East meets West on the Silk Road in this hyperactive action/adventure
In 48 BC, a peace-promoting protection squad on the Silk Road in Northwestern China is assigned to construction work at Wild Geese Gate wherein they are assisted by a fugitive legion of Romans led by General Lucius (John Cusack), who befriends the leader of the security company (Jackie Chan). When shady Roman leader Tiberius (Adrien Brody) arrives with an army of 100,000, the other two groups team-up against them.
Supposedly inspired by real-life events, "Dragon Blade" (2015) is a Chinese action/adventure that cost $65 million and looks it. The film is top-of-the-line as far as production quality goes (score, cast, costumes, sets, quick editing, locations, etc.). Chan is entertaining as usual while Cusack and Brody surprisingly tower in their roles (I say “surprisingly” because I wouldn’t have imagined them cutting it as Roman commanders in the ancient past). The tone is serious with goofy quick-edited action and a modest amount of humor that’s actually funny.
If you happened upon any 2-3 minutes of this film you’d automatically think that it was a very worthy adventure flick. Unfortunately, it’s too manic for its own good. I tried to adapt to its hyper tone and did so until just past the halfway mark when the overkill action style pretty much lost me. I endured to the end, but it was difficult. It seriously needed to slow down and cultivate depth (but at least it tries to at times).
“Dragon Blade” lacks the confident poise of the excellent “Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan” (2007) and instead shoots for overKILL. Consider the frenzied pace of the 2011 version of “Conan the Barbarian,” but up the ante a couple of notches. That’s this movie.
The film runs 2 hours, 7 minutes and was shot in Hengdian and Dunhuang, China, as well as the Gobi Desert.
GRADE: C
