Year of the Dragon (1985)

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  November 30, 2010

  ythelastman89

  Many people claim that The Deer Hunter is Michael Cimino's only good movie. However, this is just as good if not better. Probably one of the greatest crime epics to ever be made, this really has it all. Mickey Rourke shows his muscle and stubbornness, his manliness is almost off ... read morethe scale. It takes the concept of a one man war on crime and really puts it to a realistic test. You can't win anything without losing some too. The action in this movie is flawless, violent yet somehow incredibly tasteful. It's almost like a French Connection type of cop mentality thrown into Chinatown.

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  November 8, 2010

  gokhale1

  Now here's a classic example of a picture that could have been so much better!
  
  And upon reading the credits one would really think they have a winner. Why wouldn't anyone expect a great film, with a screenplay co-written by Oliver Stone, directing done by Michael Cimino of "Th... read moree Deer Hunter" fame and Mickey Rourke in the lead role of a tough cop!
  
  But unfortunately what we end up getting is a run-of-the-mill cops and gangsters story, which, although begins on a promising note for most of the first half hour, finds itself going on a downward spiral of the sameness that were the 80s!
  
  Mickey Rourke stars as Stanley White, a police captain assigned to New York's Chinatown where the Chinese mafia is running amuck with their organized crime and broad daylight shootouts in public places. Joey Tai (John Lone) is at the center of this gangster empire, as a ruthlessly ambitious young gangster who quickly rises up to become the head of the Chinese triads; a character that reminds one of Tony Montana.
  
  So throughout the film, Rourke is constantly on the hunt trying to get his hands on these gang of crooks through some or the other means.
  When he is not very busy doing that, he manages to take some time off and make some romantic advances towards Tracy Tzu (Ariane Koizumi) who plays a television reporter but does a really bad job of acting while she is at it.
  
  
  White's pursuit of Joey Tai soon takes the shape of a violent bloodbath and continues until the ultimate showdown between the two tough-as-nails men on either side of the law.
  
  "Year of the Dragon" is a film that suffers from some shoddy film-making with "80s" written all over it. There is some over-the-top violence, some ridiculously implausible scenes, terrible acting from the female lead, Ariane Koizumi and a few more negatives.
  
  That said, this film does have some very good movie moments and some very engaging scenes, but then a few good scenes aren't enough to make a great film as a whole.
  
  What this film draws most of its points then, is from a stellar, mesmerizing performance by Mickey Rourke.
  
  Rourke, as a bad-ass cop shines bright and flies much higher and saves "Year of the Dragon" from being entirely unwatchable.
  
  Watch it for Rourke, if nothing else. Here's one actor who was perhaps born in the wrong era and deserved much better in his screwed up career.

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  April 10, 2009

  matertenebraum

  Year of the Dragon is something of a little known masterpiece. It is well written by Oliver Stone, and directed by Cimino at a turning point in his career. The centre piece, however, is Rourkes performance, which was caught while he most likely was at the peak of his acting abili... read morety's. You will be totally blown away by the realism of his acting, and it's even more noteworthy that the film was made while Rourke was youthful while making this and was made to look more senior (that grey hair is dye). A heartfelt performance from an actor playing a cop with "scar tissue on his soul", will never be forgotten once seen. While the main character is far from perfect, it is just that which makes him believable as well. Stanley White is on a crusade and would die for his principles, which effects all those involved with him. It is a complex film, often talky, which is punctuated throughout with explosive violence, well shot with use of excellent set pieces. Bloody in places and above all gritty and realistic, in parts it is even beautiful. The film works on many levels from it's slow burn beginnings with emphasis on conspiracy to the final pay off on the dock yards. Well drawn characters are everywhere in this film, and it never losses its hard edge. Rourke has seen a much needed and deserved return in recent years. He may have lost his handsome good looks due to boxing and due to too many face lifts, but the guy will never lose his acting ability. We, the true fans, never gave up on this chance. And now he's finally gaining popularity with a new generation, who need to see and experience The Year Of The Dragon, To believe the hype. Also check out his other classics Angel Heart and Barfly.

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  February 10, 2008

  deano

  Not quite bad thriller of an obsessed cop takes on the Chinese mafia, determined to reassert America's supremacy at home, having failed in the East. John Lone should become a major movie star. Mickey Rourke gives a good performance. Director Michael Cimino has talent to burn... h... read moreis work is smashing.

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  January 31, 2008

  adammahler1

  interesting editing; Rourke & Lone are great; writer Oliver Stone fantasizes about being a egoomaniac, sexist, borderline racist, Vet sheriff who shows who's boss & turns on hot Asian reporters

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  September 24, 2007

  YLOWBSTARDreturns

  Utterly entertaining film.

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  July 6, 2007

  pier007

  The last good film directed by Michael Cimino. a violent thriller written by Oliver Stone and featuring a great cast with an evil John Lone and Mickey Rourke posing as a Bogart of the eighties.

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  May 31, 2010

  Dannyrovira

  An explosive, ultra-violent epic crime drama brilliantly scripted by Oliver Stone with outstanding direction by Michael Cimino in what would be his last great film. About a jaded, single-minded and racist police captain, Stanley White who is a real bad ass and a Vietnam war veter... read morean, played by Mickey Rourke in a mesmerizing performance is on a crusade to bring down corruption, extortion, and murder in New York City's Chinatown. White must balance his intense desire to capture the savvy and reptilian Triad crime lord Joey Tai, played by the gifted actor John Lone who is nothing short of magnificent in the role. Despite the protests of his brought-off supervisors, who all hate him because he constantly points out their hypocrisies. The adrenaline-charged violence is amazing, including a show-stopping attack on a posh Chinese restaurant and a frenzied bare-knuckled climax, which is a bravura piece of filmmaking. But the centerpiece of this film is Mickey Rourke who will totally blow you away by the realism and intensity of his acting. Fantastic supporting performances from Caroline Kava, Raymond J. Barry, Victor Wong, and Dennis Dun. Extraordinary and beautiful cinematography by Alex Thomson with a superb score by David Mansfield. A powerhouse film and a forgotten gem from the 80's, intelligent and tough. Highly Recommended.

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  August 7, 2009

  Dracula787

  This is the second film I?m watching in my exploration of the early career of Mickey Rourke, its also interesting as a major work in the career of the director Michael Cimino (another figure I need to catch up on). This is the first movie Cimino was allowed to make after the deb... read moreacle of Heaven?s Gate, and its clear he was trying to prove that he could make a ?normal? movie. This is pretty much a standard, clichéd, Dirty Harry rip-off cop movie. It?s got every hallmark of the genre from the lonely grizzled cop to the moronic police chief. The hook that?s supposed to set this apart is that the villains are a Chinese Triad centered in Chinatown rather than Italians centered in Brooklyn. This choice resulted in a lot of controversy from the Asain community who believed the portrayal of Chinatown was stereotyped. I can see what they were offended by, there are elements of the film that seem to mitigate some of the less enlightened portrayals, but these politically correct elements feel like they were thrown in at the last minute in order to avoid controversy, I suspect that the original script was much less savory. Regardless of the racial overtones, this is a pretty lame and boring movie. Rourke is clearly trying, but he?s too young for his role and he?s give a really bad dye job. This probably didn?t deserve the five razzie nominations it got, but it?s still very unoriginal.

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  May 27, 2008

  alanjayh

  panned by many..but I think ariane is alluring and seductive in her first cinematic appearance and mickey rourke is relentless and believable in this role...this movie has an 'epic' feel to it..engrossing story, violent, highly entertaining tale from michael cimino (deer hunter, ... read moregates of heaven).

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• Mickey Rourke as Stanley White
• John Lone as Joey Tai
• Ariane Koizumi as Tracy Tzu
• Leonard Termo as Angelo Rizzo
• Raymond J. Barry
• Caroline Kava as Connie White
• Eddie Jones as William McKenna
• Joey Chin as Ronnie Chang
• Victor Wong as Harry Yung

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• This film was originally going to be entitled "Red Dragon", the same name as the novel. However, when Year of the Dragon (1985) became a box office failure, Dino De Laurentiis decided to avoid a "dragon" title.  Answer »
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• 2002 film starring Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey and Gerald Butler where during Underground construction in London around the year 2008, a huge, hibernating dragon is discovered and springs to life.   Answer »
• Which Kung Fu hero was born in 1940, the year of the Dragon?   Answer »

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