poe426 DRAGON EYES plays out like one of those no-budget knockoffs Action fans know all too well. More's the pity: Cung Le is a genuinely talented actor and a superb martial artist. Fellow mixed martial artist Dan Henderson shows up just long enough to pound Le into a coma, but it's Le himself whose skills the movie showcases. (Though NOT the skills he perfected in the ring; i.e.; the devastating sweeps and throws that made him famous early in his martial arts career.) Storywise, there's not a whole lot going on and Peter Weller LOOKS like an elderly actor playing a "gangsta," but DRAGON EYES is still worth watching for true fans of the genre. It's not a classic by any means, but it's a start...

Bene Cumb The director of two newer Universal Soldier movies, John Hyams, has apparently wanted to move onto the martial arts level with similar elements and ideas. Unfortunately, the screenwriter Tim Tori is not up to scratch, thus the outcome is complex mix of gang violence, martial fights, looking back in the form of flashbacks and unrealistic cases such as fully corrupt US police unit. As for the cast, then the only decent performances were provided by Peter Weller Mr. V and Jean-Claude Van Damme as Tiano, all the others seemed to derive from non-decent amateur theaters. Van Damme's part is strangely short and dull, although it was evident that he is still well fit.Although its length was 1 hour and 20 minutes only, it was dumb to watch at times. Even for brain-switch-off entertainment, there are much better options. On the other hand, it is no worst-movie ever or similar overstatement.

LeonLouisRicci This review is for those that are not hard-core Martial-Arts Movie fans. They have another perspective, more closely associated with the popular genre. It is for those that drop in occasionally to see what all the fuss is about or to check out the "new kid on the block".In this one it is a real life fighter of some sort or another and has made his way to the screen via his physical abilities and was the best at what he does. Cung Le makes Jet Li look like a great talent in the acting department. But as these things go, no one much cares.The film looks, again, like a sepia-tone, washed out, colorless, "style" that is supposed to say this is hard-boiled stuff, nothing pretty here, only dudes allowed. All it really does is look pretentious and lifeless. The fight scenes are very good and are shot with a focus and not quickly edited so you can actually see what's going on and there are a lot of them and are quite convincing and brutal. The plot is confusing and way over written. Van Damme is a secondary mentor type, but Peter Weller makes an impression as a cartoon cop. Worth a view for fans but there is really nothing here for outsiders slumming it.

Theo Robertson How does Jean Claude Van Damme get back to stardom . After playing the title character very well and honestly in JCVD there's not much more scope after a former action movie star has played himself in a meta-fictional movie . So it looks like going back to obscure straight to DVD action thrillers for Jean Claude and as you'd expect he appears in the opening pre-titles sequence which features a protagonist newly arrived in jail where he has to prove himself to the other inmates that he's no wimpy push over . As the titles are shown with some hard ass rap track we find the protagonist park his car in the mean streets of a Latino quarter . Mr Protagonist gets in to fisicuffs with some bad mofos who want to cap his ass . Oh I forgot to mention that the protagonist is played by Cung Le not Van Damme who's role is fairly minimal here so if you've bought this DVD expecting 90 minutes of Van Dumb action then you're going to be rather disappointed As for myself I wasn't disappointed by the lack of the muscles from Brussels . Cung Le makes for a very likable hero and his little boy lost looks suit the character very well . In fact much of the first half of the movie is likable even if is very routine . Le's character Hong finds himself up against The Street Kings and The Eastsiders and congratulations to director John Hyams for having a gang that is exclusively composed of Latinos and their rival gang being composed of black homies because normally these gangs are more cosmopolitan than the French Foreign Legion and he brings some flourishes to the proceedings borrowed from Guy RitchieUnfortunately Hyams has a rather serious problem with storytelling especially where the editing is concerned . The more the story continues the more it relies on flashback and this gets more confusing giving the impression Hong is busily working at his day job then the action cuts to his prison cell where he is being mentored by Van Damme . The more the story goes on the more ridiculous plot turns arrive . For example Hong is left for dead after being beaten to a pulp in front of a gang of corrupt cops , is placed in a coffin then miraculously gets resurrected without explanation . This ruins the film to a great degree because the first half had great potential