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Parents' Guide to

Dragon Blade

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Action epic offers teamwork messages amid brutal violence.

Movie R 2015 102 minutes
Dragon Blade Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

age 16+

17+ starts fine ends horridic

This is an adult movie, some silly parts but definitely not kid appropriate. First few minutes a man grabs a woman's chest next scene is her "offering" herself full naked backside. There is a 8-9 year who offer some laughable moments. Fun fight scene for teens. The longer the movie goes on, the darker it gets. The kids die, eyes get ripped out, and dude gets burned alive, lots of arrow shots get really gory. Overall I wouldn't let my kids watch it. 17+ is my recommendation and I have a mature 16 year old.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This Chinese battle epic features exciting, show-stopping fight scenes, but the storytelling in between is almost non-existent, as if lazily looking for ways to kill the time. (Given that the official U.S. release of DRAGON BLADE was trimmed by 25 minutes, it's possible that the original 127-minute cut was more cohesive.) Chan headed up planning the fight scenes, and even after so many years in the business, he's conjured up some beauties -- including a sequence in which Huo An saves his family with a length of blue silk and another in which the captain practices a choreographed battle-ballet with his men.

While Chan gets some good moments with his heroic, dignified character, Cusack looks pained trying to get through his dialogue, and Brody winds up with the short end of the stick as the sneering, one-dimensional villain. Some of the bit players are even more abysmal, shouting random lines designed as padding. Indeed, the movie's rhythm and editing seem entirely arbitrary. Better to skip this and look for the original cut.

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