I don’t know how or why but the 1985 kung fu fantasy The Last Dragon imprinted on me at a very early age. I have strong memories of watching it, loving it, and emotionally connecting with it. For some reason though, I’ve never been able to explain why. And so, with the film celebrating its 40th anniversary this week, I gave it a revisit and discovered not only why I liked it, but that it’s way, way better than I even remembered.
Directed by the prolific Michael Schultz, The Last Dragon is about a New York kung fu student named Leroy (Taimak… just Taimak) who is seeking the final level of enlightenment. The journey takes him across the city searching for a master who’ll teach it to him and also puts him at odds with Sho-nuff (Julius Carry), the self-proclaimed “Shogun of Harlem” who wants to fight Leroy to prove his superiority.
The main thing I remembered about The Last Dragon was it always seemed dangerous to me. Something about its martial arts mythology mixed with urban sensibilities made me feel like I would get in trouble for watching it. Maybe it’s because I was an eight-year-old suburban white kid watching a movie about cultures I had zero clue about. Maybe I just could never figure out when it started and only saw bits and pieces. Maybe I was just a wimp. Whatever the case, that’s how I felt.
Watching it last week though, I quickly realized any kind of evil or dangerous vibes I had personally inferred do not exist. At all. In reality, The Last Dragon is a joyful, innocent film that must have been too sincere for me to even comprehend as a kid. It’s a celebration of a time and place completely unfamiliar to me, told with an undeniably weird but welcome charm. To put it another way, when I first saw The Last Dragon, I definitely did not have the power of the glow.
While Leroy’s quest to find that glow, and “the master,” is the main storyline, and his rivalry with Sho-nuff is the main conflict, another story links the two and it’s so, so 1985. A rich arcade owner named, wait for it, Eddie Arkadian (Get it? Arcade-ian? He’s played by Christopher Murney) is trying to blackmail a popular singer/TV host named Laura (Vanity) to play the music videos of his girlfriend, Angie (Faith Prince). Each time Eddie attempts to kidnap or intimidate Laura though, Leroy just so happens to be there. The haphazard knight in shining armor routine makes Laura fall for Leroy, even though his life has been so dedicated to martial arts he has zero social skills.
Through this storyline, The Last Dragon‘s quirky originality is revealed. For example, it’s not just a martial arts movie. It’s also a deep dive into the 1985 pop culture. Laura’s show is MTV meets Soul Train and, at times, The Last Dragon defaults to simply playing the music videos the characters are dancing to in the movie for minutes at a time. (The highlight is DeBarge’s “Rhythm of the Night,” which originated in this movie. It was a certified banger then, is today, and will be forever.) Laura’s world is also filled with some of the biggest, wildest 1980s fashions imaginable—huge hats, sunglasses, shoulder pads, cut-offs, neon, you name it. All of which Eddie’s girl Angie also embraces. She’s a Cyndi Lauper ripoff wearing traffic lights as a bra who has some of the best scenes and lines in the movie. Basically, The Last Dragon tells us it doesn’t matter whether you’re a good guy or a bad guy. The look and sound of this era are everywhere and for everyone.
Leroy and Laura’s relationship is also hugely rewarding because it has such incredibly awkward, and therefore cute, energy. Remember, Laura is a super famous singer and TV personality so seeing her with a massive crush on someone as clueless as Leroy is hilarious and sweet (to be fair, his good looks and chiseled body probably help too). Leroy likes Laura back but has no idea how to express it, adding to the fun. Then there’s Leroy’s younger brother Richie (played by Leo O’Brien, who sadly passed away in 2012). Richie may be a kid but he’s everything Leroy isn’t: confident, smooth, and charismatic. He also has a crush on Laura and the dynamic of him as a pseudo third wheel adds even more hijinks. You want Laura and Leroy to be together but it’s almost better when they aren’t.
All of this works in large part because of Taimak. His performance as Leroy is akin to a cinematic puppy dog. Kind eyes, fierce loyalty, a little dumb, but completely lovable. He’s exactly the opposite of what you’d expect from a deadly martial artist like Leroy, so anytime he has to use his skills, it’s that much more impactful. Vanity too does an incredible job of making Laura a layered, believable character. We totally buy that someone this successful could be so wholly disarmed by love. Add in the over-the-top, in the best way, work of O’Brien and Carry, and The Last Dragon comes together masterfully… a few dated stereotypes aside.
And yes, there’s lots of action in the film, some of which is exciting, some of which is a little slow and boring. But it’s all worth it for the third act which starts with a huge battle royale and climaxes with Leroy finding out he’s the Last Dragon while a song titled “The Last Dragon” plays in a movie called The Last Dragon. Leroy finds the glow—literally—and reaches the final level, defeating Sho-nuff in the process. Watching it again, the scene brought me to tears as the childhood nostalgia came flooding in. Schultz does a phenomenal job of melding every element of filmmaking—sound, music, editing, visual effects, etc.—into an absolutely perfect cinematic moment. Here it is. You’re welcome.
That’s when it hit me. As The Last Dragon ended, I realized those climatic moments were responsible for all this. I definitely had memories of the rest of the movie but the ending? I remembered every single nuance of it. The flashbacks, the line deliveries, the perfect arc of the water spraying off Leroy’s head. It’s one of those endings that so expertly wraps up all the stories of the movie, and is done with a whole new influx of energy, that it’s completely unforgettable. The movie, like Leroy, eventually finds that extra level of enlightenment.
The Last Dragon doesn’t just stand the test of time, it aces it. The exploration of multiple cultures and tones in a fun, entertaining action package creates a snapshot of an era unlike any other, with unexpected joy and innocence elevating it above so much similar fare. I loved the movie growing up, even if I didn’t quite understand why, and now I think I love it even more because I can see just how special it truly is from start to finish. Especially the finish.
The Last Dragon celebrates its 40th anniversary on March 22. It’s not currently streaming anywhere but is available on Blu-ray and appears on services from time to time.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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