Dragon Tiger Gate

Last updated

Dragon Tiger Gate
Dragontigergateposter.jpg
The Hong Kong poster
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 龍虎門
Simplified Chinese 龙虎门
Directed by Wilson Yip
Screenplay byEdmond Wong
Based on Oriental Heroes
by Wong Yuk-long
Produced by Nansun Shi
Raymond Wong
Yu Dong
Xu Pengle
Starring Donnie Yen
Nicholas Tse
Shawn Yue
Dong Jie
Li Xiaoran
Yu Kang
Chen Kuan-tai
Yuen Wah
CinematographyKo Chiu-lam
Edited by Cheung Ka-fai
Music by Kenji Kawai
Production
companies
Distributed by Mandarin Films
Release date
  • 28 July 2006 (2006-07-28)
Running time
96 minutes
CountriesHong Kong
China
LanguagesCantonese
Mandarin
Box office HK $12,108,465

Dragon Tiger Gate is a 2006 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Wilson Yip and featuring fight choreography by Donnie Yen, who also stars in the film. The film is based on the manhua Oriental Heroes , [1] which bears the same Chinese title as the film. The film's release in all English-speaking territories is handled by The Weinstein Company. [2]

Contents

A punching bag constructed for the film, measuring about 8 feet (2.4 m) high, 5 feet (1.5 m) wide and weighing about 400 pounds, was certified as the world's largest by Guinness World Records. [3]

Plot

Dragon Tiger Gate is an academy established by two powerful martial artists. It aims to train students in martial arts in order to uphold justice and combat the threat of the Triad. It is also a haven for children who had been orphaned by the Triad. While Luocha Cult is a Pan-Asia heretic cult/drug trafficking organization led by the dictating might of its cult leader: Shibumi the Jashin of Frame Cloud. Shibumi, who is the only master of the legendary Yijin Jing and has many fearsome Kung Fu masters at his disposal, controls the entire Asia-Pacific Underground Drug market with Hong Kong as his base of operations.

The story begins with the two sons of Fu Hu Wong, one of the founders of the academy, who were each born to different mothers. The older is named Dragon and the younger is named Tiger. When the boys were young, Dragon's mother left the academy and gave Dragon half of a Jade amulet pendant and told him that his half-brother, Tiger, has the other half. When Dragon's mother was killed in a fire, Dragon was taken under the care of the Triad boss, Ma Kun, and he grew up to become his bodyguard. Ma Kun's gang is a subject of the evil Luocha Cult, which supervises Hong Kong's Drug dealing on its behalf. Tiger was raised by his elder uncle, Master Xian Lung Wong, after his parents' disappearance.

Several years later, Tiger and his friends are dining in a restaurant and encounter Ma Kun and his men, who are receiving the Luocha Plaque. A symbol of authority within the Luocha Cult indicates that the holder is second only to the cult's leader, Shibumi. Ma Kun and the leader of the White Lions Gang were arguing over the plaque when Tiger accidentally interrupts the meeting. One of Tiger's friends makes off with the plaque while Tiger starts a fight with the gangsters. Just then, Dragon appears and fights Tiger, whom he does not recognize to be his half-brother. Ma Kun calls for Dragon to pull back.

Later that night, Dragon confronts Tiger and his friends at a Japanese restaurant to take back the plaque. Tiger and his friends have been drugged by Scaly, one of Ma Kun's lackeys, who also wanted to retrieve the plaque to prove to his boss that he is the better man. Scaly and his followers fight Dragon over possession of the plaque. Turbo Shek, another eater at the restaurant, is aroused by the commotion and he joins the fight on Dragon's side. Dragon and Turbo defeat Scaly and his men and Dragon takes back the plaque from Tiger. Just then, Tiger discovers that Dragon has the other half of the jade amulet pendant and realizes that Dragon is his half-brother.

Turbo follows Tiger back to Dragon Tiger Gate, wanting to be enrolled into the academy to improve his martial arts skills. He is refused by the current leader of the academy, Master Wong, for his arrogance. Dismayed, Turbo waits outside the academy and promises not to leave unless he is accepted as a student. Master Wong agrees to spar with Turbo and defeats him easily. Turbo is humbled and accepted by Master Wong as a student.

Meanwhile, Ma Kun returns the Luocha Plaque to signify his retirement. He is supported by Dragon, who wants to return to Dragon Tiger Gate, and his daughter Ma Xiaoling, who wants a simple life. Shibumi sees this as an insult and sends his henchmen, the Double Devils, to kill Ma Kun. He uses his subordinate Rosa to lure Dragon away while his minions kill Ma Kun. Dragon returns to rescue Ma Kun, but it is too late. Dragon slays the Double Devils after a vicious fight and leaves Ma Xiaoling in his brother's care before leaving. Although he collapses on a grassland after succumbing to his wounds, he survives after having a vision of his young self giving him the jade pendant (his mother once gave him). Meanwhile, Tiger befriends the grieving Ma Xiaoling.

Shibumi was impressed with Dragon for defeating his henchmen and goes to Dragon Tiger Gate to issue a challenge. With Dragon absent, Master Wong, Tiger, and Turbo takes on Shibumi's challenge but were no match for him. As Master Wong had managed to put up a fight before being defeated, he is deemed worthy enough to die at Shibumi's hands while Shibumi spares the severely wounded Tiger and Turbo for their lack of skill. Ma Xiaoling, realizing that Shibumi will eventually come back for her and the rest of them and with Dragon not there, they would lose just as they had this time, brings Tiger and Turbo to Mount Baiyun to seek help from Master Qi as Dragon senses the passing of Master Wong and returns only to find the demolished Dragon Tiger Gate as he realizes he is too late to protect Master Wong, his brother and Xiaoling and screams in sadness before collapsing. Master Qi heals the wounded Tiger and Turbo and trains them for their incoming final battle with Shibumi, including teaching new martial arts techniques: Spinning Lightning Dragon Kick and Invulnerable Golden Bell Technique. Dragon also practices to fight Shibumi for the first and final time after having reminisced of his time with Xiaoling and appears to have developed a new one.

Tiger and Turbo storm Shibumi's Black Pagoda to stop his reign of terror once and for all and engage him in a fierce fight, using all their greatly improved martial arts abilities and the new techniques they have learned to battle him. However, despite putting up a far better fight than before and even being praised by Shibumi for their improved abilities, Tiger and Turbo are ultimately still outmatched and severely beaten. As Shibumi mocks them for having embarrassed the techniques they have learned and is about to finally kill them, Dragon appears to engage Shibumi, tossing the Plaque back in honor of the Gate, and after luring Shibumi away from his injured brother and Turbo, engages him calmly with his improved abilities as he gains the upper hand and even mocks Shibumi to provoke his temper, eventually killing him with his Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms technique. Before the film ends, Dragon returns to Dragon Tiger Gate together with Tiger and Turbo (who decides to change his name to Leopard) to carry on Master Wong's legacy.

Development

The production group initially proposed that Yen be the director of the film. At a later point the production group found another director and other actors, and suggested that Yen be another actor in the film; Yen decided to do the latter. [4] Yen also did the choreography of the fight stunts. [5]

Shawn Yue experienced an asthma attack during filming. [1]

Cast

Sequel

In a Hong Kong interview with the production crew, it was quoted that the cast and crew intends to create a sequel to expand the story on screen by summer of 2007. However, with the original cast committed to a long list of other projects, there has been no indication of any level of production or completion by the announced date. As of now, there has been no further mention of a sequel.

Reception

Paul Fonoroff of the South China Morning Post stated that there was a "bad script" and "plodding plot". [6] Another article by the South China Morning Post stated that the "overtly cartoonish feel" resulted in reception from film reviewers being "lukewarm". [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Drunken Master</i> 1978 Hong Kong film

Drunken Master is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Yuen Woo-ping, and starring Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, and Hwang Jang-lee. It was a success at the Hong Kong box office, earning two and a half times the amount of Yuen's and Chan's previous film, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, which was also considered a hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuen Woo-ping</span> Hong Kong film director

Yuen Woo-ping is a Hong Kong martial arts choreographer and film director who worked in Hong Kong action cinema and later Hollywood films. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong. Yuen is also a son of Yuen Siu-tien, a martial arts film actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donnie Yen</span> Hong Kong actor and martial artist

Donnie Yen Ji-dan is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, and action director. Regarded as one of Hong Kong's top action stars, Yen is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts (MMA) into mainstream Asian cinema by choreographing MMA in many of his films since the early 2000s. The first Chinese UFC champion Zhang Weili stated that Yen's films introduced her to MMA. Yen has displayed skill in an array of martial arts, being well-versed in Tai Chi, Boxing, Kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do, Hapkido, Mixed martial arts, Taekwondo, Karate, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Hung Ga, Sanda, Judo, Wing Chun, and Wushu. One of the most popular film stars in Asia of the early 2000s, Yen is consistently one of the highest-paid actors in Asia. Yen earned HK$220 million (US$28.4 million) from four films and six advertisements in 2013.

Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. Action films from Hong Kong have roots in Chinese and Hong Kong cultures including Chinese opera, storytelling and aesthetic traditions, which Hong Kong filmmakers combined with elements from Hollywood and Japanese cinema along with new action choreography and filmmaking techniques, to create a culturally distinctive form that went on to have wide transcultural appeal. In turn, Hollywood action films have been heavily influenced by Hong Kong genre conventions, from the 1970s onwards.

<i>Once Upon a Time in China II</i> 1992 film by Tsui Hark

Once Upon a Time in China II is a 1992 Hong Kong martial arts film written and directed by Tsui Hark, and starring Jet Li as Chinese martial arts master and folk hero of Cantonese ethnicity, Wong Fei-hung. It is the second instalment in the Once Upon a Time in China film series, and co-stars Donnie Yen, Rosamund Kwan and Max Mok. The iconic theme song, "A Man Should Better Himself" (男兒當自強), was performed in Cantonese by George Lam at the beginning of the film, and by Jackie Chan in the end credits. Chan also sang the Mandarin version.

<i>Iron Monkey</i> (1993 film) 1993 Hong Kong film

Iron Monkey is a 1993 Hong Kong martial arts film written and produced by Tsui Hark and directed by Yuen Woo-ping, starring Donnie Yen, Yu Rongguang, Jean Wang, Angie Tsang and Yuen Shun-yi. It is not related to the 1977 Hong Kong film of the same title.

<i>SPL: Sha Po Lang</i> 2005 Hong Kong action film

SPL: Sha Po Lang is a 2005 Hong Kong action film directed by Wilson Yip, who also writer with Szeto Kam-Yuen and Ng Wai-lun. The film stars Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung and Simon Yam. The film was released on 18 November 2005.

<i>King Boxer</i> 1972 Hong Kong film

King Boxer, also known as Five Fingers of Death, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Jeong Chang-hwa and starring Lo Lieh. It was produced by Shaw Brothers (HK) Ltd., the largest Hong Kong movie production studio at the time. The script was written by Chiang Yang (江陽). Made in Hong Kong, it is one of many kung fu movies with Indonesian-born actor Lo Lieh (羅烈) in the lead. He appeared in many similar martial arts film efforts from the 1960s, pre-dating the more internationally successful Bruce Lee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilson Yip</span>

Wilson Yip Wai-Shun is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and screenwriter. His films include Bio Zombie, The White Dragon, SPL: Sha Po Lang, Dragon Tiger Gate, Flash Point and the Ip Man series.

This is a list of films featuring the Chinese martial arts master and folk hero of Cantonese ethnicity, Wong Fei-hung. There are 123 in total. Where possible alternative titles have been included, particularly the official English language titles or literal translations.

<i>Oriental Heroes</i> 1970 martial arts manhua

Oriental Heroes is a popular Hong Kong-based manhua created by Tony Wong Yuk-long, a writer/artist responsible for also creating a number of other popular manhua titles. It was created in 1970, and it continues to be published today. The book was the first Hong Kong manhua title based on action and fighting, often borrowing from the wuxia literary world. It established a new action genre of Hong Kong manhua and spawned many imitators. The theme of its stories often revolves around brotherhood and the fight for justice.

<i>Flash Point</i> (film) 2007 film by Wilson Yip

Flash Point is a 2007 Hong Kong action film directed by Wilson Yip and starring Donnie Yen, who also produced with Nansun Shi and Zhang Zhao. The film co-stars Louis Koo, Collin Chou, Lui Leung-wai, Fan Bingbing and Xing Yu. Yen plays Ma Jun, a police sergeant who plants his partner Wilson as a mole in a pursuit against a triad led by three Vietnamese brothers.

<i>Ip Man</i> (film) 2008 Hong Kong film directed by Wilson Yip

Ip Man is a 2008 Hong Kong biographical martial arts film based on the life of Ip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun and teacher of Bruce Lee. The film focuses on events in Ip's life that supposedly took place in the city of Foshan during the Sino-Japanese War. The film was directed by Wilson Yip, and stars Donnie Yen as Ip Man, with martial arts choreography by Sammo Hung. The supporting cast includes Simon Yam, Lynn Hung, Lam Ka-tung, Xing Yu, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, and Tenma Shibuya. The film was a co-production between China and Hong Kong, and was the last film to be distributed by Mandarin Films.

<i>Heroes Among Heroes</i> 1993 film by Yuen Woo-ping

Heroes Among Heroes is a 1993 Hong Kong martial arts film produced and directed by Yuen Woo-ping and starring Donnie Yen as the protagonist So Chan, who was one of the Ten Tigers of Canton. The film shows opium smugglers in the Qing Dynasty, China, with Officer Lin Zexu and Chinese martial arts master and folk hero of Cantonese ethnicity Wong Fei-hung fighting against them. It was released in the US as Fist of the Red Dragon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis Fan (actor)</span> Hong Kong actor and martial artist

Louis Fan Siu-wong is a Hong Kong actor and martial artist. He is best known worldwide for his starring role as Ricky in Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991) and as Jin Shanzhao in Ip Man (2008) and Ip Man 2 (2010), as well as roles in numerous television series produced by TVB.

Hung Yan-yan is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, stuntman and action director originally from Liuzhou, Guangxi, China. He was the stunt double for martial arts superstar Jet Li.

<i>Young People</i> (1972 film) 1972 Hong Kong film

Young People is a 1972 Hong Kong coming-of-age action drama film directed by Chang Cheh and starring David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan-tai, Irene Chan and pop singer Agnes Chan, the younger sister of Irene Chan, in her debut film role.

Eagle Han-ying was a Korean actor and martial artist, who rose his fame in South Korea through various Korean drama series from the 90. Outside of Korea, he is best known with his appearance with many kung fu films from the range of Korean, Hong Kong and Taiwanese production.

<i>Ip Man 3</i> 2015 film by Wilson Yip

Ip Man 3 is a 2015 Hong Kong biographical martial arts film directed by Wilson Yip, produced by Raymond Wong and written by Edmond Wong with action choreography by Yuen Woo-ping. It is the third film in the Ip Man film series based on the life of the Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man and features Donnie Yen reprising the title role. Ip Man's pupil Bruce Lee is portrayed by Danny Chan and Ip Man's fellow Wing Chun expert and rival Cheung Tin-chi (張天志), also known as Sum Nung, is portrayed by Zhang Jin. The film also features Mike Tyson. Principal photography commenced in March 2015 and ended in June of that year.

References

  1. 1 2 Lee, Wing-sze (10 March 2006). "Role opens kung fu gate for Yue". South China Morning Post . Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  2. ↑ Weinstein Watch: Dragon Tiger Gate Archived 13 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine , Twitchfilm.net, 11 April 2006 (Retrieved 26 July 2006).
  3. ↑ Dragon Tiger Gate Enters Guinness World Records Archived 15 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine , CRIENGLISH.com, 9 July 2006 (Retrieved 26 July 2006).
  4. ↑ Lee, Wing-sze (24 June 2006). "Re-enter the Dragon". South China Morning Post . Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  5. ↑ "Summer hits". South China Morning Post . 8 July 2006. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Fonoroff, Paul (26 July 2006). "Dragon Tiger Gate". South China Morning Post . Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  7. ↑ "Local cinema's illustrated history". South China Morning Post . 10 December 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.