July 7, 2001 -- "Kiss of the Dragon" is a film made for martial arts fans. There's not much of a plot, but that is to be expected in this type of film. Expecting a great story in a martial arts film is like expecting a great story in a musical. It doesn't happen very often. At least this one is coherent. The movie is all about action and fights, and it's got plenty of both.

Jet Li of "Romeo Must Die" stars as Chinese operative Liu Jian, who is framed for murder by an evil French cop, Jean-Pierre Richard (played by Tchéky Karyo of "The Patriot"). Liu Jian must establish proof of his innocence and then take that proof to the Chinese embassy. Would that the plot were so simple. Unfortunately, there is also a romantic subplot, involving a prostitute, of course. Jessica, the hooker (Bridget Fonda of "A Simple Plan"), turns up, literally, on Liu Jian's doorstep, a sort of seedy damsel in distress, with a kid in tow. Putting a child in danger is the cheapest of dramatic gimmicks.

Fighting, however, is the real subject of this film, and the fights are expertly choreographed by Corey Yuen ("Romeo Must Die"). Li reportedly decided to go "back to basics," heeding the advice of fans, after using a lot of wire-assisted flying fight stunts in "Romeo Must Die." This film has some wire stunts, but mostly it is just classic martial arts action, none of this leaping 10 feet in the air.

The film has good production values. Cinematographer Thierry Arbogast of "The Fifth Element") does a good job with a variety of indoor and outdoor shots. Location shots in Paris are effectively used. First-time director Chris Nahon is surprisingly self-assured. He handles the job very nicely, indeed. The story, which has a number of flaws, was written by Jet Li, Luc Besson ("La Femme Nikita") and Robert Mark Kamen ("A Walk in the Clouds"). Li and Besson also co-produced the film. By the way. This is no kids film. There is plenty of blood and gore. Jet Li himself has warned parents not to send their kids to see this film.

Li is solid in the acting department, and Tchéky Karyo steals the show as the corrupt cop (who goes around gunning down folks in Paris in front of hundreds of witnesses without ever getting caught). Bridget Fonda does the best she can with a very unevenly-written, and frankly unbelievable, character. Apparently she is supposed to be portraying an innocent, vulnerable girl from the farm, but who also has the grit to escape, James Bond-like, from a trap like and to head-butt another prostitute who invades her "turf." Now, if she could just do some kick-boxing. This film rates a B.

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