Jackie Chan Battles Adrian Brody, John Cusack in Dragon Blade

[MovieBob]

Jackie Chan Battles Adrian Brody, John Cusack in Dragon Blade

Well, the casting is certainly interesting...

It used to be a novelty for Hollywood actors to be hired for commercials [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSZNIzWnI6Y] in Asian countries on the basis of their international recognition - regardless of their appropriateness (or lack thereof) to the product at hand. Today, that sensibility has made the leap to feature films - with Western stars popping up in Eastern films, playing roles that they'd seldom be seen as prime for back home. Welcome to the new global cinema.

The latest casting-curiosity in that regard is Jackie Chan [http://variety.com/2014/film/news/watch-jackie-chan-john-cusack-face-off-in-dragon-blade-trailer-1201388163/] stars as a Chinese hero who reluctantly teams with a Roman renegade played by John Cusack.

Cusack [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/1556-Hot-Tub-Time-Machine] looks almost hilariously out-of-place doing the period/action routine, but this is no parody. The film comes from director Daniel Lee, who specializes in big international action co-productions like this, having most recently helmed the star-studded 2011 epic White Vengeance. Dragon Blade, despite it's use of Western actors, currently has no U.S. release date, but will bow in China on February 19th at the beginning of Chinese New Year.


Source: Variety [http://variety.com/2014/film/news/watch-jackie-chan-john-cusack-face-off-in-dragon-blade-trailer-1201388163/]

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[The Rogue Wolf]

Well, hey, if Shanghai Noon is a thing that could exist, why not this? I'm actually almost kinda sorta vaguely interested.

 

[Albino Boo]

There is an old saying "if you sup with the devil use a long spoon". This film's principal source of funding is the Chinese government. The plot of the film is a Chinese hero fighting evil western imperialists in central Asia, so absolutely no propaganda value there then.

 

[josemlopes]

Hey, whitewashing, am I right?

I guess it was about star power all along.

 

[RandV80]

I don't know, if I had been a Hollywood actor for all my career I think it would be fun to go oversees and ham it up in a foreign film like this.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

John Cusack teaming up with Jackie Chan in an action movie set in the past? Sounds like a sweet fever dream.

 

[Draconalis]

"Little Big Soldier" is the last movie I saw Jackie in, which was a period piece drama. I'm liking this side of Jackie, and already loved the goofy side of Jackie.

That alone makes me want to watch it.

All the other bits? Took me by surprise... but I'm not going to condemn it simply for not having a pure Chinese cast. Seemed a little interesting, even.

 

[FPLOON]

Jackie Chan? Adrian Brody? John Cusack? FUCKING SOLD!!

I'll await the international release and/or Netflix... That shouldn't take too long, right? Right?? RIGHT???

 

[Yosato]

Hahaha awesome! I moved to China last August to teach English. I am so going to see this on release!

 

[FalloutJack]

Uhh, question! Is Pompeii involved and will John Cusack be running away from lava again?

 

[Caffeine_Bombed]

Honestly, I don't really see anything "hilariously out-of-place" here. I like John Cusack as an actor regardless, but I saw nothing in this trailer that gave me a negative opinion (Hell, it'll be nice to see a Roman without an English accent for once). And Adrian Brody actually looks pretty cool.
I tend to give these sorts of movies the benefit of the doubt though. I like seeing history mixed-about or just plain made-up for the sake of a bit of entertainment!
Simply put, I'll be looking out for this one

 

[Cidward]

I'm curious how common this sort of thing is, in ways the public never actually noticed until recent years. If an actor wanted to make some quick cash in Mexican/Japanese/German/Etc. cinema, it seems like they could do that in the 1990s and even early 2000s without anyone in America knowing about it unless they REALLY cared about that actor.

I'll watch this for the curio value if it ever makes its way to States-side streaming services.

 

[Glaice]

How long before someone choreographs Brodyquest music to the fight scenes involving Adrian Brody?

 

[LordMonty]

I hope this gets a UK release i'm game for this sort of crazy!

 

[UsefulPlayer 1]

Jackie Chan is still making movies!? Best news I've heard all day.


Hell yeah I'm watching this shit.

 

[moggett88]

Moviebob seems fairly sniffy about the potential of this, but considering Hollywood has been shitting out films like Exodus for a while now, maybe we shouldn't be so quick to judge.

 

[Paul10238]

But Exodus was rightly called out for the shit that it is. This looks ridiculous but in a very good way.