gc123517 Jason Yee stars in this miserable dreck. He also wrote, directed, and produced it, so all the blame falls squarely on his shoulders. Honestly, I couldn't sit through it from beginning to end. I found it so boring I fell asleep about 4 times during the film and missed about half of it (mercifully). Obviously Jason Yee is a talented martial artist and he wanted to showcase his talents in a film. Unfortunately he has no talent as a filmmaker, and he should have stayed in the ring and out of the studio. He has some good moves, but the choreography for the fight scenes is awful. Timing and position are waaaaay off. Sound quality is horrendous and every time there is dialogue it is drowned out by an unwarranted and overloud score. The acting is wooden, stiff, and heartless. The plot is ill-defined and ambiguous. One has no sense of where this story is heading, where it originates, or why it is even being told. Watching this movie is a complete waste of time, unless you happen to be suffering from insomnia.

yurshta I myself am a eclectic martial art stylist who blends Wing Chung Kung Fu, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Professional Wrestling, and Krav Maga into a single loosely structured flexible system I call "Combat Wrestling", and of course, I like a good martial art film now and then. Prior to Bruce Lee's days, the Kung Fu and Karate Films made in the Orient cared little for realism and moved more towards fantasy. Bruce Lee brought some realism back, and other martial art actors like Chuck Norris, and Steven Seagal (sp?) also tried to keep the fight scenes realistic, often doing the fight choreography as well. However, I have been dismayed at the ridiculous scenes being filmed currently both in the East and West involving the use of cables so a fight scene includes some ridiculous sequence of guys jumping from trees to trees or backwards to a rooftop, or leaping forward and kicking like 20 time alternately with both feet. It is quite fitting that the Scary Movie series and the Austin Powers have both spoofed these absurd fight scenes. There have been many actors in the past who have tried to step into the shoes of Bruce Lee, with 10,000 cheap imitations, only a handful possessing any talent or skill to a remarkable degree and none like the Master Bruce Lee.However, the Kung-Fu Magazine hall-of-famer, Jason Yee, is a fellow worth watching, and may be an exception to the rule. I hope so. I'm getting tired of directors trying to foster the illusion of an actor or actress who couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag being some Master martial artist (with a little help of wires, stunt doubles, and camera angles). Of course, movie fights have to be faked or serious injury or death could result. Often the stunt men are more highly trained than the actors, and I deplore this giving a 30 day crash course in Kung Fu or Karate Weapons or hand to hand to some actor who doesn't have the real skills. It is dangerous for all concerned. I'd like to see the return of the actor/martial artist combo like Lee, Norris, Jackie Chan, Steven Seagal. Jason Yee shows real promise as a martial arts actor.But then, many people wouldn't watch a "Karate" movie if they were paid to see it. "All that senseless violence...what shame!" I wonder sometimes what planet these guys were born on, as if John Wayne shooting up the bar in a Western is any less "senseless", and notice how the worship and adoration of firearms---the great equalizer---has turned our streets into shooting galleries. Now everybody is a potential killer, not just a highly trained fighting elite.But the fault is not in the possession of firearms, but the tendency to go straight for the gun or other weapon and use deadly force for the slightest of problems. But then, our own government does this and sets a good example for thugs to emulate. Uncle Sam will attack with the slightest provocation with such goodies as bunker busters, and cluster bombs? Why can't I, Joe Average Citizen do the same?Actually, some martial arts training would help REDUCE violence in the streets. Sound martial art philosophy, the Golden Mean---standing between the "Kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out" school, and the extreme and absurd nonviolence taught in some other schools, where the student is taught a skill which is forbidden to ever be used.Frankly, I wouldn't want a man living as my neighbor who would just stand still and meditate as two thugs butchered his wife and children. Such a man is worse scum than the thugs who attack.There is a middle path that lies between, the path of truth. Use no force greater than necessary in the given circumstances. This then is the famous Oath of Peace made famous not by Boddhidharma, but Steven R. Donaldson the fantasy writer.It runs in part "Do not harm when words are enough...do not maim when injury is enough, do not kill when maiming is enough...". Good cops, good soldiers, and good martial artists always follow this creed. But alas, we live in a society where the Natural right to defend oneself from aggressive human predators has been almost totally obliterated by modern governments. Do not fight back, just call the cops, and let the professionals handle it. This kind of stupidity is ominous. Often by the time the government which desires to control every facet of our lives gets to the scene, you or your loved ones are dead. Small comfort that the thugs who put you or your loved ones in their graves are apprehended and punished AFTER THE FACT.But what is the answer? A gun on every belt? A box of Hand Grenades in every car? How about reducing this craving fear of everything and everybody! Martial arts can help here better than a million dollars worth of psycho-therapy.How about a real martial arts training in the schools. A real martial art, not a lukewarm watered down nice and sweet claptrap with a smattering of Zen or Taoism as cream on top. The Warrior Path, paradoxically does not lead to wanton violence, but rather effectively eliminates it. But finding a real martial art, instead of a saccharine watered down version that is a total waste of time and money, is not easy! Good luck! Enjoy this film, but remember...it is only fantasy!

nico74 Watching Dark Assassin I was enthralled therefore, desiring more information I've watched the DVD extras, "Bonus Features/Making of" and read all that I could find on-line, related to the movie and Jason Yee. Dark Assassin is a very cool, low-budget indie action film. The $80,000 it's a minuscule sum for making a film, especially being shot on film. Comparatively, Hollywood spends millions to make a movie. The story is reality sad but compelling, peppered with surprising humor at times, intelligent twists, the driving element of love and a surprising ending that lets you wanting more. It features the sweet and wise Tony Todd (gotta love him), as the friendly, guiding ghost to Derek Wu in his nightmares. As a bonus, Dark Assassin uses topnotch, real martial arts fighters and champions such as Cung Le, Rudi Ott, Marvin Perry, and Yao Li with real combat skills devoid of wires and silly acrobatics. Camera skills and the post-production tie up the elements to deliver a product that could be a signal for new times in American martial arts movie making and style. Jason Yee who wrote, acted, directed and produced Dark Assassin, pays homage with this film to the 70's and to Bruce Lee, The Master and leading champion, who believed that anybody can be kung fu fighting. We miss you Master! Unlike a Hollywood movie, Dark Assassin is a labor of love for Jason Yee and those who believed in him. It is worth seeing and appreciated for what it has to offer in the present and for the future, while taking in consideration its meager means. By supporting Dark Assassin we might finally see some variation in the world of martial arts movie making, which are a bit stale and repetitive right now. Hurrah!

user-5250 I'm a fan of action films with lots of martial arts, so I know how to enjoy a brainless movie from time to time. But this one is so bad it's incomparable.The characters in this movie are typical and dull, always falling into the same pattern over and over again. The "story" can't entertain a viewer for more than 30 minutes because of the boring acting by most of the cast. If they can't even keep a straight face or tone of voice while making this, then why should I when I watch it, even though it's not meant to be comedy.Even if you manage to look past all that and try to enjoy it for the fights, it still disappoints: no original moves, lousy stunt work and 'enemies suddenly distracting each other so the main character can get away, even though all exits are locked' are some of the things that come into mind.Maybe in the end my expectations were too high, but then again, how low do I have to set my standards to be able to enjoy a movie? I will never see a movie written or directed by Jason Yee again.