American Dragons (1998)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Director:

Ralph Hemecker

Writers:

Erik Saltzgaber (writer)
Keith W. Strandberg (story)

Release Date:

21 November 1998 (South Korea)

Genre:

Action

Plot:

Murders in Seoul, Korea and in America pair two cops (Michael Biehn, Joong Hung-Park) from each of the countries together to solve the crimes...

Plot Keywords:

Seoul Korea | Murder | Yakuza | Korean | New York City

Cast

Michael Biehn	...	Det. Tony Luca
Joong-Hoon Park	...	Kim
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa	...	Matsuyama
Don Stark	...	Rocco
Byron Mann	...	Shadow
Benjamin Ratner	...	Angelo
Lorena Gale	...	Captain Talman
Hiro Kanagawa	...	Nakai
Brad Loree	...	Mike
Dean Choe	...	Sato
Chris Franco	...	Sato
James Crescenzo	...	Pazzo
Roger R. Cross	...	Fiorino
Kevan Ohtsji	...	Dion Edwards
Warren Takeuchi	...	Young Yakuza

Also Known As:

Double Edge (USA) (video title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and language.

Runtime:

Germany:91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Certification:

UK:15 | South Korea:18 | USA:R (Certificate #35567) | Germany:18 | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA)

Trivia:

In Argentina, this film was released straight to video as "Black Rain 2", a sequel of Black Rain (1989/I).

A Very Good, But Unknown Film

Okay, if you want a good movie with comedy between America and China, pick up the Rush Hour franchise. Don't get me wrong, I love Rush Hour, but I love the seriousness and suspense that's felt in some of the scenes, especially when the leader of the Yakuza meets his underlings in the harbor office. If you understand a bit of Japanese customs and culture, you would be able to feel that level of tension that I'm talking about.

I'm also a nut about Korean and Japanese cultures and customs and I was able to get into it easily. What Michael Biehn said at the end, "kahnsahamnida," is Korean for "Thank you very much." I train in Tae Kwon Do (a Korean Martial Art), and it's what drives my fascination about the cultures of Korea and Japan. Okay, I'm drifting off the subject, so I'll get back ON the subject.

A murder in Seoul,Korea of a detective's family...a black lotus origami-styled folding (I have no idea what they call it in Korea, so I'm using the Japanese similarity. If anyone knows what it's called, please let me know.) is the only clue that's given. Fast forward several years later to a murder in the New York alleyways; several members of the Yakuza are flat on their backs with their throats slashed out. A NY detective (Biehn) investigates the area and notices a black lotus origami floating by and scans the design to be sent to all police networks around the world. It is the same detective who's family was murdered that picks up the bulletin and when the two meet, you can tell there's some resentment until they have at it. It gets even better when the two go meet the Yakuza at the Harbor office.

I won't say anything more, but it gets better and better. I recommend this movie for anyone who wants good serious police work between two cultures.