MovieChat Forums > Kiss of the Dragon (2001) Discussion > The plot is so unrealistic!

The plot is so unrealistic!

posted 16 years ago by bbc100
32 replies | jump to latest

This movie is so unrealistic, after watching this movie, things that I have learnt.

1. The whole French police force is corrupted.
2. All French police officers are trained in martial arts, to arrest a criminal they will fight hand to hand combat rather than using a gun.
3. French police officers conduct their operations like gangsters, and they would spray bullets with uzis at a hotel and kill innocent people that got into their way.
4. Why would Jet Li bother freezing his gun to pass through airport security, if he can obtain one from his contact?
5. There is karate class at the police station.
6. When French or Chinese talk to their own people, they will speak English.
7. Chinese people don't know who Santa Clause is.
8. mahjong can be played alone.

[–] descensionblack 16 years ago

Dude its a martial arts movie. The main focus of the movie is the fighting.

Besides would what you listed really be considered a plot or a bunch of small details? Either way here are my counterpoints (which I did just because I'm bored):

1. You got me here.

2. Are you blind? The only time the police force engages Jet Li in hand-to-hand was when he stumbled across them practicing martial arts and they didn't have guns handy at the time and when Jet fought Cyril in the office. All of the other encounters had the cops shooting at him.

3. The head officers were pretty much gangsters I mean they run a prostitution ring for crying out loud. And how does being a police officer automatically exempt you from being a gangster? If I remember correctly, this happened a lot in the 30s.

4. Didn't the officers take his handgun when they met him?

5. I don't see whats so unrealistic about this. Just because there isn't one where you live doesn't mean it's not present at another country.

6. Got me here too. But personally speaking, I've always disliked reading subtitles of foreign languages. Takes my attention away from the film itself.

7. I can't speak for China but I'm a Vietnamese American and I didn't even know what snow was until I got over here in the US let alone know who Santa Claus was. Once again not that unbelievable.

8. Don't remember a scene where one person is playing Mahjong.

Wow typed way more than I should have. But seriously, its a martial arts movie. Who goes to a martial arts movie for the plot? Can't speak for everyone but I don't. I go for the fighting.

[–] testinator 15 years ago

In response to your response:

2) I think you need to watch the movie again. Look at the scene on the boat. It looks like masked SWAT or anti-terrorist officers (who came from nowhere) take him on with knives. There are several instances like this in the movie, it just looks silly.

3) The point was, they were running around shooting people at will in front of witnesses. They simply could not get away with that in the real world. Look at the boat scene - numerous people will have seen an officer clearly visible walking behind someone and shooting him in the back.

4) Yes, but again you've missed the point. Why does he bring a gun through airport security? His "sleeper" should be able to provide him with one.

5) You didn't find a room full of police officers, all black belts, practiciing Karate, pretty ridiculous?

Yes, it's a martial arts movie, but theres absolutely NO NEED for the plot to be so unrealistic. The plot could be better, the directing could be better, so on and so forth, to the extent that you don't need so many obvious flaws and errors to ruin what could have been a great movie.

[–] actionmanrandell 14 years ago

in response to your response about his response.

2. knives are actually a more efficent weapon and at a distance of 21 feet are a faster weapon as well. fact.
3. its a movie we are supposed to have some suspention of disbalief. but as in for france who knows. there are parts of mexico where this stuff does happen.
4. i agree that is dumb he could have gotten one from his handler.
5. as for a room full of police officers all black belts practicing martial arts not karate. the french practice savate. that is not rediculous since all french police learn savate and being that they were most likely officers then yes they could have very well been black belts but that is besides the point since some martial arts styles start out in black and move on to white others start in black move on to red. and so on

[–] bogwart-1 16 years ago

It's true, it's completely unrealistic. Unlike The Dark Knight, which is completely plausible and you can see this stuff happening all around you. Or any one of a thousand American cop films, where you simply can't look at the first 10 minutes and tell exactly how it's going to play out....

[–] joebagtas1987 16 years ago

ha what kind of realism were you expecting? this wasnt supposed to be a drama

[–] noone1647 16 years ago

He's right. If this movie were realistic, the French guy would've surrendered right away.

[–] trc113 16 years ago

another jackass who picks apart movies and searches for realism. this is the guy sitting behind you in the theater whispering to his ugly wife "that would never happen!" of course it would never happen, you waste of space, it's a @%&#*!^ movie! the whole purpose of movies, their primary goal, is ESCAPISM. that is particularly true for movies like this, action films, fantasy films, horror films, if you can't turn your brain off and completely suspend disbelief, then don't waste your money on a ticket or a dvd, buy a dry non fiction book, plop on your hammock and shut the @*%# up. the next time i'm in a theater and i hear one of these fools complaining, i'm gonna split his lip.

[–] joebagtas1987 13 years ago

Haha ^ great post. I'm tired of the pretentious people who love to declare their powers of observation are > then the movie. I bet there were always people like that since the beginning of film and movies.

[–] tekbarrier 16 years ago

4. He kept his gun refrigerated so it wouldn't spoil and begin to stink up his suitcase.
5. It was judo not karate. You can see a picture on the wall of Jigoro Kano, the founder of modern judo. Of course, judo is a grappling art that doesn't use sticks or other weapons.
6. Obviously they spoke English for the sake of the film's English-speaking audience.
8. Isn't that computer game with the tiles a solo version of mahjong?

Nose?! That don't rhyme with walls!
No...but this does

[–] Furie89 15 years ago

OP does not how to enjoy a movie LOL

[–] actionmanrandell 14 years ago

first off all just because there was a picture of jigoro kano does not mean they they were practicing judo. the french police actually practice savate. aswell as judo and a few other forms of martial arts one of which is stick fighting. and most countries are not like america and just rely on guns. in almost every other country you go to you will find that there police force learns extensive martial arts.

[–] zero350 15 years ago

Go watch an actual martial arts movie, there they will speak their correct language, but guess what? Its even more far-fetched and imaginative. This is not real life, enjoy the movie for being what it is, imo. Who actually plays mahjong alone lol.

[–] sovvolf 15 years ago

I've got to ask?. What was you expecting?. When you read Jet Li and action movie what was you expecting?. Martial Arts films are generally unrealistic, the plots don't make all that much sense and things happen that just wouldn't happen in real life (Like cop and gangsters using hand to hand combat when they have machine guns) but you just go with it because of the genre. The goal of an action movie is not to tell a good story but to show off stunts, they are basically "See what I can do" movies that those who enjoy martial arts movies love. To be fair the story in this film is pretty good in comparison to most martial arts movies. The story while dumb was pretty enjoyable and the acting was pretty good... I expect much worse from action movies. As a media student it's my job to analyse movies (along with games and books) and to be honest this film is excellent given the genre.

May I add that you shouldn't (when dealing with action/martial arts movies) expect The Shawshank Redemption.

[–] actionmanrandell 14 years ago

actually the police in most countries are all trained extensivly in martial arts. you know why? because the average man can run 21 feet in 1.5 seconds where in it takes expertly trained cops 1.5 seconds to draw there gun. ie the average man can run 21 feet befor a trained cop can draw his gun. ie if i am with in 21 feet of you i am mostly likely going to be able to get to you before you draw your gun. if i have a weapon such as a knife i will have stabbed you around 8 times already.

[–] lartrak 15 years ago

I'd have to agree that KOTD is one of the most ludicrous movies I've seen. I still enjoy it a lot, own the DVD, and have seen it a half dozen times.

[–] k-jonesy 15 years ago

1. In most films like these there are always corrupt police officers, it just so happened to be the French in this movie
2. It did kind of stump me when they shot the scene on the boat that the cops didnt shoot like they normally would but its a martial arts film and it was a kick ass fight scene
3. They have a lot of pull with things like these, any witnesses left take one look and just turn the other way as they know what might happen to them if they say anything
4. Agreed with DB. The gun is taken off him when he meets the three guys in the toilets
5. Why wouldnt there be a self defence class for the police, it would make less sense for there not to be one
6. This kind of film would make most of its revenue from English speaking people, I wouldnt have minded subtitles if they spoke another language but its annoying looking at them while trying to watch the film
7. This isnt as uncommon as you think, its not just the chinese who dont know Santa Clause is
8. Yes it can, they do a version for your pc, just pair the tiles together, no need for another player