REVIEW:
When you first start watching this movie, you will notice that this is not your typical Chan movie. In fact, for a large part of it, it is a drama. Somewhere in the middle, it switches gears, quite abruptly, and turns into your standard Jackie 80s fight fest. This is, unfortunately, the killing point of the film. The film is torn apart by smashing two different styles and stories that shouldn't be put together.

As I first watched the film, I actually thought after quite a while that it was gonna just stick to being a drama. Why shouldn't it have? It did a pretty good job. As I always say, while Jackie is a great comedian and martial artist, he is also a great actor though he is seldom credited in that aspect. Here he shows it in his struggle in trying to deal with his child-like brother while wishing to chase his dreams. One scene, where he finally snaps in front of his brother and eventually starts crying, has to be seen. But, when a terrible contrivance in the plot set up that last part of the film, I could do nothing more than cringe. After spending all the time setting up a drama, they piss it away with a fairly standard cop/action segment derived from a horrible plot twist. As solid as the earlier part of the film was, this just about kills everything and it is this taste that is left in the viewer's mouth.

The action we do get to see in the last segment of the film is standard Jackie stuff. I wouldn't put it up there with Dragons Forever, but it is some okay stuff as you'd expect from a Jackie movie directed by Sammo. At times, the speed up got distracting, which was a complaint, though. It certainly isn't as dazzling as many other Jackie action sequences, but it is not bad. The action is mostly limited to the last part of the film, so don't expect a big fight fest when you watch this movie.

I might have given this film a better score based on the first part, but I cannot get over the plot contrivance and the way that the two parts of the film just do not meld. It really leaves a terrible feeling in the viewer, and it kills the film. Maybe give this film a try to see the dramatic side of Jackie and Sammo, but be prepared for what is ahead in the film.

If you're expecting a slam-bang action movie in the vein of Chan and Hung's other movies where they teamed up (like Dragons Forever), you may be disappointed. The majority of the movie is a serious drama as Chan tries to help out his brother -- there's even a part where Chan breaks down into tears. However, both Chan and Hung do a good job and it makes the story believable. The supporting cast also does well: Emily Chu plays Chan's long-suffering girlfriend, Lam Ching-Ying is Chan's captain and Yuen Biao has a small role as one of Chan's cop buddies.

Action and martial arts fans don't need to fret too much, though. The last half-hour of the movie is jam-packed with action. It almost seems a bit out of place, but hey, I'll take a Sammo Hung-directed Jackie Chan action sequence any day of the week. Heart of Dragon's only big misstep is its ending -- it's done with a musical montage which seems to be so popular in HK films. It really wraps up nothing and feels more tacked-on rather than a proper ending.

Note: the Japanese version actually has a couple more action sequences. You can see part of these in the Jackie Chan documentary Jackie Chan: My Story.

Jackie plays a policeman who gives up everything in life to look after his mentally retarded brother played brilliantly by Sammo.

When the easily lead Sammo accidentally acquires a case of stolen jewellery he finds himself kidnapped by the criminals and hunted by the police. Jackie has to go outside the law and with a group of friends get his brother back before it is too late.

Anybody who says that Jackie cannot act should see this film. It was a big risk for him and Sammo and both come off superbly (only in the subtitled version, avoid the dubbed version at all costs!)

When the action does come in the last 40 minutes, it has Jackie at his best, no joking around in this film, with Sammo directing he has never looked meaner.

Check this film out, you will not be disappointed.