Fist of the Red Dragon

Fist of the Red Dragon is presented in an anamorphic-enhanced 1.78:1 widescreen transfer. The overall quality is problematic. There is some very discernable debris on the print: nicks, speckles, and other noise are all apparent. Print wear on the negative is visible throughout. Colors are flat and occasionally muted, and transfer is somewhat soft. Grain structure is evident. Contrast levels are smart and reasonable. Overall the film looks acceptable, but it won't win any awards either.

Audio:

Again, the bad news is that the Original Soundtrack Language is missing here. You have a choice between English dubs in 5.1 and 2.0, and a French dub as well. The 5.1 mix is obviously the more spacious of the two, but it fails to engage on an overall level. There is some forced directionality and occasional smart use of the expanded soundstage, but the overall effect is pretty flat. The dubbed dialog often sounds hollow and thin. Again, the presentation is barely decent, but unmemorable.

Extras:

The extras included on this disc are trailers for Fist of the Red Dragon, Legend of the Red Dragon, Returner, and So Close.

Final Thoughts

Donnie Yen is always a charismatic and entertaining presence, and Woo-ping Yuen knows how to bring out the best in an action scene. Yet Fist of the Red Dragon never comes across as more than a standard and ultimately unmemorable entry into the HK action cannon. The film demonstrates both the enjoyable and the annoying elements of the genre, and never really gels into anything too special. The DVD presents a pretty lifeless presentation of the film, and without supplements of note I cannot really recommend this disc to anyone but hardcore HK/Donnie Yen/Woo-ping Yuen fans. And even then, the lack of the original soundtrack language pretty much deep-sixes that recommendation.