu master?

Jackie Chan is fantastic in the film. The magnetic and engaging personality of Chan is on display in the film. The performance is certainly an important aspect of the film. Chan does a great job in his role.

The cinematography by Chen Yung-hsu is a beautiful component of the filmmaking. The visual aesthetic is something that enhances the experience. There is a lot of wonderful vibe to the cinematography and the film is all the more engaging as a result.

Edited by Leung Wing-chan, Dragon Fist is a well-paced film. The flow of the story and the action scenes makes it all the more entertaining. A good pace and the film benefits from the craft of Wing-chan.

The score composed by Frankie Chan (Chungking Express, Fallen Angels) adds a lot to the experience. The music is a highlight of the film. The composer is one of the best composers of the Hong Kong film industry and the music here is an important part of the filmmaking.

The stunts by Jackie Chan are enormously entertaining. There is so much energy and enthusiasm in the stunts in Dragon Fist. The stunt work done in the film brings the filmmaking to another level of excellence. Great stunt choreography by Chan.

Written by Chung-Ping Wang (Qi qiao feng huang bi yu dao), Dragon Fist isn’t one of the the best scripts in the Jackie Chan canon filmography, but the storytelling is still plenty of fun. The story has a decent sense of rhythm and even if the concept and execution is somewhat simple it is effective.

Directed by Wei Lo (The Big Boss, Slaughter in San Francisco), Dragon Fist is entertaining for its action spectacle. Lo does a good job bringing out great stunt work and a strong performance by Jackie Chan. Dragon Fist is an exciting action spectacle and one that Jackie Chan fans won’t want to miss.

Dragon Fist Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, Dragon Fist is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The transfer on the release is generally solid looking throughout. The scan has a nice sense of detail and depth in the image. The colors on the release look great and there is plenty to appreciate about the presentation. The encode quality is solid.

Dragon Fist Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The audio is provided in Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio Mono, Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio Mono, English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono, Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1, Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1, and English Dolby Digital 5.1. English subtitles are provided on the release. The audio track has some age but still sounds clear during the presentation and capably handles the sound design. A solid soundstage for the presentation.

Dragon Fist Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with Film Critic James Mudge

A Dragon Rules – Interview with writer/journalist David West (HD, 21:45)

Original Theatrical Trailer (HD, 3:58)

Japanese Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:50)

Japanese TV Spot (HD, 00:15)

Still Gallery (HD, 1:14)

Dragon Fist Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dragon Fist is an entertaining and action-packed romp with some great spectacle. Jackie Chan is a great action star and he provided the film with some excellent action choreography. The Blu-ray release provides fans a solid presentation and a nice selection of bonus features. Highly recommended.