Jet Li movies tend to be much more adult, in terms of both story and stunts, than those of Jackie Chan. And while I still believe Chan to be the superior artist, though he treads in lighter fare, I have nevertheless grown something of an appreciation for Li's back catalogue. His sensibility is more hardcore and hip-hop than pop (and this is substantiated by films such as the somewhat anemic but blithe DMX team-up, Cradle 2 the Grave). Likewise, his films are populated with a grotesquerie of whores, pimps, pedophiles, gangsters, and other almost-overbearingly foul-mouthed characters. Kiss of the Dragon (2001) is certainly no different. Li plays a Chinese operative stuck in Paris and betrayed by his corrupt French cohorts, led by Police Inspector Richard. He is subsequently forced to enlist the aid of a hooker named Jessica (Bridget Fonda) in order to clear his name. As you would imagine, all manner of fights ensue as Li tracks down Inspector Richard, systematically eliminating his subordinates while simultaneously protecting Fonda from harm. In this way, the film has a simple and straightforwardly linear progression, similar to an old video game; you could conceivably break the film down into stages, each with their own boss fight, and each "leveling up" our hero as he sprints to the final battle. These "stages" feature some creative stunt set-ups, including a harrowing (and almost Hitchcockian) laundry shoot escape, as well as a superb showdown between Li and two behemoths in an abandoned office. Fonda is a surprising find, as she brings some seldom-seen dramatic weight to her character despite its "Hooker with a Heart of Gold" tropeism. Save for a few "stages," Kiss of the Dragon is unremarkable, but nonetheless entertaining, kung fu filler.
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You're on the mike, what's your beef?