Product Details

• Actors: Jet Li, Kun Chen
• Directors: Hark Tsui
• Format: NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: Mandarin Chinese
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Indomina
• DVD Release Date: October 2, 2012
• Run Time: 122 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B008IG0E3Q
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,079 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Director Tsui Hark's second remake of the venerable King Hu martial arts film Dragon Inn (1967) features remarkable 3-D visuals and some exceptional set pieces that do much to counteract its often convoluted storyline. Though Jet Li is top-billed in the historical drama, set in Ming-dynasty China, the action superstar is actually off-screen for the majority of the picture, save for a jaw-dropping opening battle (which also briefly features the legendary Gordon Liu of 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Kill Bill fame) and the conclusion. Most of the film focuses on a dizzying array of personalities who converge on the remote Dragon Inn, including swordswoman Ling (Zhou Xun), who is mistaken for Li; fugitive Su (Mavis Fan), who carries the emperor's illegitimate child; and Wind Blade (Chen Kun), who bears a striking resemblance to the assassin (also played by Kun) hired to dispatch Su. Add to the mix a hidden cache of gold, a horde of fortune hunters, and an impending sandstorm that threatens to wipe out the inn, and viewers may require a scorecard (or a slide rule) to keep track of the characters and their allegiances. Longtime martial arts fans, especially of the '80s and '90s variety on which Hark cut his filmmaking teeth, will find the labyrinthine plotting a comforting throwback to the Hong Kong action heyday, a notion also borne out by the vast array of elaborate fight sequences, which bring together modern CGI with old-fashioned wire work in a 3-D format that often takes the fullest advantage of the process's visual capabilities. A slew of behind-the-scenes featurettes offer interviews with cast and crew and staging of action scenes, which occasionally suffer audio issues due to the inclement weather at the desert locations. --Paul Gaita

Product Description

International action legend Jet Li stars in this gripping martial arts epic set three years after the infamous Dragon Inn was left in ruins. A new gang has taken over the wayward place, using it as their base for uncovering a nearby treasure. But secrets lie within its walls, as a pregnant palace concubine and a swordswoman take refuge from a determined royal eunuch tracking their every move. As an explosive mix of warriors, fugitives and assassins converge in the desert for a deadly showdown, only one man can protect the women, the mysterious Zhao (Li). Filled with spectacular special effects and stunning battle sequences, this martial arts masterpiece delivers knock-out action that has to be seen to be believed.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great! April 25, 2012

By William Bolton

Format:Blu-ray

Dragon Inn is one of my favorite movies (Maggie Cheung!). This is a sequel of sorts with much of the action taking place in the same inn. References are made to the first film, and there are some similarities in the plots. I'm a great fan of HK martial arts films, and this one satisfied in every respect, story, cinematography (3D!), acting and action. Tsui Hark directed. Jet Li did much of the heavy lifting in the action department, but all of the actors and actresses made significant contributions. The ladies are very lovely and very lethal. (Would we want them any other way?) This is being billed as the first HK actioner in 3D, and the 3D is used very effectively. The same 3D cameras James Cameron uses were used filming this apparently. Another first I'm sure is a fight sequence inside a tornado. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like that before. So, to sum up, the film is highly recommended if you're into this kind of movie or if you're looking for a good addition to your 3D collection.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't disappoint! May 25, 2012

By L. Nguyen

Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase

I watched the original New Dragon Gate Inn a long time ago and that was a great film as well with excellent actors back then. Maggie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung, Donnie Yen...the original had an amazing cast with some solid actors that it'd be hard to outdo it. I wasn't sure what to expect with this version going in but I figured it wouldn't be exactly the same. I much prefer the story line of this one. It was similar in some areas but not really. There were characters in this version that wasn't present in the original but it was done well. The film was beautifully shot with some wonderful scenic views and was just pretty to watch. I had the Blu-ray so the movie was super crisp and clear. I didn't realize that this movie was filmed in 3d at first but the effects were still great in 2d. You can definitely tell how it will look in 3d in some areas but the CGI was done very well. I watched a ton of Asian cinema growing up since I'm Asian, and I love wuxia movies. I love face-paced sword fighting and there was a lot of that in this movie as well as a lot of knife throwing, which is my kind of movie . I watched pretty much all of Jet Li's movies and he does a great job as always in this one. He is probably the most recognized name, however, the supporting actors are all actors that i recognize In other movies from mainland China films so it was a great cast. This was directed by Tsui Hark so you know it's going to be a good film. It's definitely one of the better movies that have come out in 2011 and I was so excited to order it off Amazon. Definitely would recommend this as well as the original so you can compare the differences and enjoy them both!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Convoluted and bogged down by sloppy special effects October 7, 2012

By C. Sawin VINE™ VOICE

Format:Blu-ray

It's been 23 years since Jet Li has worked with Tsui Hark and you'd expect something with better results or at least a final product that doesn't feel so cluttered. At times, it's difficult to distinguish the difference between the heroes and the villains. During the time of the Ming Dynasty, the emperor's eunuchs came into power and divided themselves into the East Bureau and the West Bureau. Eunuchs in both bureaus abused their power and were notorious for being some of the most corrupt individuals around, but the West Bureau was the more feared of the two. Stuck in the middle is a vigilante named Zhou Huai'an (Li), a skilled swordsman who rejects both Bureaus and desires order to be restored to the royal throne.

That summary doesn't sound all that complicated, but once Dragon Gate and its innkeepers are introduced along with Zhang Xiao Wen (Kwai Lun-mei) and her tribe and the wandering Gu Shaotang (Li Yuchun) and her traveling partner Wind Blade (Chen Kun) who looks exactly like the head of the West Bureau Yu Huatian (also played by Chen Kun) all while a mysterious woman named Ling Yanqiu (Zhou Xun) does her best to hide a former palace maid who's now pregnant and on the run named Su Huirong (Mavis Fan), things get more than a little convoluted very quickly.

The wuxia film isn't without its strengths though. The cinematography is stunning and is nearly as beautiful and as colorful as "Hero" at times. Colors, specifically reds, blues, and greens, leap off the screen and the extremely elaborate detail of the palace walls or the designs on someone's armor look only better in high definition. Wheat fields by the water, the sepia and dry tones of the desert, and its massive impressive landscapes are just a few examples of the film's incredibly absorbing camera work.

There are at least portions of the screenplay that are well-written; its best moments are in the first half of the film when someone is being threatened with their life. "Give me some wine. Time to taste some pickled body parts," and Yu Huatian's speech about how he'll fix the East Bureau's botches are just a few examples.

All of the film's strengths are bogged down by its weaknesses though; the most guilty culprit being the wuxia itself. Most wuxia films are out of control as everyone is flying around with superhuman abilities that just leap over the line that divides the possible from the impossible. Many of the action sequences come off as goofy and extremely overzealous. If that isn't enough, the special effects will get to you.

Half the time, the people bouncing around the screen are completely computer generated and it's not even well done CG. Things like drops of blood and tables float in the air during the most heated battles. Add that along with everyone flying about and it's as if some weird anti-gravity setting was established for everyone but purposely left you in the dark about it. The entire second half of the film revolves around this massive sandstorm at Dragon Gate and these really bizarre looking yet menacing storm clouds. It sounds like it has potential, but nearly everything in the last hour is noticeably done in front of a green screen.

Having at least part of the final battle take place inside one of the several tornados caused by this sandstorm sounds pretty awesome, doesn't it? It turns out to be one of those ideas that sounds a hell of a lot better on paper as the execution comes off looking really cheap.The CG gets more and more heavy as the film progresses and it seems like things only get more and more ridiculous; not only visually but structurally as well.

In the middle of all this is this really bizarre, "let's play hard to get for three years and act like we don't need each other" love story between Zhou and Ling. Then the ending rolls around and just kind of leaves you hanging without much closure on most of the characters. Imagine hanging out with your best friend or significant other and your siblings, if you have any. The best friend tells you they're going to the store while your siblings say they're off to the park on the other side of town, but you never see any of them ever again. They're still at those locations and are still perfectly healthy. You just never bother seeing them ever again. Pretty crummy way to end a relationship, right?

"Flying Swords of Dragon Gate" looks spectacular during the scenes that were actually filmed traditionally, the screenplay at least seems to start off strong, and much of the action is extremely fast paced, so it's at least able to get your adrenaline pumping at times. Everything seems to crumble apart as soon as you try to compliment it though. The dodgy special effects really put a damper on everything as does the conclusion that doesn't really feel like it resolves much of anything. Although there is some enjoyment to be found in "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate," it's a wuxia film that is mostly very messy in every sense of the word.

Special features include Making of "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate" Part 1 (4:48) and Part 2 (9:16), Interviews with Cast and Filmmakers (20:21), Behind the Scenes (32:21), and the trailer. The only difference between the single-disc DVD and two-disc Blu-ray release of the film is the inclusion of the film in 3-D.