This film is beautiful to look at with lots of furious sword fighting and spectacle and colour that sometimes takes the breath away. Mainly set in the Dragon Inn where plot and counterplot keep the story moving, a simple enough tale of two fleeing children and their protectors. There is humour as well as drama. The acting is first class. Maggie Cheung as the inn keeper is great, one of her best film performances surely. Spirited and sly and sympathetic she is the centre of the film. She is a survivor. Brigitte Lin and Tony Leung are good too as the children's main protectors who in contrast to Cheung play it quiet and steadfast. They have a mission. Mix these together with a gallery of interesting supporting characters and you have a fascinating film. As well as the action there are other great scenes. The scene between Lin and Cheung that starts off with one having no clothes on and the other fully dressed develops in a humorous but charming way. The last fight scene is shocking but gripping. There is also a lovely moment when Lin and Leung, by arrangement, meet up at the Inn. She looks at him and he looks at her, then he touches her cheek. In one brief moment of quietness volumes are spoken. You know their history. This subtlety is quite alien to Hollywood. If you like this kind of film it's a treat.

Everybody loves "Crouching Tiger", but this movie made more than 10 years ago is a much better martial arts movie. Instead of trying to be everything like "Crouching Tiger" did, it was just designed and implemented as a martial arts movie, and nothing else. This focus made it great to begin with. In addition to a stellar cast, great action scenes, its plot is solid and intriguing. The final fight is one of the greatest martial arts scenes ever made, especially to those who grew up reading Chinese martial arts novels. It is interesting that those who have a problem with the imagination of Chinese martial arts movies do not have any issue with that of "Matrix". In fact, the logic is very similar. "Matrix": with hi-tech, everything is possible, including dodging bullets; Chinese martial arts movies: with kongfu, everything is possible, including running on the roof. Having said that, I understand that those who have never read Chinese martial arts novels may have trouble with some of the scenes, especially if you are trying to find medical evidence to verify the possibility of some moves. However, this is just a movie based on a novel, so why don't you just relax and enjoy?

This is definitely the DVD to own...(being completely disappointed and disgusted with "Ashes of Time" by Kar-wai Wong), "Dragon Inn" a film credited to Hark Tsui has restored my faith in action/martial arts fantasy films. Stunning cinematography, interesting and engaging storyline, and something that most other movies seem to lack and that is a general depth and interest for the characters. In "Dragon Inn" we actually feel and care about the protagonist and his love, and the third pawn, the beautiful owner of the Dragon Inn. The sword fighting scene is spectacular. Every movement is "balletic" in the sense of being graceful and streaming. The inclusion of "traditional period-piece music" in the scenes was euphonic. The special effects were dazzling. The cast is indeed talented, how many people out there can actually do both acting and being athletic. The triangular aura between Brigitte, Maggie and Tony ignites a spark all on its own whether its Brigitte and Tony or Maggie and Tony or even Brigitte with Maggie...its almost Freudian. Lots of action films lose their audience because the ending becomes all too predictable. The action in Dragon Inn does not disappoint and doesn't lose any integrity with the audience from the beginning to the finale. Furthermore, the power of the Dragon Inn is that suddenly we realize that we are connected...Wow...