Synopsis: A sleazy lawyer (Jackie) is hired to defend a corrupt businessman (Yuen Wah) whose factory has been dumping industrial waste into the waters of a local fish hatchery. So the lawyer (called Johnny in the subtitles, in spite of the fact that the other characters are quite plainly calling him “Jackie”) hires a couple of his pals to spy on the owner of the hatchery and her pretty partner, in order to obtain evidence for his case. However, romance begins to develop between Jackie and his beautiful opponent. 

Debbie's Review: This movie is, sadly, the last on-screen collaboration between all of the Three Opera Brothers, Jackie, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. Many regard this as their best film together, although in my opinion that honor would go to Wheels on Meals. (If you’re wondering, BTW, about the strange title of that film, it was originally supposed to be Meals on Wheels. However, Golden Harvest had had a string of flops that year, all beginning with the letter “M”, so with typical Chinese superstition they switched the order of the title words!) Dragons Forever proved to be a difficult experience for the brothers, however. When production began to run out of time, Jackie took over directing from big brother Sammo in order to finish before the Chinese New Year. Hard feelings may have contributed to the fact that the brothers would not work together for a while, and then only in pairs, not all three together. 

Be that as it may, Dragons Forever is a standout action movie. Probably its main high-point is a re-match between Jackie and kick-boxing champion Benny “The Jet” Urquidez. Although I personally feel that it lacks some of the sizzle of the Wheels on Meals fight, it’s still a great match. Dragons Forever is also the only film in which all three brothers go toe-to-toe against each other in a comic brawl that leaves you wanting more. 

What somewhat spoils this film for me is the maudlin romantic sub-plot between Sammo’s character and the female environmentalist, but then I think this is one of Sammo’s main faults, and why I am not a huge Sammo fan: his strong tendency toward melodrama. However, Yuen Biao’s wacky character portrayal is pure fun. Unfortunately, one of Biao’s key scenes has been cut from the Hong Kong release of this film: a scene that has him visiting his psychiatrist and getting bad advice from a gangster by mistake. This is a key scene that is important to the story continuity, and I’m not sure why any one would cut it out. 

Nevertheless, Dragons Forever has a good blend of comedy, romance and action, and Jackie is surprisingly believable as a skirt chasing lawyer. It's a refreshing change from seeing him as a cop. And Yuen Wah is delightfully nasty as the drug-pushing businessman.

Score: 8/10

Reader Reviews

Anonymous's Review: I think that this is a charming martial arts film but Jackie Chan whas doubled aloth in the fight scenes, this is very because jackie often doze his own stunts. the scenes where jackie is doubled is on the boat fight, the fight betwen him and benny Urquidez and the fight outside jackies home. the fights in the film are well choreographed toght.

Scoire: 7/10

Adam Celander's Review:  An ok martial arts film. The film is to chezzy and the fight scenes are just decent. The martial arts master Yuen Biao who was Jackie Chan,s stunt double in (The young master, My lucky stars and Drunken master) has a small roll and only appear in the movie in brief scenes until the end and his martial arts skills are not fully shown. Dragons forver is an entertaining film with humor, romance and violence.

Score: 6/10

JACKAL's Review: This was the first film I saw with Yuen, Sammo and Jackie together at the time I had yet to see Project A (drool) or Wheels On Meals or Lucky Stars and Twinkle...(less said about the latter 2 the better) Anyway its a farly solid movie with good fight scene and action pieces (boat fight, Benny the jet fight etc) I do feel Yuen got the best character and he plays it with relish with good comedic effect, Sammo's character plays the usual sacrine flooded sentimental sub plot but also adds good action, the finale is great and yuens acrobatics are unsurpassed as always. Jackies character is a change of pace a woman mad(?) lawyer who falls for a nice girl (everybody arrrrr)and hes action pieces are fab all in all a good movie with hit and miss humor and kick ass action if not a tad predictable and sentitmental.

Score: 7/10

Drunken Review Master's Review: A great send-off for the 3 opera school brothers,as always there's great chemistry between Jackie,Sammo,& Yuen Biao,with good light hearted humor,a gentle,entertaining storyline,as well as some great fast fight scenes including a short but sweet fight between the 3 brothers and Jackie Chan vs.Benny"The Jet"Urquidez pt.2 which wasn't as good as what I was expecting but still had some pretty cool stuff in it especially when Jackie does a quick backfall then a kip-up to avoid Benny's cresent kick.The coolest part of the movie I thought was in the factory fight there were some of the most dangerous& painful looking stunts performed by the JC Stuntman Club,like when JC flips a guy with his leg and the man goes flying crashes through a glass window then falls more than 25 feet crashing through a metal pipe before falling on the hard unforgiving concrete floor.Great movie quality,really surprised me.

Score: 8.5/10

Wilkin's Review: This was the 1st '3 brothers' film i saw and.....i loved it, its very funny and has some great fights/stunts.

alot better then most Chan movies ive seen.

Score: 8/10

Jackie&Jet's Review:  WOW Joe you seem think every Jackie movie is boring huh?  Dragons Forever is the funniest of all the movies the three brothers been in.  One of my favorite scenes was in the dark room.  One of the scenes was that Jackie says that Sammo is his friend and Biao says lots of things with the word "friend" in it LOL.  Without Biao in this film it would be a 10/10.

Score: 20/10

alwaysjackiefan's Review: Dragons Forever being the 2nd movie I'd seen undubbed (first was project A) just made me want to watch it over and over again....sad thing it is STILL not in my private collection....so I will have to review it from memory...

Hilarious! Part when Jackie has the girl over for dinner and Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao come into the same apartment...Sammo hiding under/by a lamp...The 3 actually fighting and Jackie keeps saying stop fighting, stop fighting...

Also the boat scene: took my breath from laughing too much...

Overall: light hearted movie, perfectly showing what the terrible trio (at least at that time) was capable of... Jackie always referred to Buster Keaton after ALL that time was still remembered for his movies.....I truly believe that Dragons forever will be one movie Jackie and Sammo and Yuen will always be remembered for...

Excellent

Score: story 8 acting 7, teaming up big fat 10, comedy worth 10+

Joe's Review: Much better effort than Wheels On meals. More action, a little better comedy, making this a decent movie.

Score: 6/10

Brendan's Review: This movie has some really good fights, some weird-yet-amusing comedy and some oddly-acted drama. This is not a great Jackie film, but is pretty good anyway. Yuen Biao and Samo Hung are in good form in this one as well. If you haven't seen it, and are a Chan fan, then I suggest you give this flick a go.

Score: 7/10

Adam JC fan's Review: This movie was kind of good. It had good fight scenes. The last fight was good.

Score: 7.5/10