Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975)
Reviewed by: Gaijin84 on 2005-08-10
Summary: Fun and campy
Cleopatra Jones is sent to Hong Kong to find associates involved in a drug deal gone sour in this classic 70's blaxploitation film. Jones and her newfound sidekick Mi Ling (Tim Lei) have to find Chan Shen, an associate of the "Dragon Lady". Chan Shen has stolen some of the Dragon Lady's drugs and tried to sell them on his own, prompting a viscious attack on him and his henchmen. Once in Hong Kong, Jones must infiltrate the criminal underworld and bring the Dragon Lady down.
This is a very fun movie as long as you go into it understanding not to take it too seriously. Tamara Dobson has a great screen presence (at 6'2" how could she not?!) and the good supporting cast contributes well, especially Tim Lei. The martial arts are pretty shotty, but are you watching the movie for that? Look for some blatant stunt double work (which adds to the campiness) and a quick shot of Yuen Wo Ping on the boat in the opening scenes. An added bonus is the fact that the filmmakers actually shot the film on location, giving you a great view of Hong Kong during the down and dirty 70s.
7/10
Reviewer Score: 7