The Last Dragon

"Who's the master?!"

—Sho'nuff

A 1985 Blaxploitation/Kung-Fu movie, in which mild-mannered hero Leroy Green (AKA "Bruce Leroy") goes in search of a legendary kung-fu master, hoping to reach the "final level" of his craft. Along the way he saves the local distressed damsel, and goes up against the villainous duo of Sho'Nuff, the Shogun of Harlem, and white business mogul Eddie Arkadian. Quite enjoyable, in an utterly brain-dead over-the-top kind of way.

Not to be confused with the novel Last Dragon.

Tropes used in The Last Dragon include:

• Arrogant Kung Fu Guy -- "Sho'Nuff!!"
• Arrow Catch - Leeroy is deemed ready to leave his training when he is able to catch the right arrow without understanding how he did it.
• Ascended Fanboy - Leeroy is really into Bruce Lee.
• Badass Boast -- "Who's the master?! Sho'Nuff!! Shogun of Harlem!!"
• Battle Aura - Leeroy spends the movie trying to understand how to call upon "The Glow". He is more than a little surprised when Sho'Nuff summons it without effort.
  • But only in his hands. A true Master's entire body glows.
• Bond Villain Stupidity: Sho'Nuff and his gang insist on martial arts beatdowns. The media-obsessed Arkadian's desire to "put on a show" is more important to him than immediately winning; he even stops one of his henchmen from shooting Leeroy during a big staged fight. Once the show is over, however..
• Brick Joke: Not really a joke, but when he first meets Leeroy Sho'Nuff mocks the stories he's heard of him, including that he "catches bullets with his teeth! Nigga please." At the end of the movie, you can probably guess what Leeroy does.
• Carnival of Killers - Mr. Arkadian's response to Leeroy's repeated beatdowns of his thugs.
• Delivery Guy Infiltration: Leroy succeeds only because the guards are all drunk and stoned. It's not that they're too blitzed to recognize him either, it's because they had the munchies and he was carrying a pizza.
• Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting most notable in the Theater.
• Foreign Culture Fetish Leeroy is decidedly an Asian-phile; wearing stereotypical "rice paddy" garb, speaks Chinese and eating everything (including movie popcorn!) with chopsticks. He's taken it so far that he no longer fits in with his own culture at all, but would probably be perfectly at home in China.
  • Leroy isn't the only one. Consider the Chinese guys who run the fortune cookie factory. They dress and act sterotypically black and speak jive turkey slang. Leroy runs into them part way through the movie. When they meet it could also be considered a Stereotype Flip.
• Getting Crap Past the Radar: "Get him girls, maybe you can get a rise out of this limp... wimp..."
• Groin Attack: The signature attack of Leeroy's little brother. His attempt to take on the baddies is abruptly ended by a Mook with the foresight to wear a cup.
• Heel Face Turn: Angela Viracco pulls one of these while delivering a genuinely badass verbal beatdown to Eddie Arkadian.
• Hey, It's That Guy! Jonny's younger brother? You might remember him as Keno from the second TMNT movie. Or the lead in Surf Ninjas.
  • Oh, William H. Macy, how could you?
  • Recognize Leeroy's little sister? It's Keisha Knight-Pullam.
  • Eddie Arkadian's girlfriend? That's Faith Prince. She's had a bit of a side career on Broadway.
  • Sho'nuff went on to play Lord Bowler alongside Bruce Campbell in Brisco County Jr.
• Informed Attribute: Sho'nuff allegedly all but controls Harlem. However his gang consists of about five people, and even though he has a reputation, no one seems particularly intimidated by him until he starts beating people up.
  • When Eddie recruits Sho'nuff at his dojo, a lot more of his pupils/lackeys can be seen.
• Informed Flaw: Angela isn't as bad a singer as she's supposed to be, especially considering this is the 80's.
  • Considering her actress has had a mildly successful career on Broadway it's probably Stylistic Suck.
• Intercourse with You: Vanity's "7th Heaven" is...not a subtle song.
• It Was with You All Along
• Loved Ones Montage
• Magic Feather - Leeroy's mentor gives him what proves to be a beltbuckle, telling him it was a secret talisman used to unlock "The Glow".
• The Master -- "Sho'Nuff!!"
• N-Word Privileges: "Catches bullets, WITH HIS TEETH?! N*gga Please..."
• Non-Actor Vehicle - Vanity remains better known as a singer than an actress
  • The movie centers around Taimak's martial arts skills. He had never acted before in his life and it shows.
• Oblivious to Love: Leroy's a bit too eccentric to pick up on Laura's interest in him, at least until she grabs his head and plants one on him.
• Oddly Small Organization: Sho'nuff and his gang.
• Power Glows - According to the movie, a true master of Kung-Fu literally lights up when he fights.
• Pretty Fly for a White Guy: The three Asian rapper wannabes. Reversed with Bruce.
• Punny Name The master Leeroy is sent to find is named Sum Dum Goy.
  • His study of martial arts and Chinese culture has earned Leeroy the nickname Bruce Leeroy
• Quirky Miniboss Squad - Mr. Arkadian's gang of fighters is... colorful.
  • Special mention goes to Sho'Nuf's gang of thugs dressed in camouflage, sporting pads, and silk robes.
    • Albino. Biker. Santa.
      • With a MOHAWK.
• Scary Black Man -- "Sho'Nuff!!"
• Trickster Mentor - Leeroy's sensei teaches him the deeper meaning of Kung Fu primarily by sending him on wild goose chases.
• Uncle Tomfoolery: Subverted, as the Chinese characters engage in this...
• Urban Fantasy: The Glow is what pushes it over the top.