Double Dragon
Directed by James Yukich (career of tons of music videos and short specials)
Screenplay by Michael Davis and Peter Gould
Based on Double Dragon video game
Starring Robert Patrick, Mark Dacascos, Scott Wolf, and Alyssa Milano
Released November 4, 1994
Budget: $7.8M ($13.6M in 2021)
Box Office: $4.2M ($7.3M in 2021)
Gross: According to Wikipedia, “it failed both critically and financially.”
Ratings: IMDb 3.8/10 Rotten Tomates 13% Google Users 81%
Plot:
Robert Patrick opens with a voice over telling the quick back story of the double dragon medallion, one controls the body, the other the soul. That an ancient king had given them to his sons for safe keeping. A Chinese village is being ransacked when one member leads the leader of the group to a cave, we see one half of the medallion and the leader reveals herself, and that it’s “modern” times telling someone they found it. The city scape of New Angles in 2007, after the big quake frames the story. Koga activates the soul half of the medallion he has and instructs his minions to find the other half.
S:
-What’s with the big fans on top of the buildings?
-The special effects aren’t NEARLY as good as T2
We then meet the Lee brothers They’re in a martial arts completion that is lost because of Billy be dq’ed, They’re also shown to have the other half of the dragon medallion. George Hamilton and Vanna White host the evening news, and Andy Dick as the weather man. It seems the police have given up the city at night and roaming gangs control the streets, as the Lees are surrounded by “The Mowhawks.” A car chase ensures where its shown cars are fueled by garbage and paper. After a wreck, they’re saved by Powercore and Marion. Satori gives the brothers more background.
S:
-“Eat some fist, butt-head”
-Those computer graphics are terrible
-The Abobo guy is so over acted
Back with Koga, Abobo gives him information about the Lee brothers, he is rewarded by being experimented on with new steroids. It’s shown Marion is the daughter of the police chief. Koga finds where the Lee brothers are staying and comes for the medallion. We find out he used to be called Victor Guisman, but “nobody would party with him,” so he changed it to Koga Shuko. When he sees Billy wearing the medallion, a large fight breaks out. Koga using the medallion and we’re introduced to the new Super Abobo. After it seems to be over, Satori tries to get the medallion from Billy, and it’s revealed she’s been possessed by Koga. After getting Kaga out of her, she sacrifices herself to save the brothers. All the gangs are shown to be meeting under the guidance of the billed, “Maniac Leader” (Micheal Berryman), who is quickly dispatched by Koga. Super Abobo was showing to have survived the explosion and the boys mourn Satori.
S:
-Classic rebelling daughter against strict father.
-Obvious that Jimmy Lee is a real martial artist, Scott Wolf isn’t
-Abobo off the stage, “nothin’ but net”
-Terrible one liners, “is it just me, or is it hot in here”
-Michael Berryman: Sept 4, 1948, has hypohidroic (hypo-hid-droic) Ectodermal (echo-dermal) dysplasia, a condition where he has no sweat glands, hair, fingernails or teeth. He was quoted as saying, “I was pretty we grounded. I was being teased and whatever and I didn’t have anger skills, so I would go to the parents and say your children are brats and tell them they were bad parents.”
The brothers have a small fight and resolve to work together and come up with a plan. As they walk, the end up in the middle of a super gang fight. After almost escaping and barricading themselves in a boat house, they escape on a boat and that chase begins. The boat chase ends with the Hollywood river catching fire, and seemingly the brothers die in a crash, but of course they don’t. Some exposition they agree to ask Marion for help. She has been, basically, torturing Abobo for information. The brothers show up, ask for help, and invade the Shuko plaza. They witness Koga attempting to bribe Marions dad, which doesn’t work. Another fight breaks out, the brothers and Marion vs Kaga inhabiting various bodies. And The police chief against Whip; who looses. Jimmy is captured.
S:
-“You’re Ug-Lee, I’m Home-Lee…” Also, the way they “high five” balled fish and open hand… Me and my friends did this after this movie. We were super cool.
-I thought the matte paintings were pretty good. Well done.
-The guys fighting over who follows Alyssa Milano into the tunnels.
-Why does Billy just randomly have fishing string in his pocket?
-Channel 69 news… haha
As the gangs riot, the chief tries to rally his officers to go back out on the streets and take them back, but no one follows. Jimmy being captured, Koga gives exposition and more background about working with their father. As Billy starts to get romantic with Marian, the gangs attack the Powercore base. Abobo finally sees what Koga has done to him, and goes berserk. Jimmy arrives, possessed by Koga. As they fight, Billy gives up on the medallion, and throws it away, but it comes back and grants him the power of the body. During the fight, Billy losses the medallion, Koga grabs it and units them. He then splits into two monster fighters. As they fight, Abobo enters and tells Marian to turn on the lights, allowing the brothers to defeat the monsters, and in doing so, catch the medallions, and then they unite them. Jimmy enters Kogas body, does some slap-stick, confesses to the chief and is arrested and they hear sirens in the night. As they all celebrate, Abobo shows up, asks to join them, and thinking Billy has possessed him, lets him drive… When Billy shows up in the back seat, they realize their mistake and scream. We end on the henchmen walking away arguing who’s fault it was.
S:
-The whole thing is so overly dramatic.
-The double dragon video game in the Powercore HQ
-The obviously fake swords during the boss fight.
-“You’re weak like your father” “You’re ugly like your mother…” JFC.
-This whole movie about the double dragons, they get them for 5 minutes only to beat up a normal dude. Not even a decent fight.
-Abobo, “what’s up chicken butt?”
-The henchmen had the Shuko logo on the back of their heads, was crossed out.
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