Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Liu Jian, an elite Chinese police officer, comes to Paris to arrest a Chinese drug lord. When Jian is betrayed by a French officer and framed for murder, he must go into hiding and find new allies.
Kiss of the Dragon is a serviceable early-2000s martial arts action vehicle for Jet Li, elevated primarily by its kinetic fight choreography and Li's physical prowess. The plot is a formulaic fish-out-of-water conspiracy thriller with thin characterization and predictable beats. Acting is functional at best — Bridget Fonda struggles with her role and Li's limited English constrains his performance. Visually, the Paris setting gives it some flair and Thierry Arbogast's cinematography is competent and stylish. Novelty is low — framed-cop-on-the-run is well-worn territory, and while the fight sequences are impressive, the overall conception is derivative. The ending delivers satisfying action closure but nothing memorable beyond a signature acupuncture-needle finishing move.