Dragon Tiger Gate (2006) User Reviews (47)

Popcorn martial arts movie

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 4 July 2016]

DRAGON TIGER GATE was a film that had very good things said about it in the build up, so I was guilty of overestimating what this film would have to offer. It's nothing more than a lightweight popcorn flick, packed with cheesy melodramatic scenes and so-so acting and some awesome action. As a Hong Kong martial arts film, I guess most fans will seek this out for the latter quality, watching it chiefly for the kung fu. While the fight scenes are, indeed, great, they really only occur at the beginning and ending of this movie, with a long void in between which focuses on character instead of action.

Donnie Yen, a 44 year old actor cast as someone in his 20s, looks the part very well, and you'd never guess that he's twenty years older than the character he plays. Nicholas Tse, who put in a very good performance in Jackie Chan's NEW POLICE STORY, reverts here to a simple pretty-boy role and doesn't make much of an impact; in fact, he's pretty bland. Shawn Yue is saddled with the character of Turbo, a weapons expert, and is about as good as Tse. Of the rest of the cast, only Yuen Wah and Kuan Tai Chen give really good performances, acting-wise as well as fighting-wise, but that comes as little surprise considering their pedigree.

I didn't much care for the dialogue or the story; based on a '70s comic book, it's reminiscent of the fluff we've seen countless times before in films like THE MEDALLION. The action, when it comes, makes up for its absence elsewhere. The opening battle in the restaurant is the stuff of classics, reminding me of WARRIOR KING in more than a few places; when it's followed up with a second huge battle a few minutes later, I was in heaven. Alas, the film doesn't follow this pattern, as nothing more happens for an hour. Then we're treated to an eerie showdown in a softball court which manages to be atmospheric and exciting, and finally the turbo-charged climax, laden with special effects, in which the three heroes team up to tackle a masked demon. The fight scenes use a combination of stunts and wire-work and are generally good; I didn't mind the CGI, either, which looks decent at the film's climax – I particularly liked Yue's magic bell effect. So, good action, but not enough of it; I didn't mind DRAGON TIGER GATE, but I wasn't blown away by it either. It's a simple popcorn flick, entertaining while it lasts but instantly forgettable.

Donnie Yen At His Best

[Blackace · 7/10 · 5 October 2007]

First of all, forget the story plot. This is a popcorn movie and there is really no seriousness to it. The summary on the back of the DVD said it was about two bothers who separate when young, but rejoin to enter a contest where they have to battle to top of a pyramid to get a valuable plaque. Huh, no, that wasn't the plot at all. There are two brothers Dragon Wong (Donnie Yen) & Tiger Wong (Nicholas Tse). They were taken in by Wong Jianglong (Wah Yuen from Kung Fu Hustle) when their mother died in a fire. Wong J. has a school called Dragon Tiger Gate, where he teachers young kids martial arts and discipline. After a few years Dragon Wong rebels and leaves the school. The next time Tiger Wong meets his brother it's years later. The chance meeting occurs when two gang leaders meet at a restaurant to discuss the ownership of a plague called Losorous (something like that).

Meantime Tiger Wong and his friends are having lunch at the same Asian restaurant right below the gang members on the 1st fl. When a fight breaks out above them between the gang members, the floor breaks open and the plague fall through the floor onto Tiger Wong's table. What follows is some of the best action in a restaurant not seen since Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Tiger Wong is kicking butt until a bodyguard steps in and teaches him a lesson. That bodyguard ends up being Tiger's brother, Dragon Wong. Tiger escapes with the plague and eventually Dragon Wong is sent to retrieve it. There are other smaller plots between Tiger and a girl he met on the street. Dragon also has a love interest from his past that meshes with the story. I won't give away anymore of the plot. The plot really isn't that important.

It's the action that true martial arts fans will want to see. There are 3 major action scenes in this movie. The first is in the restaurant which is breathtaking. The director uses several unique camera angles, one being above the action, that looks awesome. The 2nd battle is on a baseball field which is good, but nothing we haven't already seen. The final battle between the 3 heroes and Shibumi take place at Shibumi's lair which is dark and has wide stairs and huge columns. The action is fast and furious except for a few slow motion moments of bodies flying through the air. Dragon's 18 Palm technique is a blur of fast hand motions that will have you running the film in slow motions just to catch a glimpse.

If you're looking for a great script, deep plot or romance story in this film, you're watching the wrong movie. The movie is based off a comic book, so you really can't expect to much from it. It's a must see for martial arts fans who like hard hitting action. Just don't take this film too seriously and you'll have a great time.

A Nutshell Review: Dragon Tiger Gate

[DICK STEEL · 7/10 · 30 July 2006]

Adapting comic book story lines into feature films is not new in Hong Kong, and adapting styles from how Hollywood does things, isn't new to the industry either. The opening credits of the comic-book flipping sequence seem to announce that this movie is aping the standards set on comic book films in the West, as well as to set expectations straight that whatever is played out is pure fantasy, not Oscar winning material.

Dragon Tiger Gate is sheer Hong Kong fantasy martial arts indulgence. Not every movie in this genre makes the grade though. Feng Yun (Stormriders) was probably the pioneer with its fusion of fantasy martial arts moves and special effects, but while it proved successful at the box office, purist condemned (don't they always)the storyline for bastardizing and summarizing its rich pulp history beyond recognition. It's tough to extract the essence into a 90 minute movie, and others like Zhong Hua Ying Xiong (A Man Called Hero) failed miserably, even with its effects which turned out laughable.

The effects in Dragon Tiger Gate has shown a lot of improvement where Hong Kong movies are concerned, with digitized landscapes blending perfectly in scenes. The fights were effectively enhanced with plenty of CG, as well as good old reliable wirework. But nothing beats having well choreographed fist fights (by Donnie Yen) or just unadulterated martial arts showcase of skills such as the use of the nunchakus. Jazzed up with a Japanese influenced soundtrack, the action bits are the highlight of the movie, as the rest of the dialogue laden scenes were insipid and unfortunately applied too much brakes on the pace of the movie.

Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse play brothers Dragon and Tiger (in Chinese mythology, this combination is very fierce, OK?) and together with their friend Black Dragon (Shawn Yue), they make good commercial role models for hair gel. OK, so I can't help it but to poke some fun at their long hair in the movie, providing ample opportunity for the use of what I call the hair- dryer effect - Strike a killer pose, cue strong wind to blow their hair from their face.

Tiger belongs to an aged old martial arts school known as Dragon Tiger Gate, while Dragon, separated from Tiger when young, gets involved with triads work, against his principles. Black Dragon on the other hand, is a braggart who became humbled when he visits Dragon Tiger Gate to learn new skills. Together, they go up against a Japanese secret society headed by a formidable villain called Shibumi.

There are plenty of elements typical of a Hong Kong action movie, especially with the relationships with the opposite sex, like the token evil female character Luosha who falls in love with Dragon, in an uninspiring romance bit with a self-sacrificial theme, as well as the token goody-two-shoes female character Ma Xiaoling, the daughter of Dragon's triad benefactor who finds Tiger attractive.

The much touted Guiness Book of World Records sandbag, was much ado about nothing. All it had was a brief 10 second appearance, from a wide angled shot which does not do justice to its enormous size, and then quickly forgotten.

If given the opportunity, I won't mind watching this again just for the action bits and fast forwarding through the slow dialogue pieces. Also, watching it in its original Cantonese track will always be preferred, and in this one, Louis Koo actually provided the voice-over for the chief villain. Talk about unknowns providing the Mandarin voiceovers. Yuck.

A super summer entertainment package

[harry_tk_yung · 27 July 2006]

Comics-simple good vs evil. Fantastic three-way marriage of state-of-the-art CGI, clever montages and absolutely first class martial arts action (at least on Donnie Yen's part). Nicholas Tse at his cutest. Shawn Yue at his coolest. Donnie Yen always at his very best, and he IS the best. Beautiful and sometimes imaginative photography. Two Mainland actresses with faces that are very easy on the eyes and not bad in the acting department. And the sound! All add up to a super summer entertainment package. Highly recommended.

Just to given some balance, it's slightly odd to see 43-year-old Donnie Yen as 26-year-old Nicholas Tse's elder brother who is supposed to be just a few years older. Good makeup and lighting helps. Also, permit me to draw the analogy of having an absolutely top-notch, middle-age and slightly plump soprano singing the role of a slim, young girl in an opera. In the entertainment business, for excellence in one line, sometimes a little compromise is inevitable. Did you see Kevin Spacey's scene as a teenage Bobby Darin in "Beyond the Sea"?

Finally, ignore the "Plot outline" in IMDb. I'm sure it was contributed with good intentions. But the comics "Dragon Tiger Gate" has been around for decades and what the movie has done is just borrowed some of the key characters and put them into a story that barely has a plot. And who needs a plot anyway?

this movie is taking martial arts to next level

[eminent88 · 7/10 · 16 September 2006]

Everything is well done but terrible script...

They spent a lot of time in history of the characters is for story development. I think they could do a better job developing the past rather than showing the past only as memorization.

The character inside the tower who taught them the new kunfu could definitely be better developed and mentioned in the beginning of the movie instead of popping out of no where at the end, even if it means to stretch the movie out to be longer. The near ending part of the movie is much too rushed.

The love story is good but could be better developed as well... I just feel that the important part of the movie is rushed.

The fight scenes are incredible... they have really taken the fight scenes to the next level.

Dragon Tiger Gate

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 20 May 2017]

This martial arts film follows two half-brothers, Dragon and Tiger Wong; sons of one of the Dragon Tiger Gate martial arts schools. When they were young Dragon's mother left the school and was later killed in a fire, after which he is taken under the wing of local crime boss Ma Kun and grows up to become his bodyguard. Years later Kun's top people are in a restaurant celebrating being awarded the 'Luocha Plaque' which gives them a local monopoly under the powerful Luocha Cult. By coincidence Tiger and his friends are there too and he gets involved when another gang turns up and starts causing trouble; in the ensuing fight one of Tiger's friends takes the plaque. Dragon goes to retrieve the plaque but Scaly, one of his rivals in the gang, has got there first and drugged Tiger's friends. A fight ensues between Dragon and Scaly. With the help of Turbo Shek, Dragon gets the plaque. Dragon returns the plaque to Kun and the latter states his intention to return it to Shibumi, the leader of the Luocha, and retire… something that is taken as an insult. Kun is murdered by Shibumi's men; Dragon gets to the scene too late to save his master but defeats the attackers.

Inevitably one thing leads to another and ultimately Dragon is reunited with Tiger and along their new friend Turbo they confront the evil Shibumi.

This martial arts film has a decent enough plot but ultimately it isn't about the plot it is about the martial arts action; in this department it delivers the goods. There is lots of fighting; some hand-to-hand and some involving typical martial arts weapons; most notably the nunchaku wielded by Turbo. These fights are delightfully over the top, with characters thrown so hard they shatter walls and a fair amount of CGI. Normally I'd prefer traditional wire-work to obvious CGI but here it fits the films comic book origins. Obviously this is mostly about the fighting but there are also some good humorous moments and decent character development. The cast does a fine job making us believe in their characters even during the more fantastic moments. Overall I'd recommend this to anybody wanting undemanding martial arts action.

These comments are based on watching the film in Cantonese with English subtitles.

Gate's Closed on Quality Action Pending New Key

[Adorable · 6/10 · 30 July 2006]

Getting off to a very Marvel-like start should be enough of a hint that here's a comic book adaptation, in this event a conversion of an identically-titled HK staple. Similar to a multitude of other martial arts action fiestas, Dragon Tiger Gate espouses a mix of sentiment and beat 'em up orchestration that leaves it lingering on the average end of the dial.

Firstly, a word on the CG effects, used mostly in delivering a pseudo-Hong Kong metropolis that's seldom seen, yet overall manages to keep in tune with the urban, almost post-apocalyptic visage required in superhero stories. Technically, DTG looks quite good until you proceed to pay attention, and realize one especially long shot of the city basically takes digitizations of real-world skyscrapers, mixes them up and hopes for the best. This kind of amateurish shortcut doesn't become an otherwise professional production.

But aside from several visual faux pas, DTG's other irony is that the plentiful emotional segments really work much better than its action bits, which is somewhat odd in a fighting extravaganza. Uniquely enough, it's easy to become enthralled by the emotive content more so than with Donnie Yen's fight choreography, and despite submitting more than a mere sample of tacky clichés, the film nonetheless packs a touching punch far more formidable than its roundhouse kick.

And make no mistake, it's all about Donnie Yen, fresh from success with crime-noir number SPL (also directed by Wilson Yip), and less triumphant moments in Seven Swords and Hero. Surely, Yen's genuine martial arts prowess and good-guy charm come charging in on top of making movies like Dragon Inn and Iron Monkey so memorable, but in DTG he's in weaker form. Having said that, co-starring hunks Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue (Infernal Affairs trilogy) fall far short of eclipsing yen, indeed living up to their roles as his subordinates.

The trio delivers Dragon Tiger Gate's pivotal triumvirate of characters, Yen as Wong Siu Long (Little Dragon), a master fighter employed by benevolent underworld boss Kun (one has to love those kindly mobsters). When Kun's empire comes under attack from mysteriously evil overlord Shibumi (Yan Kung), Siu Long's enrolled in the cause, particularly since it involves protecting fragile Kun daughter Xiaoling (Dong Jie, who's grown a lot since Zhang Yimou's Happy Times).

Help for struggling Siu Long emerges from leftfield in the form of two fighters also trained in eponymous kung fu academy Dragon Tiger Gate. Wong Siu Fu (Tiger Wong, done by reformed badboy Nicholas Tse) and Shek Hak Long (charismatic Shawn Yue's Turbo Shek) both lend a helping hand. All receive a proper thrashing until realizing several internal issues and consigning themselves to the sacrifice one must offer in the name of goodness. Thus, DTG follows a path previously tread by the likes of Teenage Mutant Ninjas, since here too a goofy master bestows magical supernatural powers in a scene that comes across out of place.

As entire gangs of underworld henchmen and enough home décor for a Home Depot/IKEA combination megastore are demolished, the movie intersperses its action and borderline-sci fi atmosphere with back story, revealing the hurt that brought many of the characters together. These function well in spite of being ostensibly trite, extending to the story's most alluring persona, ambivalent beauty Rosa, who's affection for Siu Long conflicts with working for arch-rival Shibumi. Gorgeous Li Xiao Ran renders this troubled individual with flying colors, proving almost on a par with Maggie Cheung's double agent role in Moon Warriors all those years back.

Yet capable melodrama and a few acceptably strong performances do not suffice in qualifying Dragon Tiger Gate the classic. It may be often confused with Wuxia heyday masterpiece Dragon Gate Inn (1992), but rest assured a gulf separates the two. Toned-down, unimaginative moves come as a surprise from Yen, veteran of so many martial arts bonanzas himself, and the story in general does little to transcend the formulaic.

This is another major native East Asian comic book transition onto the silver screen that fails in many respects, following abysmal Initial D last summer. While blissfully not as bad, Dragon Tiger Gate has very little to recommend it beyond a few choice moments, and even those take it only so far, a predicament familiar to viewers from previous high-profile releases also afflicted with dud syndrome: Legend of Zu, Avenging Fist and Black Mask 2 all come to mind.

The hunt for a summer 2006 mastery of things action continues, and in the meantime, perhaps Dragon Tiger Gate aficionados can bide their time patiently for a hopefully reinforced home video release.

Rating: * * *

The director cut the linked Emotional Scenes into the linked fighting Scenes

[samjobai · 5/10 · 5 August 2006]

For Donnie Yen,one of my favorite actor,for the comic writer Yuk Long Wong,and For the posters everywhere,i went to cinema this weekend.

i didn't hope too much,so i enjoyed the fighting Scenes after all.To the story,what i could say is bad,totally bad.At the first beginning,i saw a sense with black background covered with ruins,so i thought it might be year 3006 or so,but 5 mins later,i saw a Chinese wood bridge with traditional Chinese red painting,it gave me a shock.And the first meeting of the main actor(Nicholas Tse as Tiger Wong)and actress(Jie Dong as Ma Xiaoling)was Ridiculous.I could never image that again.Another sense,when Wong Jianglong(acted by Wah Yuen)defeated Turbo Shek(Shawn Yue)and asked him to leave and think deep how to hold tight a Shuangjie club,then,maybe another day or so,he came back,he said something like this:i should hold a Shuangjie club by heart!What a bad script,i thought he will say a lot of words with really "deep in thought",but i was wrong,few words later Wong Jianglong accepted him.

The emotion of the story turns too quickly,it's like a director with two kinds of emotion,one,fighting Series(in this part,i think Donnie Yen worked much more than the director),this part is great,i saw power Self-confidence and Prestige,i was really enjoy.Two,the Emotional drama,as bad as what i was thought when i was out of the cinema.The director cut the linked Emotional Scenes into the linked fighting Scenes,and broke the two Isolated part,that's what the film fail.

After all,this is a good action movie,with bad Emotional drama within,i will give a 5 to the movie. Go to the cinema and enjoy the "handsome fighting"!!!

Fantastic

[simon-wyndham · 8/10 · 4 October 2006]

People have been unfairly criticising this film and taking things far too seriously indeed.

If you love Hong Kong action films, and have been a fan of such productions since the 70's or earlier, you will love this film pure and simple.

I actually enjoyed some of the action in this film more than SPL! Why? Because DTG was pure unadulterated comic book escapism. It isn't meant to be serious, it isn't meant to be deep. Its a totally entertaining popcorn movie, and I would suggest that anyone who tries to analyse it any further than that really should take some time out from watching movies.

Put simply, Dragon Tiger Gate is what a comic book adaption should be. As a long time Hong Kong martial arts film fan, I found this film to deliver everything I expect from such a thing and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Just don't bother watching it if you are the type of person who is going to sit there with their arms folded expecting it to change your life or something like many of the other reviews I have seen on the web seem to have done.

I guess manga's not really my thang-a!

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 24 May 2009]

Two brothers, Dragon and Tiger Wong, are separated when young: after his mother dies in a fire, Dragon is adopted by crime-lord Ma Kun (Kuan Tai Chen), whilst Tiger leads a more virtuous life learning martial arts at the Gate school. The brothers' paths cross years later when Tiger (Nicholas Tse) is involved in a fight at the restaurant where Dragon (Donnie Yen) is attending an important meeting between his adoptive father and the rival Lousha Gate gang. During the fracas, Ma Kun loses the valuable plaque that grants him control within the gang world, which triggers a chain of events that results in the Wong brothers joining forces with nunchaku wielding wanderer Turbo (Shawn Yue) to battle Shibumi, the nasty boss of the Lousha Gate gang.

After Dragon From Russia, Stormriders, A Man Called Hero, and now Dragon Tiger Gate, I've finally come to the conclusion that manga-based martial arts movies just aren't my cup of Lap Sang Su Shong: I struggle with the wire-work and CGI required to effectively breathe life into the comic book action, particularly when it involves stars such as Donnie Yen and Yuen Wah, who are capable of breath-taking moves without resorting to such extreme movie trickery. However, even putting my prejudices against modern effects in martial arts films to one side, I found Dragon Tiger Gate to be a rather frustrating and ultimately disappointing affair, thanks to a predictable story, unnecessarily flashy direction designed to make its stars look impossibly cool, and a series of action set pieces that get weaker as the film progresses.

Although the movie's first major battle, an explosive fight in a Japanese restaurant against hordes of sword-wielding henchmen is very entertaining and allows our heroes to perform an array of dazzling moves, subsequent moments of mayhem are less impressive, with the final mêlée drowning in a glut of OTT digital effects: when every punch or kick results in someone crashing through a wall or smashing into paving stones (accompanied by clouds of computer generated dust), I'm afraid that I start to lose interest.

Dragon Tiger Gate also struggles during its quieter moments, with director Wilson Yip serving up way too many clichéd and unconvincing emotional scenes that only serve to lessen the film's overall impact: flashbacks show us the Wong brothers' harsh childhoods; there's plenty of brooding and soul searching courtesy of our photogenic heroes; and we get a doomed romance between Dragon and a tasty female member of Lousha Gate.

5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

Lethargic movie which rarely entertains

[lyehuat1973 · 3/10 · 31 July 2006]

This movie is lethargic. Anyone going in and expecting an energetic, high octane and explosive movie will be disappointed. The movie started well and I actually thought it had promise. The first fight scene was extremely dynamic and well-choreographed.

However, it quickly descends into melodramatic quagmire and bad melodrama at that. The movie goes into flashback on how the main character, Wong Little Dragon, became a hero of justice. The problem is that Wong Little Dragon is a moody, broody hero who has major issues with his job, his kungfu clan, his brother and his sort of steady girlfriend. This would actually be okay if it isn't for the fact that the actor who portrayed him, Donnie Yen, couldn't act to save his own life. I neither rooted for the character nor felt for his plight. I just thought he was annoying.

The other two male leads, Wong Little Tiger (played by Nicholas Tse), and Turbo Shek (yup, and played by Shawn Yue), are shafted into the background. All three of them have very little chemistry together. Making matters worse, Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue don't know martial arts in real life. So, both of them sucked - despite some impressive choreography by Donnie Yen. However, all three of them simply cannot carry a movie by themselves. Three of them together are just intolerable.

Compounding the problem is that the director and his creative team chose a very dark and drab look to the movie. It only makes a lethargic movie worse. The comic was garish, bright and explosive (there's the word again). Not at all like I remember.

Also, I truly feel the director is the wrong choice for the movie. His inexperience shows with the pacing and execution of the film. He plays with mood, lighting and uses every filter imaginable for the movie. However, this is totally unsuitable for a movie like DGT.

The only saving grace with the movie is the fight scenes. However, they don't really impressed me. Fearless by Jet Li really raised the bar on fight scenes. For those CG wire-fu, Kungfu Hustle is still more impressive than DTG. Donnie Yen has nothing on Yuen Wo Ping. The final villain is totally laughable and has no personality whatsoever.

An utter disappointment and overly ambitious effort which crumbles apart under its own weight. Not recommended for anything other than the fight scenes.It's a lethargic movie which rarely entertains.

3.5 out of 10.

Donnie Yen has arrived.

[gohkenji · 10/10 · 23 August 2006]

For me personally, this movie is one of the best Modern Martial Arts Flick of Hong Kong today! The kind that I've been waiting long to see!

As a long time fan of Donnie Yen (I'm an instant fan since I saw his first movie Drunken Tai- Chi, a loooong time ago), I believe he has finally get the chance to show his true talent, as the up-and-coming modern day Action Director. Donnie Yen has arrived!

The fight choreography is very unique and freshly thought, amazing at times. Combined with limited wire-work, stylized complicated movements (Donnie Yen's Specialty) and very complementary Computer Generated Special Effects, the fight scenes will blow your mind away. Not to mention the addition of the ground-shaking 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound Effects. You gotta see and experience it for yourself to know what I mean.

Story wise, LONG HU MEN (Dragon Tiger Gate) delivers true to it's comic book nature about the tale of Good vs Evil, told within the realm of Amazingly Imagined Hong Kong Triad/ Martial Underworld.

The Cinematography are quite unique too. In some scenes it felt like a very imaginary world, others like a very beautifully-painted old-day Hong Kong, yet in another it looks so realistic, true to the colour of the world today.

I may be biased so just go watch it for yourself.

cool comic book fight flick

[FeastMode · 6/10 · 10 March 2021]

This is a pretty awesome movie. i was close to giving it a 7 but there were a few scenes that didn't seem to fit the rest of the movie. most of the fight scenes were awesome. i enjoyed the story and visual style. i would watch it again. donnie yen is a beast. (1 viewing, 3/9/2021)

Better than Twins Effect 2

[king_vsjn · 4/10 · 1 August 2006]

I'm not the fans of the original comics (Long Hu Men or Dragon and Tiger Heroes) but I read some of them so I knew, there was something wrong with the protagonists' appearance.

It was their hair! Tiger Wong (Wong Xiao Hu) and Turbo Shek (Shi Hei Long) didn't have the hair that long. Only Dragon Wong (Wong Xiao Long) who have the long hair.

The main characters also changed. In the comics, the main character is Tiger Wong (Wong Xiao Hu) but in the movie, the main characters is his brother, Dragon Wong. Maybe it is about Donnie Yen.

The first two fight scenes was amazing. I love the fight in Japanese Restaurant which really took the fight in the comics into widescreen without losing its reality grip.

The fight in Baseball court is good but we saw this kind of fight too much in other wuxia movie.

And when the Shibumi, the chief of Lousha Gang fought, suddenly the excitement decreased. And it hards to understand how can our warrior penetrate the enemy's headquarters without fighting the inferior first yet. (Wesley Snipes' The trilogy of Blade is better about this])

The excitement started to begin again when the main hero, Dragon Wong (Donnie Yen) appears to fight Shibumi. His "18 Dragon Palm" was amazing although it was a little bit similar to Tony Jaa's muaythai in Ong Bak. However, the moment was short and the movie disappointing again by giving the audience a bad finishing touch for the fight.

Good fight scenes saves the movie

[leonffe · 6/10 · 3 June 2023]

The plot of the movie is really hard follow. At first it is about getting a thing back to an old gangster. Then out of nowhere the other brother (Dragon?) and his father are meant to be assinated for some reason. After that a guy who is basicly a kung fu god attacks the Dojo where Tiger (younger brother), an american chinese guy named Turbo (who comes there to learn and disappears from the story until Dojo is attacked) and their sensei is and kills the sensei while badly wounding Tiger and Turbo. When Dragon's and Tiger's sister gets them to some healing god and he heals them and teaches them new moves. Meanwhile Dragon is healed by the girl who was suppoused to kill him. After getting healed Tiger and Turbo just bust into the kung fu god's lair and get beaten. Then Dragon appears out of nowhere and kicks the bad guy's ass while dropping down deep underground. After beating the bad guy they go back and reopen Dragon tiger gate.

Fight scenes on the other hand look quite epic but could be better if the takes were a little bit longer in group fights. One on ones looked good every time they happend.

Enemy Gate

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 21 June 2020]

The stunts, the fights, the choreography ... there is probably not enough words of praise there. Yes there have been other really good action movies, but this has quite a few punches itself. It does not have to hide from the others. The story itself on the other hand is quite simple.

But do you really care? I mean it's good versus bad. It's always a good thing, if the decent people (mostly poor), have some good fighters to ... fight for them and their right(s). Or just to stand up for them. If evil has to be defeated, you wouldn't mind having these guys by your side!

A fun movie with A+ action

[vrlphoto · 7/10 · 16 July 2012]

OK firstly I have to just say that I watched this movie on Netflix with English Subtitles and I was disappointed with the overall movie but then I re-watched it online in it's original language Cantonese with English subtitles and it really makes a huge difference.

The English dubbing is so cheesy and they even mistranslated a few important lines which cleared a few things up for me that I had been confused about! I won't say what they are for spoiler purposes but if you can find the Cantonese I suggest that 100% over the English dubbed.

OK on to my review:

This movie is worth watching for Donnie Yen's fight/action sequences alone. He is top notch as far as martial arts skills go in my opinion and while he usually doesn't do a lot of wire work in his films in this one he does some but it adds to that comic book feeling. He is so kick-ass in this movie that I have re watched his action scenes over and over again. And...he does it all in leather pants!

This movie obviously doesn't have the budget of Hollywood films so the CGI created environment parts of it are lacking but I believe it still works since this is supposed to be based off of a comic book. Of course having a bigger budget would have taken this film up a to a higher level.

A little more explanation of the characters is needed and they could have utilized the musical soundtrack more to add to the intensity in some scenes. However, I think Donnie Yen's action sequences make up for the lacking parts in this. Overall I find it to be a fun movie with great scenes from Yen.

I am a fan of movies like Tomb Raider so if you don't like that movie you probably won't like this one just because it has that same kind of vibe to me.

I really liked one reviewer on here who basically said if your going to watch this and take it too seriously then your wasting your time, they are 100% right. This is one of those "for fun "movies and is not meant to be some gripping, emotional story. It's meant to be fun and have things in it that go beyond reality.

I also really find it to be a movie that grows on you. And once again Donnie Yen is fantastic if I had to judge just him my rating would be 10 stars for his action directing alone.

Great action is the draw in an okay comic book adaptation

[dbborroughs · 5/10 · 26 August 2007]

Comic book based martial arts film about two brothers who reunite and with the help of a friend battle evil in a city.

Spectacular but over the top wire work sequences are the main draw in what is a purely by the book affair. Certainly for fans the action is all that is needed here but its comic book over the topness coupled with a wafer thin story line make it less than enthralling. I'm sure this would have played better had I read the comic, unfortunately I didn't so I felt more than just a little lost.

Worth a look for action fans and martial arts mavens all others should decided based upon their mood.

Simple but good.

[helmutty · 8/10 · 14 December 2006]

Oh-ho! This may be the best Kung-Fu movie I ever saw. The fighting scenes looked real. But I can say that the movie has a thin plot which is not very good (I can say). The only good thing is the fighting. Don't get me wrong, I do like the movie, it is just that I felt that the movie might need some improvement on the plot. It is about Tiger Wong, Dragon Wong and Turbo who believe in justice. They take possession of a gold plaque that holds one of the largest Asian criminal organisation, the heroes are now the target. They will have to fight the evil. The fighting scenes, I say it can be improved, as it just take a few minutes only. Longer fighting scenes would be more interesting. But overall, it still pass in my standard.

HK Neo Reviews: Dragon Tiger Gate

[webmaster-3017 · 7/10 · 12 October 2010]

Entertaining yet uninspiring... Donnie Yen isn't exactly a fresh face, but with the action starved HK fans, he isn't half bad and perhaps the most consistent martial arts performer for the last 5 years. With several action director awards under his belt, his signature is written all over the bubble gum action in Twins Effect and the gritty crime in Sha Po Long. Much is expected of Yen and director Wilson Yip, coming off the incredibly well made – Sha Po Long, but one must not forget that the new film - Dragon Tiger Gate is comic book and therefore comparison between the two is rather unfair. Sure, Dragon Tiger Gate is filled with flaws, but at the same time it is comically entertaining without much tension and in a way with lower expectations, it certainly works to some extent.

The movie goes like this: Donnie Yen is Dragon, who left the martial arts organization Dragon Tiger Gate years ago and is now working under triad leader Ma Kwun (Chen Kuan Tai, star of many Shaw Brothers swordplay films). Ma Kwun gets the Lousha Plaque which grants him the exclusive rights to do business with Shibumi, the evil leader of the Lousha Sect. Dragon's long-lost brother Tiger (Nicholas Tse), still living in Dragon Tiger Gate, accidentally gets hold of the Plaque, and the two brothers finally cross paths...

Wilson Yip have certainly matured as a director and after viewing his resume of films like Bullet Over Summer with stands along with Sha Po Long as one of his best film, he have also created entertaining yet forgettable movies like 2002 and The White Dragon. Perhaps, Yip is in the 2002 mode for this film and the result isn't half bad. Like all his films, they are extremely well produced and excellently presented. One thing of particular interest is that Yip is very much a character director who attempts to extract a performance from his actors. Louis Koo in Bullet Over Summer, Simon Yam in Sha Po Long and even in lesser flicks – Francis Ng in White Dragon, but with a twist and a turn his attempt in Dragon Tiger Gate is suitably wasted in the form of Donnie Yen. Yen is brilliant fighter and has terrific physical presence, but seriously his attempts at acting are rather bland and forced. While other actors, in scenes such as the swimming pool scene can express a "Great Wall", Yen expresses nothing other than him being bulky. Of note, the chick in the swimming pool scene is seductively hot from what I remembered and her last impression to Neo is pretty memorable.

The action in the flick isn't exactly top class, and at times, Shawn Yue and Nick Tse seems suitably more concerned with their weird hairdos than the actual action moves. For non-fighters, they did a pretty credible job, but pales in comparison with some brutal trademark kicks and physical presence of Yen. I don't know if it is just me, but to me, Yen's action directing seems the same in every movie and at times his trademark double kick seems more cliché than freshness. However, the last fight with Yen and the masked guy is of the best in recent years and definitely extremely entertaining to watch.

Nick Tse is an actor that Neo praised in a number of movies with some good comic touches in most notably New Police Story and The Promise. Here, Tse doesn't do much either than act cool or let his hairdo do all the talking. In a way it is a wasted performance and like wise, Shawn Yue's hair does more than his needless performance. It is disappointing to realize that Shawn, whose potential is seen in Jiang Hu, is only given more than an extended cameo performance with Yen given the center of attention. As mentioned above, Yen is not much of an actor and his attempts at acting are even more laughable than Jackie Chan trying to be serious. It seems that Yen is now trying out to become a romantic lead, with a sexually daring performance in Seven Swords and now a romantic lead in Dragon Tiger Gate. Really, Yen isn't convincing, but whatever he lacks in character, he redeems himself with fists and kicks. Of the three action heavy weights, Chan, Yen and Li, Neo can be save to say that Jet Li is by far the best actor out of the pack.

Dragon Tiger Gate is all in all a fun, entertaining yet rather forgettable flick. While I may seem to be contradicting myself, but for a Yip's film it just isn't up to scratch. The plot seems thin and the comic book isn't exactly tense, but the real downside is really the action. While it is still leaps above the state of HK cinema, it is in no standing to rival neither the action quality of Fearless nor the brutal feel of Sha Po Long. However, with all being said, Dragon Tiger Gate is by no means crap and in fact it can even be considered as a success as it reaches it ultimate aim of being entertaining. With lower expectations and defying the fact that Wilson Yip is the director or Donnie Yen trying to act, this movie can be pretty adequately fun to watch, but that's about it… (Neo 2006)

I rate it 7.75/10.

• www.thehkneo.com

Ten pounds of flour in a two pound bag

[Vartiainen · 4/10 · 1 February 2021]

Dragon Tiger Gate is based on a Chinese manhua of the same name by Wong Yuk-long. It focuses on the eponymous Dragon Tiger Gate, a martial arts academy founded to take in young kids and teach them to defend their society. At the forefront of the film are the Wong brother, played by Donnie Yen and Nicholas Yes, who are separated at a young age, one of them staying with the Gate and one of them ending up as the enforcer to a criminal overlord.

And then there's Turbo (Shawn Yue), an American-Chinese street kid who has come to the Gate to learn martial arts. Turbo is by far the best character in the film. Every scene he's in is absolutely perfect. I wish this film was all about Turbo.

The film's fight scenes were choreographed by Donnie Yen and that definitely shows. The fights are highly detailed, spatially self-aware and cool beyond believe. Whenever the endless dialogues and lamentations of woe cease and the characters are allowed to do the kung fu, the film is very good. Unfortunately that's like one third of the film.

It also doesn't help that the film relies heavily on CGI to tell its story. And let me tell you, computer visual effects are not what early 21st century Hong Kong cinema was known for. These are some atrocious effects.

Still, there is passion beneath all the jank on display. Turbo is cool, most of the fight scenes are cool, some of the locations are cool. It's just that the rest of it is pure garbage.

If you like flashy then it's for you

[petep · 8/10 · 28 May 2007]

I had been looking forward to Dragon Tiger Gate since even before its Asian theatrical release. Same director (Wilson Yip) and action choreographer (Donnie Yen) as Sha Po Lang (aka Killzone on your videostore walls), and also once again co-starring Donnie Yen. It also stars Shawn Yue (who I don't know) and Nicholas Tse, who I've been assured many times by my friend Kim is a uber-hottie. This one was definitely just a straight-up action movie with visual effects to emphasize the coolness factor. I enjoy the occasional flashy action movie, and actually really got into this one, characters and all. Instead of saying much about plot, let's just say that 2 of the 3 leads are brothers who hadn't seen each other in a long time, and they team up with a new friend to kick some bad guy ass. Not for those of you who hate unrealistic action. Though I always enjoy seeing Donnie Yen kick a guy so hard he flies 20 feet back and through a wall.

Dragon Tiger Gate had nominations at this year's Hong Kong film awards for action choreography and visual effects.

What an absolute disappointment!

[darkmax · 3/10 · 28 July 2006]

First the movie dwell too long into the history of the characters. All of those could have been edited to less than 5 minutes worth of screen time.

Being a classic HK comic (I used to be a big fan of), this is a really poor attempt to put it on screen.

In the comic, the settings are usually very contemporary with the real world. In the movie, many of these scenes are CGI made. Why?! It wasn't meant to be set in the future! If it is, why aren't the mobs using guns, instead of parangs? And then there is the continuity problem. Dragon Wong took a pill and recovered in a few days. But those other two, Tiger Wong and Turbo Shek (BTW what a stupid name. Black Dragon would have been a better translation), took as many days to recover from their injuries and picked up a whole new sets of ultimate moves?! I mean, for crying out loud, what is wrong? Budget problem? And being an ex-fan of the comic, Turbo Shek's Golden Bell technique was supposed to be an entirely defensive move, much like having a body hugging force field. What's with the nanchakus? He was never really strong in his attack, but is one of the strongest defensive fighters in the comic.

There used to be a time when HK movies were worth the money. Now it is such a huge let down.

This movie is amusing but definitely not good.

[levstein · 5/10 · 23 December 2006]

This movie is amusing but definitely not good.

Dear Donnie Yen...you can direct..you can act...don't direct yourself..it doesn't work.

This movie would have been far better if Donnie had kept himself out of it or had someone else directing. To begin with, Donnie is far too old to be playing the role of a 20 something older brother. The fight scenes are pretty good (except for Donnie's final battle with the ultimate bad guy).

If you want to laugh at a martial arts movie, watch it! If you want a more serious martial arts movie, go somewhere else.

Donnie Yen at his absolute finest!

[grandmastersik · 9/10 · 27 October 2006]

Oh... my... GOD! What can I say?

I just finished watching this film and was so utterly blown away by it that I just had to preach its awesomeness to all kung fu fans the world over.

There is a story to this one, but let's just skip that part and concentrate on what gets real kung fu fans itching with excitement: the action.

Not even ten minutes into this film and you know that you're in for a treat. By the time you're 53 minutes in, you'll be wetting your pants - it's just THAT GOOD.

Donnie Yen did the action choreography and it's some of the best you could ever hope to see, combining genuine martial arts skill with wire-work and a touch of computer effects for some of the most stunning fights ever to come out of Hong Kong... and that means a Hell of a lot if you know your grain.

For me, this film rates up there with other kung fu masterpieces such as Iron Monkey, Fist Of Legend and Tai Chi Master; fans will therefore be able to get an idea of just how masterful this flick is!

I understand that no film can ever be perfect, but I rated this one a "10", as such is the highest attainable merit.

Now, if you're any kind of action fan, go and watch this film - I promise that you won't be disappointed.