Double Dragon: The Movie was released to audiences in 1994, a mere month before the Street Fighter film so I guess the video game trend was really kicking in at this point. Being loosely based on the superb 1987 arcade game by Technos, Double Dragon is an action adventure film with a little martial arts thrown in for good measure but is it any good? |
The film actually looks not bad in places. The special effects are without a doubt TV quality, even for the 90's but some wide shots with nice looking matte paintings of crumbling buildings and futuristic skylines occasionally appear and make you sit up slightly and go “Oh!” although it would have been nicer if they were used more but the fact they are there at all is something good. Make no mistake about it, this really is a kids film. The action is exactly what you would expect from it's ilk with some tame, cartoonish style fight scenes with only Dacascos getting to show off some flashy kicks now and then, all interlaced with Gorgonzola smothered humour that's laughable more for the execution rather than the content.
To summarise, Double Dragon is a fun film that is a slice of pure cheddar. It's a complete product of it's time so for that it has quite a bit of viewer pull and is reminiscent of what Masters of The Universe did for the 80's although Double Dragon is nowhere near as good but the feeling is similar. I who is detached emotionally and nostalgically from the film found some enjoyment in viewing although I doubt it will have much, if any repeat value as I don't think I'll ever watch it again but the fact remains that it is somewhat enjoyable and surprisingly inoffensive fluff that didn't leave the bad taste in my mouth that I was so rabidly expecting.......nay hoping!
If you sit your kids down to this they will probably love it, but do them a favour and make them play the game first!
Striding forth from his lair at Castle Stareskull one morning, Prototron decided to not reign down terror on the villagers, but instead go back inside, crack open a beer and load up Streets Of Rage 2. One hundred years later, he's still there. A avid music maker (of TERROR!) and retro gamer, he can be found whooping any and all heroes at all manner of SNK-based challenges. |