It has just enough comedy in it too. So that's how it is a Jackie Chan-style kung fu flick. It was critically trashed in it's day, and ended up being a box office ghost, but it deserved much better. Make no mistake, It is suitable for family viewing, but it also is enjoyable to martial arts fans and fans of the source video game. There's something in it for everyone.

DOUBLE DRAGON tells the story of the future in L.A. It is now called "New Angeles" after a horrible earthquake has partially submerged the city in water. Evil businessman Koga Shuko (Robert "T-1000" Patrick, who does these roles in his sleep) is seeking to get his hands on a mystical chines amulet known as the "Double Dragon". It was split into two halves, but whoever could possess and unite both halves who attain godly power. Koga already has one halve in his possesion, but the other half belongs to Satori Imada (Julia Nickson), who is the adoptive mother of martial arts expert brothers Jimmy and Billy Lee (Mark Dacascos and Scott Wolf). Koga is hot on their trail, and Jimmy and Billy join to stop Koga and save the world.

The story is one that is more than adequate enough to build a video-game-based-martial-arts-movie on, but that's just one of DOUBLE DRAGON's virtues. The movie is so crammed with action that it's almost impossible to imagine why it was so overlooked in it's day. In their first appearance onscreen, the Lee brothers establish theie martial arts credentials at a tournament, and things only go uphill from there.

Dacascos and Wolf and just as good actors as they are karate experts. They actually not only can act, but also look young enough to be playing brothers who are 17 or 18 years old. If you doubt this, then here's a little FYI. In 1994 (when DOUBLE DRAGON was released) Wolf was 26 years old, and Dacascos was 30!!! This may be the only kung fu movie Wolf has done, but not Dacascos. In fact, he recently played the bad guy in the Jet Li martial arts flick, CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE (which I plan on immediately buying.)

Julia Nickson is also very watachable, playing apparantly the only person who cares enough about the Lees to take them in. She even gets to do alittle fighting in the movie. As for Patrick, This may not go down in history next to his T2 villian, but it does in my book.

That Double Dragon medallion really is something, too. Satori's half gives "power over the body", allowing the wearer to become impervious to injury or death, just take anything and shake it right off. Koga's half gives "power over the soul", allowing the wearer to turn himself into some kind of ghost and take possesion of any human body. If I had that kind of power, I wouldn't even need to study Tae Kwon Do.

In closing, I would just like to say, DOUBLE DRAGON rules baby!!! Buy it, now!!!