This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

WAY OF THE BLACK DRAGON is an action vehicle for black superstar Ron Van Clief, a man second only to Jim Kelly in terms of '70s-era macho toughness. However, he only really appears in the action-focused second half of the movie. The first half of this film is a pure exploitation picture as it depicts innocent young girls being forced into prostitution and also acting as drug mules for a heroin-pushing criminal gang. There's a lot of degradation and physical violence involved in the story. In the second half, Van Clief and his buddy Carter Wong kick a lot of criminal backside, and there are various bit parts for a ton of familiar faces including Hsiao Hou, Hoi Mang, and Fat Chung. If the first half had been more like the second, I would have really got a kick out of this.

I watched a version of this movie which runs only 75 minutes, nevertheless it has to be said the first half hour is slow and terribly boring. Gangsters are making money with drugs and prostitutes - unsuspecting girls whom they abduct from Bangkok. The story is lame and the fighting action begins only when Ron van Clief finally enters the movie. He plays an Interpol agent in Thailand, wears a T-shirt saying "It's better in the Bahamas" and starts kicking and hitting all the baddies as soon as he's on the screen - sigh of relief from all who did not fall asleep until then. With a boat chase, co-star Carter Wong and increasingly violent fights, "Way of the Black Dragon" turns into a passable cheap flick, but nothing you'll still remember next month.

Simply, this movie is a treat. Ron Van Clief is perhaps the most underrated and purest action star ever, excluding Chuck Norris.Most memorable dubbed line: "You're just a bunch of bitches" (Followed by group pimp slapping) Most what in the hell moment? : 20 minute of needless expose on heroine smuggling to introduce film.Most what in the hell moment II the sequel? : Jet ski bonanza boat fight, and why did we fight those guys anyway? Also See: (Pick any random scene in the movie and ask questions of relevance to plot or storyline) Not only does this movie teach aspiring directors what not to do, but it also subtly plays on this by asking? You A-Hole, isn't this one of the greatest martial arts movies ever made? ... And you respond, well actually yes... in fact it is you're the one who is the err... (gulping noise)... are the one having the last laugh, damn you Way Of The Black Dragon, damn you bitches!"

I'm sort of wondering why I am bothering writing this review, because I have a feeling no one will read it. Anyway, this is ONE TERRIBLE MOVIE! Scratchy print, awful pan and scan with constant closeups, and horrible dubbing! Crude and cheap! Lousy fights! Ron Van Clief shows talent and charisma, but he is incredibly wasted - his character doesn't appear until about half the movie is over!