Uh, it's not one of his best movies, but enjoy anyway! A little TK goes a long way.
I feel like I'm exposing my age everytime I comment on his old movies - oh, well, I'm old (like the Webmaster implied, I like Jacky Cheung, I'm guilty of being from the older generation!) that just means I've been exposed to more TK. Ha, take that youngins! ;D
A little background on China Dragon for "younger" TK fans. This movie actually stars these 2 little Taiwanese boys who had made 2 previous movies under the monkier of "Shaolin Popeye."
China Dragon (CD) is the unofficial chapter 3 of the Shaolin Popeye series, although they are stand alone movies, you don't need to see the 1st two to get the gist of CD. And TK is sort of the supporting actor here, he's put there to bring in the teenage (& older) female population. (Good idea procuders!)
The "fat" little boy, I'm sorry I don't remember his name & I feel bad for calling him fat, maybe chubby is better ... he plays the wisecracking, naughty little boy. THe one who gets into trouble.
The annoying one.
THe "serious" little boy, I'm sorry I don't remember his name either (!), he's the "marital artist." He's supposedly good at kung fu, but as far as I can tell, he's good at waving his hands around and looking serious.
He's supposed to be a little "Jet Li." In the the other 2 SHaolin Popeye movies, whenever he gets ready to fight, he'll swish his long shirt tail aside like Jet Li does in the Once Upon A TIme in China (OUTC) movies. And whenever he makes that movement, the famous theme song from OUTC comes on - so that the audience is supposed to think, "oh, little Jet Li!"
He's cute though, the serious one, I think much better than the chubby boy who's really annoying -did I mention that already? At least "little Jet Li" has some talent!
Oh, and he's supposed to be a disciple of Shaolin Temple too, hence the Shaolin Popeye moniker.
The whole movie's kind of silly. It follows their characters & has lots of slapstick humor. I think it's the best of the series (I think they made 5 altogether, don't know for sure) mainly because it has TK!!
TK plays the chubby boy's older brother who has a crush on the older sister of the little kung fu kid. But TK literally becomes dumb whenever she's around ... (TK's so good at playing shy goofy types.
)
The best scene in the movie is when TK is dreaming about his love interest. He's imagining them in scenes from famous movies & the scene spoof these movies. One of the scene is from director Tsui Hark's movie, "The Lovers," (based on a famous Chinese love story/folk tale). That's when TK & the girl (Athena Chu, I think) make faces at each other & TK takes his hair bun off his head & eats it like a pork bun! Goofy, but funny!
They also spoof another movie called "The Lover" in that scene. This "The Lover" is the one that was set in Viet Nam and starred tall Tony Leung as a Chinese man who falls in love with a young French girl. Athena plays the girl waiting for TK (spoofing tall Tony-looking gorgeous & dapper dressed in white). TK approaches the girl, winks @ her & motions her with his head exaggerately...then proceeds to fall off the pier & into the water. (TK's good @ comedy!!
)
I don't remember what the 3rd movie was that was spoofed, but if anyone does, please post it! (Was it that "Thief" movie from John Woo with Chow Yun Fat & Leslie CHeung? Anyone of the older generation reading this?)
. Glad to know you found China Dragon--take a look at it--it's so different from other Takeshi films. Let me know what you think--enjoy the film! 
. Glad to know you found China Dragon--take a look at it--it's so different from other Takeshi films. Let me know what you think--enjoy the film! 
The annoying one.
He's supposed to be a little "Jet Li." In the the other 2 SHaolin Popeye movies, whenever he gets ready to fight, he'll swish his long shirt tail aside like Jet Li does in the Once Upon A TIme in China (OUTC) movies. And whenever he makes that movement, the famous theme song from OUTC comes on - so that the audience is supposed to think, "oh, little Jet Li!" 
TK plays the chubby boy's older brother who has a crush on the older sister of the little kung fu kid. But TK literally becomes dumb whenever she's around ... (TK's so good at playing shy goofy types. 
)
)
... I feel like TK 
. (Really, does anyone know what that last movie was that was spoofed in the "dream scene?")
But people should keep in mind that children are not thought of as sexual beings in most of Asia. When kids run around naked, it's kind of thought as silly & funny, most people would not consider it "inappropriate" because most would never imagine those "inappropriate" things in the first place.
