Much like Bryan Cranston’s Breaking Bad character Walter White before him, a parent is put in a desperate situation in the intense trailer for a new action thriller. But unlike Mr. White, this parent’s skills don’t lie in the science of cooking meth. No, instead her particular set of skills lie in the sweet science of MMA, and after a heartbreaking diagnosis, she’s determined to put them to good use for the sake of her family. She has one year left to live, and she plans to spend it fighting.
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MPI Media Group -
MPI Media Group -
MPI Media Group
Our story begins with humble mother Chie Ikeda, who sells insurance over the phone, rides her bike home through the same worn streets, and lives for her daughter Rin, a violinist with a future Chie never had. But when a doctor puts two tumors on a screen and gives her a year, optimistically, her simple life quickly starts to unravel.
When Rin tells her she is pregnant, Chie decides she has no choice but to enter a life of violence and goes back to the one thing she was ever great at: fighting. Partnering with a former champion named Saki, she’s pulled into Valhalla, an underground fight club that runs on the bets of very rich and very dangerous people. Every win goes into an envelope with Rin’s name on it. Every blow brings the end a little closer. And waiting beyond Valhalla is Ragnarok, a secret tournament where a fight ends only when the patrons are satisfied.
The first footage from Glass Dragon sets up the Breaking Bad-esque premise as it puts a tragically grounded twist on the idea of a warrior’s last stand. Once the stage has been set, the trailer quickly unleashes the battle-ready mother as she takes down a gang of sniveling criminals with slick martial arts skills. And all while using an everyday bag of groceries to do it. John Wick has pencils; Chie has her shopping bag. Once John Wick: Chapter 3 scene-stealer Mark Dacascos enters the fray, the Bloodsport-style underground fighting begins, with Chie willing to do whatever it takes to win a prize big enough to ensure her family is safe without her.
Directed by Nik Shaw and written by Ryan Nichols, Glass Dragon stars Japanese actors Miki Mizuno and Maryjun Takahashi, alongside martial arts icon and Mark Dacascos. Glass Dragon was picked up by MPI Media in 2023 for international sales, and released on DVD in Japan back in March this year, before making its western debut earlier this month at Global Stage Hollywood. A wide release has not yet been revealed, but based on the trailer, it’s well worth adding Glass Dragon to your must-see list.
