The emergence of China as the dominant motion picture market has
led to an increase in Western stars appearing in Chinese productions. The
result has been an influx of Hollywood stars, some major and some not-so-major,
starring in films that largely appeal to the Asian audience, whether they are
cultural dramas, grand-scaled historical epics, or cheesy comedies. Daniel
Lee's Dragon Blade,
already a global blockbuster with $120M in China alone, is a strangely
entertaining mix of all three, thrusting the odd combination of Jackie Chan,
John Cusack, and Adrien Brody into the unfamiliar realm of swords 'n sandals
warfare.
First of all, the visuals alone are both
jaw-dropping and kind of hilarious. It's tough to get over that you're watching
Chan in a sword duel with Cusack because it's both ridiculous and awesome at
the same time. Lee, who has taken much smaller budgets than the $65M allotted
here and created massive spectacles, puts every penny to good use in detailing
war-torn China of the Han Dynasty. After a cornball prologue set in the
present, we're transported back 48 B.C. where Huo An (Chan) is the earnest and
kind-hearted leader of the Silk Road Protection Squad, a loose knit group whose
job is pretty obvious based on their title. Huo, an orphaned Hun who was taken
in by Chinese general Huo Qubing, was raised with a respect for all tribes
in the region, and fights selflessly to maintain harmony along the crucial Silk
Road. 
While only about 100 minutes in length,
the vast majority of the first hour is gorgeously-detailed setup. Huo and his
men are framed for gold smuggling and exiled to Wild Goose Gate where they
are forced to rebuild an entire city in two weeks or be executed. An
impossible task; but fortune smiles on them when a lost Roman army led by rogue
general Lucius (Cusack) arrives and picks a fight. A battle ensues between
Lucius and Huo, but the two end up becoming best buds, with lots of singing,
drinking, parades, and corny expressions of mutual respect. It turns out Lucius
is on the run with an ailing boy, Publius (Joey Jozef), the rightful heir to
the Roman throne and target for assassination by his vile brother, Tiberius
(Brody), who already murdered their father. With the aid of Lucius’ men
and other local tribes, Huo turns the city into a symbol of the peace he’s long
fought for.
Put into a historical context, the film is
about as accurate as Zack Snyder's 300,
meaning not at all. But that's par for the course for Lee, who chose
entertainment over accuracy with 2008's Three Kingdoms:
Resurrection of the Dragon. Once again it proves to be a wise move, as
the film is never long without action or drama. The battles, of which there are
many, are unique in that they combine Roman fighting techniques with
traditional Chinese martial arts, a visual that never gets boring. There's also
something refreshing in the friendship that emerges between Huo and Lucius, two
outcasts from different lands with similar codes of honor. What doesn't always
work are the endless number of songs and heavy-handed expressions of tribal
unity, which only slow down the film's momentum. A comedic subplot involving Huo's mistaken marriage to Cold Moon (
It's inescapable that the sight of Brody
and Cusack as Roman gladiators is going to be a little bit funny, but at least
Cusack settles nicely into a role he's rarely, if ever, been called on to play.
Brody, on the other hand, is hilariously awful as Tiberius. Sporting a wild
mane of hair and practically foaming at the mouth in every scene, it's like he
just graduated from the Nicolas Cage school of B-movie overacting. Chan
continues to be a dynamic force even at his advanced age. He's basically
playing the same nice-guy role that he always plays, but he does it well and
his martial arts skills are still a lot of fun to watch. 
Not since John Woo's incredible Red Cliff has a major Chinese war film
made much of an impact in the United States. Dragon
Blade has a pretty good shot
at changing that with Brody, Cusack, and Chan, who is more popular here than
his American co-stars, at the top of the marquee.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
