Very well executed

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

Deeper than the descriptions

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

DRAGON TIGER GATE was a film that had very good things said about it in the build up, so I was guilty of overestimating what this film would have to offer. It's nothing more than a lightweight popcorn flick, packed with cheesy melodramatic scenes and so-so acting and some awesome action. As a Hong Kong martial arts film, I guess most fans will seek this out for the latter quality, watching it chiefly for the kung fu. While the fight scenes are, indeed, great, they really only occur at the beginning and ending of this movie, with a long void in between which focuses on character instead of action.Donnie Yen, a 44 year old actor cast as someone in his 20s, looks the part very well, and you'd never guess that he's twenty years older than the character he plays. Nicholas Tse, who put in a very good performance in Jackie Chan's NEW POLICE STORY, reverts here to a simple pretty-boy role and doesn't make much of an impact; in fact, he's pretty bland. Shawn Yue is saddled with the character of Turbo, a weapons expert, and is about as good as Tse. Of the rest of the cast, only Yuen Wah and Kuan Tai Chen give really good performances, acting-wise as well as fighting-wise, but that comes as little surprise considering their pedigree.I didn't much care for the dialogue or the story; based on a '70s comic book, it's reminiscent of the fluff we've seen countless times before in films like THE MEDALLION. The action, when it comes, makes up for its absence elsewhere. The opening battle in the restaurant is the stuff of classics, reminding me of WARRIOR KING in more than a few places; when it's followed up with a second huge battle a few minutes later, I was in heaven. Alas, the film doesn't follow this pattern, as nothing more happens for an hour. Then we're treated to an eerie showdown in a softball court which manages to be atmospheric and exciting, and finally the turbo-charged climax, laden with special effects, in which the three heroes team up to tackle a masked demon. The fight scenes use a combination of stunts and wire-work and are generally good; I didn't mind the CGI, either, which looks decent at the film's climax – I particularly liked Yue's magic bell effect. So, good action, but not enough of it; I didn't mind DRAGON TIGER GATE, but I wasn't blown away by it either. It's a simple popcorn flick, entertaining while it lasts but instantly forgettable.

Plot is not important. This is martial arts. Something about avenging the master's death, I suppose. The lack of plot is not what makes this movie unworthy of my full attention. It is not the bad acting, the bad dialog (although the bad English language version may not be helping) or the bad fighting sequences. I've sat through worse and enjoyed the films. There is just no feeling to this movie. No core. No central something to make the bad elements add up to something half way decent. I've written about the highs and the lows of martial arts cinema. This isn't doesn't even register. Wow. I can't finish the film. Now I'll never know how the brothers get together and defeat the guy with the metal mask.

I purchased this film as I had nothing interesting to do later that day.I know about Hong Kongs kung fu movies and a lot of the martial arts are pretty cool and breath-taking.Donnie Yen out does himself in this film; the plot is a little thin; but the fight scenes make up for it in a tons.Nicholos Tse (New police story)and Shawn Yue (Infernal Affairs 2) are great in the fight scenes but it is Donnie that takes the cake.His physique and movement is not only brilliant but graceful; his eyes sparkle a mysterious glow.A good film overall.

This movie is all about the famous ever-lasting theme, which is: Good Guys vs Bad Guys, with Good Guys winning in the end. I suppose it's a perfectly right, because not a lot of people want tragic finals - it's depressing.The script is uncomplicated and doesn't contain any deeply buried philosophical questions, so people who expect to finally discover answers to "Why are we here?" will probably walk away feeling deceived. However, while I liked the uncomplicated part, I suspect that some pieces of the story had gone missing during the making of the movie and occasionally I felt lost. That's why I'm rating it 9 instead of 10.But the rest was really good. The actors - all of them - fitted perfectly and Donnie Yen was even better than perfect if only it's possible. And since it was him who did the action choreography it's only to be expected. When he starts kicking Bad Guys' asses you understand very clearly that they don't stand a chance against him, poor dears. Donnie Yen is awesome.Overall, I must say that I liked all three main heroes and wanted them to win throughout all the movie, and that says something.So, if you want to watch something visually impressive, with martial arts performed really, really well and good acting - that movie is for you. I enjoyed it immensely.