John Cusack as a Roman general who becomes allies with peacekeeper Jackie Chan in China in 48 B.C.? Daniel Lee’s elaborate Chinese historical action epic “Dragon Blade” certainly gets points for creative casting, as well as its gorgeous widescreen visuals.
It’s not always the easiest story to follow, possibly because of the 23 minutes (including a prologue set🧔 in 2015) that have been excised since the film set box-offic𒉰e records earlier this year in China. There it was shown in 3-D IMAX, while stateside it’s just more fodder for the video-on-demand marketplace, supported by a token theatrical release.
Despite some odd tonal shifts, this handsome production deserves better. Top-billed Chan plays Huo An, the head of the Silk Road Protection Squad, whose job is to keep the peace between the 36 races who li༒ve in China’s remote We🃏stern Regions.
Framed for smuggling, 🥂the squad members are sentenced to hard labor at the Wild Goose Gate, where Huo An ends up leading the defense when the remote outpost is besieged by a wandering Roman legion.
When the siege is interrupted by a sandstorm, the peace-loving Huo An offers shelter to the Romans and their leader, Lucius (Cusack🌼), who are on the run from the evil consul Tiberius (Adrien Brody) and his 100,000-man army.
Lucius and his men lend their Roman ingenuity and brawn to help Huo An rebui🍎ld Wild Goose Gate — a beautifully staged montage — just before Tiberius and his legions show up for an even more impressive climactic battle.
Veteran star Chan, who plays it mostly straight, has great bromantic chemistry with Cusack, surprisingly convincing as an ancient Roman warrior trying to protect a child of noble bꦗirth.
Brody, who wields both a mean sword and villainous quips with aplomb, makes the most of his limited screen time in “Dragon Blade,” which overall is a lot of fun.