Wu xia 2011

Critics score:
84 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Mary Corliss, TIME Magazine: A martial-arts morality play as lithe as it is forceful. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: As a whole, it does not quite work, especially at the end, when Mr. Chan tries for a Shakespearean climax of filial rebellion and paternal rage. Read more

Alison Willmore, AV Club: Yen's strengths have never been in his expressiveness, and Dragon plods when it centers on dramatic struggles, then leaps exhilaratingly to life whenever the fighting begins. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: What it lacks in plot development, it gains in sheer momentum and an outstanding performance. Read more

Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: "Dragon" has enough interesting left turns in style, mood and psychodrama to make it stand out. Read more

Mark Jenkins, NPR: The widescreen cinematography and mountain rain-forest locations retain their interest, as does the deftly incongruous score, which ranges from samba to hard rock. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: The large canvas and pseudo-superhero tactics work for a bit, but then the action gets sidetracked in place of myth-building. Read more

Farran Smith Nehme, New York Post: The movie hurtles along at a pitch of sentiment and melodrama that would make MGM blush, and it's mostly very diverting. Read more

Keith Uhlich, Time Out: Hi-ya!-accentuated kung fu smackdowns make everything better. Read more

Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice: It's an adept genre exercise with rare primal depths. Read more