Mickey Rourke shines in this brutal account of a New York police captain's mono-maniacal quest to bring down a Chinese gangster. His intense performance as a man who is willing to risk his life and the lives of everyone around him to achieve his ends anchors a film that was almost truly great. Cimino's direction is stylish but at times the editing betrays him. Added to this is the awful performance of Ariane as Tracy Tzu, a script that brings in more ideas than it knows what to do with and an erratic musical score. It's maybe a kind of triumph for Cimino that in spite of those faults the film is still gripping. His stunning set pieces, the excellent supporting turns by John Lone and the frequently under rated Raymond J. Barry and the films own uncompromisingly tough attitude work hand in hand with Rourke's bravura turn. Definitely recommended.
Review of Year of the Dragon
