Dragons Forever (1988) – S. Hung & C. Yuen
As Jackie Chan
moved from Seventies Shlock to Worldwide Fame, he maintained close ties with
other students from the China Drama School (aka Peking Opera) that he attended
in his youth, principally Sammo Hung and Biao Yuen. Known as the Three Brothers or Dragons, they
starred in a series of action comedies (Project A, 1983; Wheels on Meals, 1984;
My Lucky Stars, 1985; Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars, 1985), mostly directed by
Sammo (Fatty Dragon). Dragons Forever
was their final outing together, as Jackie’s Police Story and Armour of God
franchises took off. Jackie stars as a lawyer
working for a criminal gang that own a chemical company (also serving as a
front for narcotics production). When the owner of a neighbouring fish farm
(Deanie Ip) sues the chemical company for polluting, Jackie takes the case. Jackie
recruits Biao to help plant a bug in Deanie’s house to gather information,
since her lawyer (and cousin), Pauline Yeung, also lives there. Sammo is a
scammer who hopes to swindle Ip out of her fish farm but ends up falling in
love with her. Jackie also falls for
Yeung, creating a conflict of interest for the case (resolved at the trial in a
scene that is unfortunately marred by homophobic comments by the judge). If
this all sounds rather cheesy, it is (in true Jackie fashion) -- but there is enough
hand-to-hand combat from the three stars, old school style with chairs and
furniture used for props, to keep those who came for the action engaged. (Benny
Urquidez takes on the role of super-baddie in the final fight). The comedy is,
as usual, hit or miss, but the Three Dragons are undeniably charismatic (even
if cast somewhat against type here).