Double Dragon

DOUBLE DRAGON (1994)

Directed by: James Yukich
Screenplay: Michael Davis & Peter Gould
Starring: Robert Patrick, Mark Dacascos, Scott Wolf & Alyssa Milano

At times Double Dragon looks like somebody just puked up the 1980s onto the screen. Other times it’s actually kind of fun. No really. Bad fashion, hideous colours, crazy make-up effects and over-the-top acting make this video game adaptation a trash classic. Throw in future martial arts legend Mark Dacascos, Robert “T2” Patrick having a bawl as the bad guy and Alyssa Milano as the leader of a tough street gang (again, no really!) and Double Dragon is probably the least seen Hollywood video game adaptation ever.



How close it sticks to the game, I have no idea. Two brothers (Dacascos & Wolf) in the future have one part of some legendary medallion called the Double Dragon. Robert Patrick has the other part. Each side wants to get hold of the piece they don’t have and lots of chasing, fighting and “hilarity” ensue. The future is a day glow nightmare with gangs dressed up in all kinds of ridiculous costumes and despite violence, evil corporations and, well, everything looking like its gone to shit, everyone seem to be having a gay old time. Luckily the film never stops to take itself too seriously, the makers seem to know it’s a load of old hokum and even some of the wisecracks actually work. Yeah some parts are genuinely funny not unintentionally. Though there are plenty of those as well.

The effects, in the early days of CGI, hold up surprisingly well and there is some inventive action if occasionally clunky. The martial arts is nothing to write home about with Dacascos providing most of the fight moves and there are plenty of chases involving silly looking cars and jet skis. Loud and dumb it may be with colour and set design that may cause bouts of nausea, Double Dragon is nevertheless hokey, early 90s excess with a cool performance from Robert Patrick and appearances by action stalwarts Al Leong, Jeff Imada and Nils Allen Stewart. Goofy fun