The Last Dragon: Much-loved and fondly remembered, while at the same time, a giant steaming pile of filmmaking, Motown Record’s Berry Gordy produced this blaxploitation/chop-socky/kiddie flick about young “Bruce” Leroy Green (Taimak, in his acting debut; it’s said that he learned acting while on set…and it absolutely shows), who has to fight Sho Nuff, the Shogun of Harlem, and evil businessman Eddie Arkaddian, to save his friends as well as his lady love Laura Charles (played by Vanity). Dopey in the extreme, aimed at children but with a surprising amount of profanity, and a soundtrack that is quantifiably dreadful (it’s like you’re listening to the death of R&B, murdered by synthesizers and schlock), I can absolutely understand the appeal of “The Last Dragon” in the year of its release, just like I can understand the appeal of “Breakin’ 2 - Electric Boogaloo” - you just had to be there to get it. It will completely escape you otherwise because, minus the nostalgia, it’s a terrible, terrible film. The acting is wooden when it’s not over-the-top, the plot is hokey, the fights aren’t bad, but can‘t carry the film. Have I mentioned how much the soundtrack sucked yet? I mean, DEBARGE is the high note, people, and it only goes downhill from there. Woodchuck sez, “Total hooey.”
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