In the first weekend
of July 2001, “Kiss of the Dragon,” starring martial arts sensation Jet Li along with Bridget
Fonda, premiered at the number four spot in the box office. A soundtrack produced by Luc
Besson, Steven Chasman, Happy Walters, and Mr. Li himself was soon released to accompany
the motion picture. The songs it features correspond to the movie in the sense that listeners
can match the tunes with actual fight scenes. However, this alone is not reason enough to
purchase the CD, since the songs cannot stand on their own. In order to really see Jet Li
and experience the action, then I suggest just buying the movie on video or DVD.
Songs worth listening to in the album don’t even add up to six of the twelve total
tracks. One of the high points is “Lapdance” by N*E*R*D, featuring Lee Harvey and Vita.
Being that N*E*R*D emerged from the Neptunes producing group, the song has the familiar
choppy yet catchy beat that is characteristic of the beatmakers’ previous hits. Another
highlight is “F*ck That” by Bathgate, a rapper who, like Philly’s Most Wanted, could probably
be mistaken for Jay-Z. Produced by Clue and Duro, the song mixes the same ingredients used
in Jay-Z’s many hits.
Although the soundtrack starts off with several rap songs, it goes on to include a mix
of other genres. For example, “Don’t Blame It on I” by The Congos could be considered a
decent reggae song if it wasn’t for the nasal singer posing as lead vocals. I think my friend
best described it when she said, “it takes you to a tropical scene and leaves you hanging.”
“Kiss of the Dragon” also includes a bit of R&B like “Ghir Dini” by the French singer Assia.
While the song is not bad, its foreign effect just doesn’t seem to belong with the rest.
Finally, the soundtrack ends with some new-age or adult contemporary music.
“Adore You,” by Lisa Barbuscia is comparable to the soothing sounds of Dido, while
Craig Armstrong’s “As If You Said Nothing” is a bit more upbeat. Still, neither fit in with
the idea of an action-packed movie.
Overall, nothing overly special sticks out from the “Kiss of the Dragon” soundtrack,
so you’d probably be better off saving your money for something else.
