Year of the Dragon (1985): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1985, Year of the Dragon is an action, thriller, drama and crime film directed by Michael Cimino, running about 134 minutes. “It isn't the Bronx or Brooklyn, it isn't even New York. It's Chinatown... and it's about to explode.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. In New York, racist Capt. Stanley White becomes obsessed with destroying a Chinese-American drug ring run by Joey Tai, an up-and-coming young gangster as ambitious as he is ruthless. While pursuing an unauthorized investigation, White grows increasingly willing to violate police protocol, resorting to progressively violent measures -- even as his concerned wife, Connie, and his superiors beg him to consider the consequences of his actions.

Who’s in it. Year of the Dragon stars Mickey Rourke as Capt. Stanley White, John Lone as Joey Tai, Ariane as Tracy Tzu and Leonard Termo as Angelo Rizzo, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.8/10, Year of the Dragon has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $18.7M at the box office.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Year of the Dragon page.

If you liked it. Fans of Year of the Dragon tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.