the last dragon (1985) Review
They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Yes, the plot of 1985's The Last Dragon is paper thin and the movie is largely a vehicle for Berry Gordy to showcase burgeoning-at-the-time Motown imprint musicians. The end result is still purely innocent eighties fun. One scene stands out as comedy gold in 2021, unintentionally. Vanity, our damsel-in-distress has Bruce Leroy as a visitor at her velvet-everything penthouse. She attempts to seduce him in the only way they did seduction in eighties movies (without any subtlety). At one point she asks Leroy “are you thirsty?” No, Vanity you’re the thirsty one. The fight scenes are beyond competent, pleasantly innovative and creatively shot so that the near 20 minute extended fight sequence concluding the film is a popcorn munching blast and not tiresome. Thirteen year old Ernie Reyes can GO. To be clear, this movie is not good, it’s great. Watch it again and remind yourself. Sometimes it’s hard to live the way of the wise. Get your glow on. Keep an eye out for a baby faced William H. Macy and his blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo at the films start. RIP Denise Katrina Matthews.