Year of the Dragon (1985)

Michael Cimino directs an adaption of Robert Daley's novel about a police captain's crusade to take down a Chinese crime syndicate known as a Triad.  Nominated for Razzie awards, the film didn't help revitalize Cimino's carreer. Oliver Stone co-wrote the screenplay but there are only hints of his personality in the dialogue.  Parts of the film work, I especially love the scenes with Caroline Kava who plays Mickeye Rourke's wife.  Mickey Rourke is mostly good but ultimately he was miss cast.  John Lone does a decent job as the villian, but none of his scenes are new.  Ariane, the super model turned actress, is horrible; she plays a journalist who falls in love with Rourke.  Cimino must have cast her because she was the only Asian actress he could find that was willing to get naked for the camera.  Yet the minute she opens her mouth it's clear she has no business being there.  This is a bad film with moments of quailty scattered through out.  Full of steroetypes and overacting, this is one to miss.  Grade: C.