Little Dragon Maiden Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Little Dragon Maiden Blu-ray Movie Review

Little Dragon Maiden is a spin-off and unofficial sequel to the Brave Archer film series. Adapted from the novel The Return of the Condor Heroes by Louis Cha, Little Dragon Maiden features production by Mona Fong (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Avenging Eagle). Starring Leslie Cheung, Jing-Jing Yung, Chen Kuan-Tai, Leanne Lau, and Ni Tien.

Yang Guo (Leslie Cheung) falls madly in love with the beautiful and elegant Dragon Maiden (Jing-Jing Yung) Xiao Long Nu. Despite the strong romantic connection that forms while practicing martial arts together, as pupil and martial arts instructor the romantic pair are forbidden from forming an official relationship together and are not allowed to tie the knot with a ceremony.

Even despite the barriers of unfair institutions, the romantic feelings are formed and there is much left to learn in the craft of swordplay and kung fu. As the storyline progresses, there is also an interesting diversion with a giant kung fu chicken. Martials arts action unfolds.

The costume designs by Chi-Yu Liu (Ambitious Kung Fu Girl, Heroes Shed No Tears) are beautiful and add to the iconic Shaw Brothers style. Shaw Brothers productions provide excellent costuming. The efforts here showcase the entire cast well – both lead and supporting characters.

Edited by Shao-Hsi Chang (The Vengeful Beauty, How to Choose a Royal Bride) and Hsing-Lung Chiang (The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, The Deadly Breaking Sword), the editing is well-done throughout the feature. Little Dragon Maiden has a great pace and the feature benefits from the concise editing. An excellent effort by both Chang and Chiang.

The stunts coordinated by To-Hoi Kong (As Tears Go By, Black Cat) and Chi-Ho Lau (A Chinese Ghost Story, The Magic Crane) impress. The stunt work is one of the biggest draws of the film. The great marital arts work and choreography provides so much wonder to the filmmaking. The fight scenes impress and the action is reason enough to see the film.

Composed by Chin-Yung Shing (The Boxer's Omen, The Spirit of the Sword) and Chen-Hou Su (Five Elements Ninjas, Perils of the Sentimental Swordsman), the score is outstanding. The music adds excitement and energy to the entire production. Shing and Su are both great at providing action beats – providing a score that is a perfect backdrop to the adventure.

The cinematography by Wen-Yun Huang (Portrait in Crystal, Drunken Master II) is visually superb. Little Dragon Maiden features excellent visuals. The cinematographic language is top-notch and provides a sense of whimsy and charm to the action-adventure.

Written by Ning Tam (Xiao jie de zhang fu, Xingfu xin'niang) and Nai-Pin Tsai (Portrait in Crystal, Avenging Warriors of Shaolin), Little Dragon Maiden is well-written. The script is a lot of fun. The screenplay has a wonderful sense of adventure. The zany elements are a huge part of the charm. The “kung fu chicken” is one of the most charming and over-the-top elements in any of the Brave Archer features. It is delightful in such a silly and offbeat manner.

Directed by Shan Hua (Portrait in Crystal, Soul of the Sword), Little Dragon Maiden is a fun and exciting martial arts film. Hua did a terrific job with the production. The old-school adventure elements bring a sense of magic to the filmmaking.

Little Dragon Maiden Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, Little Dragon Maiden is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The release provides a superb and naturally filmic scan of the feature-film. Little Dragon Maiden features excellent color reproduction as well. The encoding by Shout Factory capably highlights the action sequencing.

Little Dragon Maiden Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. The lossless audio encoding is excellent on the release. The original language audio sounds engaging throughout.

Dialogue is reproduced well. The score is well highlighted on the sound presentation. The English subtitles are well-done and are free from any significant issues with spelling or grammar.

Little Dragon Maiden Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with James Mudge, Film Critic at Easternkicks

Trailer (SD, 1:10)

Still Gallery (HD, 2:43)

Little Dragon Maiden Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Little Dragon Maiden is an impressive martial arts feature. The filmmaking is top-notch throughout and there is much to love about the production. A superb Shaw Brothers feature and one with some truly impressive genre elements – the "kung fu chicken" a scene stealer. The Blu-ray release provides an impressive presentation alongside a selection of bonus features. Recommended.