The Last Dragon (1985) TriStar/Action-Comedy RT: 109 minutes Rated PG-13 (language, martial arts violence) Director: Michael Schultz Screenplay: Louis Venosta Music: Misha Segal Cinematography: James A. Cortner Release date: March 22, 1985 (US) Starring: Taimak, Vanity, Christopher Murney, Julius J. Carry III, Faith Prince, Leo O’Brien, Mike Starr, Jim Moody, Glen Eaton, Ernie Reyes Jr., Esther Marrow, Keisha Knight Pulliam, Chazz Palminteri, William H. Macy. Box Office: $33M (US)
Rating: ***
When you think of martial arts movies, you probably think of those Asian-made cheapies that showed on Saturday afternoons on your local UHF channel, right? The ones with Asian actors speaking badly dubbed English as they beat down scores of other Asian actors. Director Michael Schultz (Car Wash) approaches the genre a little differently with The Last Dragon by casting black actors in the traditional roles. Well, mostly. The master teaching our young hero is still an old Chinese guy.
The hero of The Last Dragon Leroy Green aka “Bruce Leeroy” (Taimak) aspires to be as great a martial artist as his idol Bruce Lee. One day, his master tells him he’s reached the final level of his training. In order to achieve “The Glow”, he must track down one Master Sum Dum Goy in Chinatown and present him with a gold medallion once belonging to Bruce Lee.
No journey is without its obstacles. Leroy must deal with a baddie called Sho’nuff (Carry, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh), the self-labeled “Shogun of Harlem” looking to prove his superiority in martial arts by constantly challenging Leroy to fight. There’s also the gangster Eddie Arkadian (Murney, Maximum Overdrive) who wants popular TV host Laura Charles (Vanity, 52 Pick-Up) to show his supremely untalented singer girlfriend Angela’s (Prince, Big Bully) music video on her show. When she refuses, he sends his guys to kidnap her. Luckily, she’s saved by Leroy who happens to be passing by. Naturally, they fall for each other. Leroy has no experience with women; his entire life has been devoted to martial arts.
I know The Last Dragon sounds rather silly and it is. Director Michael Schultz has a lot of fun with the concept of a black kung fu movie. He adds a few neat little touches like an early scene in a movie theater showing Enter the Dragon. Leroy is sitting there eating his popcorn with chopsticks when Sho’nuff bursts in with his gang and challenges everybody in the place to a fight. Of course, it’s a total melee. Leroy, whose family owns the only black-owned pizza parlor in the city, walks around dressed like a Chinese coolie replete with hat. His little brother Ritchie (O’Brien, Rappin’) is a slick hustler planning to win a contest in which first prize is a date with Laura.
The villains are right out of a cartoon with Sho’nuff destroying everything in his path to get Leroy to fight and Eddie hiring an army of toughs to take care of Leroy. I don’t think The Last Dragon really needs Eddie Arkadian; it would work just as well without him. It’s not that he ruins the movie; he’s just an unnecessary and distracting subplot. However, it doesn’t ruin the whole movie. It’s clever in how it pokes fun at a genre that ruled grindhouse theaters in the 70s. There’s even a loving tribute to Bruce Lee with the compilation of clips put together by Laura.
This is the film debut of Taimak and, I must say, he’s not that bad an actor. Apparently, he learned to act while filming The Last Dragon and does solid work as the hero. He’s got some wicked kung-fu moves and kicks ass big time. The climactic fight is amazing as Leroy’s students (he’s a martial arts instructor too) come to aid him in the big final showdown with Sho’nuff, Arkadian and assorted thugs. Vanity is one sexy lady. She’s easy on the eyes and has a natural screen presence. Carry is wonderfully campy as the villain who, at one point, orders Leroy to kiss his Converse.
The Last Dragon is produced by Berry Gordon, the founder of the Motown Records. As such, there’s no shortage of great R&B music on the soundtrack including “Rhythm of the Night” by DeBarge and “Fire” by Charlene.
Overall, The Last Dragon is one of the more enjoyable movies of the mid-80. It’s funny and exciting in equal measures. It’s slick and stylish. It contains goofball dialogue and solid special effects work. Fun and funky, it makes for enjoyable viewing.
