Jackie Chan

John Cusack

Adrien Brody

Sharni Vinson

Kevin Lee

Robert Peoples

Tomer Oz

Alfred Hsing

Max Huang

Sammy Hung Tin-Chiu

Paul Philip Clark

Lorie Pester

Joel Adrian

Harry Oram

Kyle Shapiro

Jonathan Paulson

Vander McLeod

Philippe Joly

Faith Ugurlu

Danny Salay

Pierre Bourdaud

Jai Day

Murray Clive Walker

Emrah Yilmaz

Danny Cameron

Kyle Cameron

Kyle Andrew MacNeil

Daniel P. Cameron

Miroslav Karel

J.J. Demiannay

Alexander Corne

James Lee Guy

Will Lefebvre

Lin Peng

Steve Yoo

Choi Si-won

Ned Bellamy

Jozef Waite

Brahim Achabbakhe

Liu Jianwei

Benny Urquidez

Mohetaer

Temur Mamisashvili

Li Zhenqi

Karena Lam Kar-Yan

Vanness Wu

Mika Wang

Su Hang

Scotty Cox

Alan Ng

Susanna Tsang Pui-San

Henry Lai Wan-Man

Jia Neng Huang

Daniel Lee

Tony Cheng

Charles Lee

He Jun

Phyllis Cheng

Sunny Sun

Zhao Lei

Shi Lei

Adventure

History

Action

Fantasy

天將雄師

Visualizer Film Company

Shanghai Film Group

Jackie & JJ Productions

Sparkle Roll Media

Alibaba Pictures Group

Home Media & Entertainment Fund

Tencent Video

China Film & TV Capital

Huayi Brothers Pictures

Hong Kong

China

***East meets West on the Silk Road in this hyperactive action/adventure***

In 48 BC, a peace-promoting protection squad on the Silk Road in Northwestern China is assigned to construction work at Wild Geese Gate wherein they are assisted by a fugitive legion of Romans led by General Lucius (John Cusack), who befriends the leader of the security company (Jackie Chan). When shady Roman leader Tiberius (Adrien Brody) arrives with an army of 100,000, the other two groups team-up against them.

Supposedly inspired by real-life events, "Dragon Blade" (2015) is a Chinese action/adventure that cost $65 million and looks it. The film is top-of-the-line as far as production quality goes (score, cast, costumes, sets, quick editing, locations, etc.). Chan is entertaining as usual while Cusack and Brody surprisingly tower in their roles (I say “surprisingly” because I wouldn’t have imagined them cutting it as Roman commanders in the ancient past). The tone is serious with goofy quick-edited action and a modest amount of humor that’s actually funny.

If you happened upon any 2-3 minutes of this film you’d automatically think that it was a very worthy adventure flick. Unfortunately, it’s too manic for its own good. I tried to adapt to its hyper tone and did so until just past the halfway mark when the overkill action style pretty much lost me. I endured to the end, but it was difficult. It seriously needed to slow down and cultivate depth (but at least it tries to at times). 

“Dragon Blade” lacks the confident poise of the excellent “Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan” (2007) and instead shoots for overKILL. Consider the frenzied pace of the 2011 version of “Conan the Barbarian,” but up the ante a couple of notches. That’s this movie.      

The film runs 2 hours, 7 minutes and was shot in Hengdian and Dunhuang, China, as well as the Gobi Desert.

GRADE: C

English

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Dragon Blade

Dragon Blade (2015 Movie – Jackie Chan, John Cusack, Adrien Brody) – Official Trailer

Dragon Blade

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