Kung Fu Legacy With a Slapstick Twist

Read Time:5 Minute, 21 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The Tattooed Dragon (Long hu jin hu)
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Genre: Action, Adventure, Martial Arts, Drama
Year Released: 1973, Eureka Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 1h 34m
Director: Lo Wei
Writer: Lo Wei
Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, Samuel Hui, Sylvia Chang, James Tien, Chun Erh, Simon Hsu, Kun Li, Kuo Chiang Li, Chia Nai, Bao Po, Shou Po, Fat Wan
Where to Watch: available July 22, 2025, pre-order your copy here: www.eurekavideo.co.uk, www.mvdshop.com, or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: An artifact of early 1970s martial arts cinema, THE TATTOOED DRAGON has been brushed off and polished up for a new audience, thanks to Eureka’s restoration. And while the Blu-ray looks great and offers a healthy serving of extras for kung fu collectors, the film is a curious mix of nostalgic charm and inconsistency. It’s easy to appreciate what this movie represents—a bridge between eras, between studios, and between martial arts legends—but a little harder to overlook its shifts between goofy comedy and bloody justice.

Jimmy Wang Yu takes center stage as the titular Dragon, a fighter with a larger-than-life persona and an inked chest to match. After being injured, he winds up in a rural village where peace is short-lived. A casino-backed criminal enterprise, led by James Tien’s villain, targets the town’s resources and way of life. Naturally, the Dragon can’t just let that happen.

A familiar structure unfolds—one lone warrior standing against greed, corruption, and goons in matching suits. But THE TATTOOED DRAGON sets itself apart not through reinvention, but by how earnestly and energetically it commits to the tropes of its time. The problem is that it's never quite sure if it wants to be a deadly serious action drama or a slapstick-tinged fable. Director Lo Wei, best known for launching Bruce Lee into superstardom, tries to strike a balance, but the whiplash is hard to ignore.

Wang Yu, always more compelling when he's fighting than when he's delivering dialogue, remains a charismatic core. Undoubtedly, he’s the film’s biggest draw, and his presence lends the story whatever moral weight it carries. But even his legendary screen persona can’t always save a script that leans heavily on exposition and secondary characters who never quite come into focus.

Supporting players like Sylvia Chang and Sam Hui do their best with thin material, with Hui adding light-hearted energy as the farmer who takes Wang Yu in. Chang is given little to do beyond stand supportively nearby, which feels like a missed opportunity given her later career. Meanwhile, James Tien relishes his villainy, and while he’s not exactly subtle, he provides the film some welcome tension whenever he’s on screen.

The choreography helps the film maintain its footing. Though not as flashy or acrobatic as what would become standard in the late '70s and early '80s, the fights here are raw, fast, and creative. The martial arts sequences have a satisfying tempo, and Simon Hsu’s coordination ensures each clash has some character.

Visually, the film benefits from Cheung Yiu-tsou’s cinematography, especially in wide outdoor shots and the bustling village setting. The new restoration from Eureka gives these visuals room to shine, with rich colors and a sharpness that helps modern viewers appreciate the film’s original craft. The Blu-ray release contains valuable extras, including two new commentaries and a booklet featuring insight from critic James Oliver. This kind of attention to detail makes the release essential for collectors.

It’s also worth noting the movie’s place in cinematic history. THE TATTOOED DRAGON emerged during transition, after Bruce Lee’s breakout but before Jackie Chan’s slapstick stardom reshaped the genre. It’s caught between eras, and sometimes that shows. Lo Wei was aiming to fill the vacuum left by Lee’s passing, and Wang Yu’s stoic persona was the logical choice. But while the film aims high, its ambitions are often undercut by a lack of narrative cohesion.

This isn’t to say the film lacks entertainment value. If anything, it's blend of over-the-top characters, uneven humor, and sudden bursts of violence makes it a fascinating watch. It may not have aged as gracefully as some of the more tightly constructed Golden Harvest or Shaw Brothers films, but a scrappy sincerity here is hard not to root for.

For longtime martial arts fans, THE TATTOOED DRAGON is a welcome piece of history—a flawed but interesting film with standout sequences and a lot of heart. It might come off as uneven and slightly dated for newcomers, though not without its charms. Either way, Eureka’s release ensures that this overlooked chapter of kung fu cinema gets its due. A spirited throwback with impressive action and a committed lead, THE TATTOOED DRAGON offers more value in its historical placement and restoration than in its storytelling. It’s a welcome Blu-ray addition for genre completists, even if it’s not essential viewing.

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[photo courtesy of EUREKA ENTERTAINMENT, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

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