Dragons Forever Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Dragons Forever Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 6, 2020

Sammo Hung's "Dragons Forever" (1988) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films. The supplemental features on the disc include numerous archival cast and crew interviews; exclusive new audio commentary by Mike Leeder and Arne Venema; new program featuring Benny "The Jet" Urquidez; new program with performer and choreographer Jude Poyer; and a lot more. Also included with the release is a 44-page illustrated booklet featuring an essay by Scott Harrison as well as a large collection of vintage promotional materials for the film. In Cantonese or English, with optional English and English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

If you have a large library with various Hong Kong-produced films from the ‘70s and ‘80s what I am about to highlight below isn’t going to surprise you. In fact, it is one of the main reasons why you have been collecting these films -- it is what makes them different and attractive. The digital era produced a lot of ‘superior’ copycats and many of them feature the same stars, but now that a lot of these older films are being restored and released on Blu-ray, it is actually even easier to see just how much better the real thing is.

Before I get to the real thing, however, I would like to share an interesting experience I had while recovering from a painful back injury.

A few nights ago, I was going through the bonus features on this recent release of Dragons Forever when a good friend of mine unexpectedly stopped by to see me. While I was slowly preparing coffee for us, he quickly skipped though the disc and then started viewing the hilarious action sequence where Sammo Hung and Biao Yuen’s characters accidentally discover each other in the posh apartment and declared: “The fatty’s athleticism is astonishing”. I immediately knew why he was impressed, but this short sequence isn’t revealing of Sammo Hung’s talent, so I decided to show him a bit more. My friend, who isn’t a film buff, ended up borrowing a copy of The Magnificent Butcher, and earlier today I received a message from him in which he mentions that he has started “researching a couple of similar films”. I am smiling now because I know that this is the initial phase of a transformation that will soon make my friend a lifelong fan of these films.

There is something else that my friend mentioned during his visit, which is actually why I am describing it here. While drinking coffee and viewing Dragons Forever, he told me that the film looked old to him but much more advanced than contemporary films. I knew what he meant because he has seen a couple of Jackie Chan’s recent films, but I asked him to clarify just to be certain. My friend pointed out how the action isn’t faked -- this is the exact word he used, faked -- and how it makes everything look real. Of course, he was correct. This is precisely why Dragons Forever is worth seeing. In other words, it’s got the real thing.

I know some readers will disagree and insist that there is a lot more to appreciate in Dragons Forever, but the main point is that its story does not make it attractive. I am sorry, but it is the truth. Jackie Chan’s suave Casanova-esque ‘lawyer’ is as convincing as John Travolta’s alien in Battlefield Earth. The transformation is just silly and does not work. In fact, it cannot work because the wrong actor was tasked to play the wrong character. And yet in Dragons Forever -- and to a certain extent in Battlefield Earth as well but for different reasons -- this is utterly irrelevant because the “real thing” more than makes up for it. While the three male stars go after the crooked businessman, the film produces so much extraordinary action that it really does not matter how unconvincing the character transformations are.

I mentioned earlier that the digital era has given the public vastly superior action films, with many of them bringing back before the camera the stars that made oldies like Dragons Forever special. But the vibe in the newer films just isn’t the same. Their greatest moments are done with digital trickery that cannot replicate the energy and emotions the stars brought while doing their action stunts in the pre-CGI era. Many of them are brilliant stunts because they are imperfect, even goofy, and at times very obviously painful. Like my friend said, they are not “faked”.

Dragons Forever Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Dragons Forever arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films.

There are three different versions of the film on this release: original Hong Kong version (placed on disc one), English version (placed on disc two), and Japanese version (placed on disc two). All three have been restored in 4K. I viewed the English version because I wanted to hear the original English dub that was produced for the international markets.

On my system the film looked so good that multiple times I caught myself wishing that Police Story had received this type of impressive makeover before it transitioned to Blu-ray. Delineation, clarity, and depth were simply superb. The fluidity of the visuals was also very, very impressive, which leads me to believe that in native 4K this film probably looks extraordinary now. The color grading job is very convincing -- the saturation levels are just perfect and there are terrific ranges of supporting nuances. There are absolutely no traces of problematic digital adjustments, so grain exposure is very even and stable. There are no stability issues. Lastly, the entire film looks spotless. Great presentation. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Dragons Forever Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are multiple audio tracks on this release: Cantonese: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Cantonese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit), and English: DTS 5.1 (1.5Mbps). Optional English and English SDH subtitles are provided (but check the listings for the individual versions below).

The produces of the release have made sure that fans of the film can use all major audio tracks that have been used to screen the film in different territories. I tested all of them and from what I heard I feel comfortable stating that their quality is excellent. In fact, I expected the English dub to be somewhat uneven -- in ways that English dub tracks that appear on Italian genre films are -- but it is very nicely done and with excellent ranges of dynamic nuances. Below, I am listing the audio options for each version:

1. English version: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. With optional English SDH subtitles.
2. Japanese version: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. With optional English subtitles.
3. Japanese version: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. With optional English subtitles.
4. Hong Kong version: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. (Mono). With optional English subtitles.
5. Hong Kong version: Remixed Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. With optional English subtitles.
6. Hong Kong Version: English Mono Hybrid Dub DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. With optional English subtitles.
7. Remixed English DTS 5.1. With optional English subtitles.

Dragons Forever Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

BLU-RAY DISC ONE

• Hong Kong Version - 4K restoration of the original Hong Kong version of Dragons Forever.

• Commentary - in this exclusive new audio commentary, Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, both huge fans of Hong Kong cinema, go down memory lane and discuss in great detail Dragons Forever, the era in which the film emerged, as well as the careers of the stars that made it.

• Trailer One - original Hong Kong trailer for Dragons Forever. In Cantonese, with English subtitles. (4 min).

• Trailer One - original English trailer for Dragons Forever. In English. (3 min).

• Outtakes and Behind the Scenes - a collection of outtakes and behind the scenes footage, some quite painful but very funny, presented with music. (13 min).

• Japanese End Credits - original Japanese end credits for Dragons Forever. In Cantonese, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Deleted Scenes - two deleted scenes. In English. (4 min).

• The Legacy of Dragons Forever - in this short program, stuntmen Troy Sandford and Chris Jones, and filmmaker Boyask, amongst other, discuss the unique chemistry between the stars of Dragons Forever. In English. (3 min).

• The Breaker - this archival program takes a closer look at the acting and fighting careers of Billy Chow, who has a memorable role in Dragons Forever. The program features clips from various interviews with folks who admire Billy Chow's style. In English and Cantonese, with English subtitles where necessary. (35 min).

• Kick Fighter - in this archival program, Andy Cheng explains how he entered the film business and discusses his fighting style. There are also some very interesting comments about his collaborations with Jackie Chan. In English. (39 min).

• Beyond Gravity - in this archival program, martial arts/background performer Joe Eigo discusses the enormous impact Bruce Lee's films had on him and his eventual transition to the film business. Mr. Eigo also recalls his first encounter with Jackie Chan. In English. (13 min).

• Double Jeopardy - in this archival program, martial arts performer Brad Allen explains how Jackie Chan's style influenced his work and career and discusses his style. His first acting contribution to a Hong Kong-produced film was in Drunken Master 3. In English. (27 min).

• Working with the Dragons - in this new program, stunt coordinator, performer and choreographer Jude Poyer recalls his work with the stars of Dragons Forever on different projects. There are some particularly interesting comments about Sammo Hung's fighting style. In English. (7 min).

• Hong Kong Cinema Forever - in this new program, Hong Kong cinema expert Mike Leeder quickly addresses Dragons Forever and the things that make it a special film. In English. (6 min).

• Discussing Dragons Forever - in this new program, Professor of Cinema Studies David Desser discusses Jackie Chan's legacy and the importance of the '80s action films he made. In English. (7 min).

• Benny Forever - in this new program, Benny "The Jet" Urquidez discusses his acting career and the various action films he appeared in together with some of the greatest stars of Hong Kong cinema. In English. (25 min).

BLU-RAY DISC TWO

• English Version - 4K restoration of the English version of Dragons Forever, which was commissioned by Golden Harvest for international audiences outside Asia with the classic English dub. (94 min).

• Japanese Version - 4K restoration of the Japanese version of Dragons Forever., which features two extra scenes and an ending with outtakes. Presented with English subtitles. (98 min).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Booklet - 44-page illustrated booklet featuring Scott Harrison's essay "The Difficult Third Movie - Dragons Forever: From Pariah to Classics" as well as a very large collection of vintage promotional materials for the film.

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage Hong Kong poster art.

Dragons Forever Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dragons Forever teams up three of Hong Kong cinema's greatest martial arts stars at the peak of their careers and quite predictably its action is off the charts. Everything else in the film is just filler material but it is utterly irrelevant because what these guys do before the camera without digital trickery is nothing short of astonishing. No, it is not always perfect, but it is real and oozing pure energy that is simply incredible. 88 Films' release offers three different versions of the film fully restored in 4K, plus a massive selection of exclusive new and archival bonus features. It is one of the best releases that I have seen from the label's catalog. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.