Reviews
LIBRARY JOURNAL -- An aspiring street artist with ajob and a few good friends, Kyrie isn't interested in some cheesy offer tofulfill his destiny as descendant of a Shaolin Elder and save the free world.But when the mysterious Master Fong connects the challenge to Kyrie's absentfather, the young man seizes on what all children of absent fathers wish tohear: that his father deeply loved him and stayed away to protect him, not fromhate or disinterest. So Kyrie trusts his mentor, trains hard, and finally fightshis adversary. Yet things are not as they seem, and Kyrie chooses to rise aboveFong's demands. Moreover, the battle is not yet over. While screenwriterLongino's plot seems similar to many other martial arts dramas, the closingtwists add depth and suspense. White's ( The Harlem Hellfighters ) livelyart hits the top of the scale for excitement, realism, and design. In addition,Diego Rodriguez's colors imbue the settings from seedy hotels to Harlem sewerswith moody, glowing ambiance. VERDICT Kung fu aficionados will enjoy this newvariation on a beloved theme with hip-hop and urban trappings. [Film rights wererecently sold to Sony/Columbia Pictures.-Ed.]-MC