The Last Dragon
March 22, 1985 in theaters
A young Harlem martial artist named Leroy Green pursues the ultimate level of his art — a mystical power called the Glow — while crossing paths with a ruthless music promoter, a soul singer in danger, and the self-declared Shogun of Harlem. The 1985 film blends martial arts, R&B, and New York street style into a genre hybrid that became a cult touchstone.
Cast
Director
TRAILER
QUOTE
"Sho'nuff!"
DID YOU KNOW?
The Last Dragon was produced by Motown Productions, one of Berry Gordy's few feature film ventures.
THE VERDICT
Synthesized from published reviews
The Last Dragon commits completely to its own mythology — a film where a Black martial artist from Harlem can achieve spiritual transcendence through discipline and decency, set against an R&B soundtrack and a villain who announces himself as the Shogun of Harlem. Julius Carry's Sho'nuff steals every scene he's in, and Taimak's Leroy carries the film's sincerity without irony. The genre cocktail — kung fu, soul music, '80s New York, and a light supernatural thread — shouldn't work as well as it does. It earned its cult status honestly, and it holds up because it was never embarrassed by what it was.
GALLERY
VIDEOS
