Legend of the Red Dragon (film)

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Legend of the Red Dragon
Directed by	Wong Jing Corey Yuen
Written by	Wong Jing
Starring	Jet Li Chingmy Yau Damian Lau
Release date(s)	1994
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese
IMDb profile

Legend of the Red Dragon (Legend of the Red Dragon was the title used for the United States video release; Chinese: 洪熙官之少林五祖; pinyin: Hóng Xīguān Zhī Shàolín Wǔ Zǔ; literally "Hong Xiguan's Shaolin Five Founders"; also known as Hung Hei-Koon: Shaolin's Five Founders, Legend of the Future Shaolin, and The New Legend of Shaolin) is a 1994 kung fu film from Hong Kong by Wushu and international film star Jet Li. It was directed by Jing Wong, and Corey Yuen, and produced by Helen Li, Jet Li, and Wai Sum Shia. This film showcases Hung Hei-Kwun's exploits as a rebel against the Qing government. Unlike Li's Fong Sai-yuk movies, the film has a much darker tone. Hung (Li) hardly ever shows affection, even to his son, and speaks in the same tone throughout the movie. The same applies to his son, who mirrors the little boy from Lone Wolf and Cub from his hair to his facial expressions. This is one of two movies in which Miu Tse and Jet Li play a father-son duo, the other being My Father is a Hero

1 Plot
2 Cast and roles
3 DVD Remastered Version
4 Audience and Critics Response/ Similarities to Lone Wolf and Cub
5 Trivia
6 External links

[edit] Plot

The movie revolves around Hung Hei-Kwun, who arrives in his village after a raid by the government, only to find his whole village destroyed. Hung Hei-Kwun quickly finds his son and gives him a test of destiny. Upon leaving his village he is encountered by Ma Ling-Yee who is also supposed to be involved in the rebellion along with Hung Hei-Kwun and his family. Hung Hei-Kwun quickly discovers there is a bounty on his head and Ma Ling-Yee is out to collect. After an epic battle, we skip several years, and arrive with Hung Hei-Kwun and his now martial arts skilled son roaming China in order to find money for living expenses.

It is then he meets the swindler, nicknamed "Red Bean", whom at the time is swindling a very rich man out of his money. Soon after a war between the government and Shaolin is beginning and pieces of a map are tattooed onto the backs of several pupils, who are then removed from the temple in order to keep safe the Ming Dynasty treasure the map leads to. Unfortunately years ago Hung Hei-Kwun's encounter with the money hungry Ma Ling-Yee did not end as Hung thought it did. Ma Ling-Yee survived the fight as a result of being dipped in poison in the last battle and restored by The Monk of the West District in the process.

Now a disgusting creature, he is after the map tattooed on the backs of the Shaolin pupils, unfortunately the rich man "Red Bean" is swindling is the father of one of the pupils. In attempts to protect the government from knowing his son is a shaolin pupil, he hires Hung Hei-Kwun as a bodyguard. This leads to the rekindling of the conflict between the monster Ma Ling-Yee(who seemingly works either alongside or with the government) and Hung Hei-Kwun.

[edit] Cast and roles

Jet Li - Hung Hei-Kwun
Chen Sung Young - Ma Kai-Sin
Damian Lau - Chan Kan-Nam
Chi Chuen-Hua - Ma Ling-Yee
Miu Tse - Hung Man Ting
Wang Lung Wei - Commander
Wong Jing - Cameo
Chingmy Yau - Red Bean
Deannie Yip - Red Bean's Mother
Eric Tsang - Man in Crown (uncredited)

[edit] DVD Remastered Version

The movie was remastered in the recently, and gives a new aspect of hardcore fight scenes with the new DVD.

[edit] Audience and Critics Response/ Similarities to Lone Wolf and Cub

Also, it should be noted that in the beginning, after Hung's town is burned, his child manages to survive. Though the child is an infant Hung gives him the choice between a toy or sword to either die and be with his mother or to follow Hung in his quest to save the Han Chinese from the Qing Dynasty government. This same event happens in the Lone Wolf and Cub manga in a different context and in Japan instead of China. The action is plentiful and not dismissive but nothing new to Jet Li fans besides some quite awkward spear extending. The film was not well received by critics or the audience.

[edit] Trivia

- This was actor Miu Tse's on-screen debut. This is also the first time he has played the role of Jet Li's on-screen son. The second and final time playing the role of the on-screen son was in My Father is a Hero.