Green Dragon

PG-13

Released May 3, 2002

1 hr. 55 min.

Drama

List

61%

28 Reviews

Tomatometer

50%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

"Green Dragon," set in California in 1975 in a Vietnamese refugee camp, tells the story of Tai Tran (Don Duong), who has the courage to introduce himself to Sergeant Jim Lance (Patrick Swayze), and manages to eventually improve conditions and communications in the camp.

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Critics Consensus

Green Dragon struggles to control its sentimental tendencies, but its flaws are just outweighed by an affecting -- and often overlooked -- perspective on the Vietnam War.

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Audience Member

Little known Patrick Swayze, Forest Whitaker gem. Takes a very different look at the war and some of the other aspects of the war and the people it left behind.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A moving portrayal of the plight of South Vietnamese refugees housed at Camp Pendleton in 1975 awaiting resettlement in America and hoping to be reunited with family. On hearing of the fall of Saigon the refugees must face the daunting idea of rebuilding their lives in an unfamilar country. For those who find this film interesting I'd recommend reading Ahn Do's "The Happiest Refugee" even though it relates to resettling in Australia.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This film went beyond anything I had ever expected it to be. The acting was incredible, the scenes were moving and the characters memorable and beautiful. I was so happy to see Patrick Swayze back and looking good and of course Forest Whitaker was fabulous. His relationship with the young Mihn was touching. Please, go rent this movie; you won't regret it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Little known Patrick Swayze, Forest Whitaker gem. Takes a very different look at the war and some of the other aspects of the war and the people it left behind.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is a great movie for kids of all ages!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Very natural movie and it really touched my heart. I think it gives a good portrayal of what happened at the time the good and the bad (but not the very bad)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

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Timothy Linh Bui

Director

Patrick Swayze

Jim Lance

Forest Whitaker

Addie

Đơn Dương

Tai Tran

Hiep Thi Le

Thuy Hoa

Long Nguyen

Q. Hai

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Bruce Westbrook

Houston Chronicle

An honest, sensitive story from a Vietnamese point of view.

Rated: A

Jul 26, 2002

Full Review

Jane Sumner

Dallas Morning News

Earnest, unsubtle and Hollywood-predictable, Green Dragon is still a deeply moving effort to put a human face on the travail of thousands of Vietnamese.

Rated: C+

Jul 25, 2002

Full Review

Gene Seymour

Newsday

Just when the movie seems confident enough to handle subtlety, it dives into soapy bathos.

Rated: 2/4

Jul 19, 2002

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Revisiting the painful aftermath of Vietnam from the perspective of American-bound refugees, Timothy's film is an honorable if not great companion piece to his brother Tony's Three Seasons; both films played at the Sundance Festival dramatic competition

Rated: B-

Dec 26, 2006

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 4/5

Dec 6, 2005

Full Review

Michael Szymanski

Zap2it.com

Rated: 0/5

Nov 4, 2005

Full Review

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Synopsis

"Green Dragon," set in California in 1975 in a Vietnamese refugee camp, tells the story of Tai Tran (Don Duong), who has the courage to introduce himself to Sergeant Jim Lance (Patrick Swayze), and manages to eventually improve conditions and communications in the camp.

Director: Timothy Linh Bui
Executive Producer: Alison Semenza King, Forest Whitaker
Screenwriter: Timothy Linh Bui, Timothy Linh Bui, Tony Bui
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Spirit Dance Entertainment, Franchise Pictures, Rickshaw Filmworks, Franchise Classics, TGD Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Some Disturbing Situations|Nudity|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 3, 2002, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 21, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $146.1K
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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