'Flash Point' is insanely awesome
By Jessica Severs
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The insanely awesome Donnie Yen launches into inhuman feats of fight choreography that lifts this cop flick to a zen-like state of martial arts enlightenment.
Yen manages to put the "art" back in "mixed martial arts," drawing heavily from brutal Muay Thai and Jujitsu grappling, corkscrewing the bad guys in mid air with deft efficiency. Seriously, he is something to be marveled.
In "Flash Point," Yen plays a fearless detective closing in on a vicious gang, while his undercover partner feeds him intel. As expected, things gets messy, and the blood hits the fan.
The climax hurls out a doozy of a white-knuckle duel where you'll find yourself cringing with every blow. Yen's intensity never falters.
And as you'll find out in the second disc-full of special features, these punches and kicks connect -- this ain't no Hollywood action flick -- to satisfy Yen's demand for realism. Ouch.
R; 2008. (88 minutes, Dragon Dynasty) 3 stars