Year of the Dragon (1985) is a film about A police detective cracks down on organized crime in Chinatown after the murders of Triad and Mafia leaders. I thought this film was great an absolute underrated gem. The film is Based on the novel of the same name by Robert Daley, the screenplay was written by Michael Cimino & Oliver Stone, The Direction by Michael Cimino was good the film was made after his box office disaster Heavens Gate (1980) when everybody probably doubted him he really brought it he really created something new and it's nothing like his other works. The film is a Neo-Noir thriller and has everything Action, Drama, and Crime and has themes of ethnicity, racism, and stereotypes. The film stars Mickey Rourke as Stanley White a Vietnam veteran, John Lone as Joey Tai, and Ariane as Tracy Tzu, Mickey Rourke was good in this role he is a complex character who in order to arrest Joey Tai Stanley White blurs the line between right and wrong and it's very interesting to see, like Michael Cimino's film The Deer Hunter (1978) he gives a dash of the psyche of the Vietnam vet in this film. John Lone is good as Joey Tai he really had an awesome presence on screen sinister and smooth who is not all completely evil he has a code of honor which makes him the perfect foil to Stanley White who is a very flawed man who wants to do the right thing. The main criticisms of the film are the performance of Ariane a first- time actress as Tracy Tzu I didn't think she was that bad I like every time she interacted with Mickey Rourke I thought they had an interesting relationship. The film portrayed Chinatown in a negative light which at The time was met with protests by some Chinese Americans which led to some people not wanting to see The film or giving the film a negative reaction but if you watch it today all that is completely irrelevant and you can just enjoy this good film. The film had good cinematography and good action scenes that really make the film, the film goes where you don't expect it to go twists and turns and adrenaline. The ending will have you on the edge of your seat it ends in a way you won't expect and it's awesome. All and all this is a great under- appreciated film and should be talked about more. 10/10
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