"Black Dragon," as it's known in the West, is a rare martial arts film that offers a lot more than great fight scenes. Unlike countless other kung fu movies from the 70's this one has a story that is as engaging as the stellar, high octane fight scenes on display. Jason Piao Pai plays one of the most likable characters in cinema history, as illiterate farmer Tai-Lin, who heads to the Philippines in hopes of escaping poverty. Once in the big city Tai-Lin must face thieves, drug smugglers and killers. The story becomes one of redemption, when he decides to take a street urchin under his wing after the guy tries to rob him...twice! Believing in his mother's advice that nobody is beyond help, his thieving sidekick eventually becomes a loyal friend and a good person. And when Tai discovers that his boss is using Chinese laborers to secretly traffic heroin to mainland China, Tai joins a rebel gang who are attempting to crush the drug syndicate. This is where Ron Van Clief comes in, as the muscle of this anti-crime cartel, and his martial arts skills are pretty ferocious; the guy is like a charging bull here. Of course Van Clief is presented as the central character on all the posters State Side, which is understandable for marketing reasons. No matter, Van Clief is still a strong presence throughout, and Jason Piao Pai easily carries the film with his charisma and incredible kung fu moves. Why this guy didn't become big the way Bruce Lee did is a mystery, because he really had the magic. Sadly "Black Dragon" is only available in various poor quality prints, although the one released on the 'Exploitation Cinema" label does preserve it's widescreen picture ratio. This movie is one of the undiscovered gems of the martial arts genre, featuring a fantastic story, likable characters and some truly bloody, mean spirited fight scenes. It's also got Ron Van Clief kicking serious ass, so fans of the genre should track this one down..
Review of The Black Dragon
