Jackie Chan Movies
One of the most popular film personalities in the world, Jackie Chan came from a poverty-stricken Hong Kong family -- so poor, claims Chan, that he was almost sold in infancy to a wealthy British couple. As it turned out, Chan became his family's sole support. Enrolled in the Chinese Opera Research Institute at the age of seven, he spent the next decade in rigorous training for a career with the Peking Opera, excelling in martial arts and acrobatics.Billed as Cheng Lung, Chan entered films in his mid-teens, appearing in 25 productions before his 20th birthday. Starting out as a stunt man, Chan was promoted to stardom as the potential successor to the late Bruce Lee. In his earliest starring films, he was cast as a stone-cold serious type, determined to avenge Lee's death. Only when he began playing for laughs did Chan truly attain full celebrity status. Frequently referred to as the Buster Keaton of kung-fu, Chan's outlook on life is a lot more optimistic than Keaton's, but in his tireless devotion to the most elaborate of sight gags and the most awe-inspiring of stunts (many of which have nearly cost him his life), Chan is Keaton incarnate.
From 1978's The Young Master onward, Chan has usually been his own director and screenwriter. His best Hong Kong-produced films include the nonstop action-fests Project A (1983), Police Story (1985), Armour of God (1986), and the Golden Horse Award-winning Crime Story (1993) -- not to mention the multiple sequels of each of the aforementioned titles. Despite his popularity in Europe and Asia, Chan was for many years unable to make a dent in the American market. He tried hard in such films as The Big Brawl (1980) and the first two Cannonball Run flicks, but American filmgoers just weren't buying.
At long last, Chan mined U.S. box-office gold with 1996's Rumble in the Bronx, a film so exhilarating that audiences never noticed those distinctly Canadian mountain ranges looming behind the "Bronx" skyline. Chan remained the most popular Asian actor with the greatest potential to cross over into the profitable English-speaking markets, something he again demonstrated when he co-starred with Chris Tucker in the 1998 box-office hit Rush Hour. In 2000 Chan had another success on his hands with Shanghai Noon, a comedy Western in which he starred as an Imperial Guard dispatched to the American West to rescue the kidnapped daughter (Lucy Liu) of the Chinese Emperor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2010
The Karate Kid franchise is resurrected with this Columbia Pictures production starring Will Smith's son, Jaden, as the youngster who learns more than simple karate lessons from a whimsical martial arts master (Jackie Chan). ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan
- 2010
- PG
- Add The Spy Next Door to Queue
A man (Jackie Chan) is forced to defend some neighborhood children who have been put in his care against secret agents looking for a stolen secret code in this Relativity Media family action film. Are We There Yet's helmer Brian Levant directs from a script by Jonathan Bernstein and Jim Greer. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan
- 2009
A simple Chinese immigrant wages a perilous war against one of the most powerful criminal organizations on the planet in this sprawling action drama directed by Derek Yee (One Night in Mongkok) and starring Jackie Chan, Daniel Wu, and Masaya Kato. In Japan, foreign migrants are shunned by mainstream society. Taunted by the yakuza, they live in constant fear of being discovered and repatriated. Into this perilous world ventures Steelhead (Chan), a humble tractor repairman who has traveled to Tokyo in search of his missing girlfriend, Xiu Xiu (Xu Jinglei), who vanished into thin air shortly after arriving in the city. It doesn't take Steelhead long to learn just what kind of hardships Chinese immigrants in Japan endure at the hands of underworld gangsters and foreign crime syndicates, and upon discovering that Xiu Xiu has adapted a Japanese identity and married up-and-coming yakuza chief Eguichi (Masaya Kato), the two men form an uneasy alliance. Over time, Steelhead earns the respect of his fellow Chinese immigrants by establishing a place for them to gather. But the dark side still beckons to Steelhead, because after helping Eguichi dispense with a powerful rival, he is granted full control of Shinjuku's most popular nightspots. Resistant to the allure of the criminal lifestyle, Steelhead discovers a new love and opens a tractor repair business just outside the city. When Equichi begins using Steelhead's former compatriots as pawns to front the yakuza's drug trade, the vengeful immigrant returns to the city determined to exact justice, even if it means destroying the future of the woman he once loved. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Naoto Takenaka, (more)
A clumsy panda bear becomes an unlikely kung fu hero when a treacherous enemy spreads chaos throughout the countryside in this animated martial arts adventure featuring the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, and Jackie Chan. On the surface, Po (voice of Black) may look like just another portly panda bear, but beneath his fur he bears the mark of the chosen one. By day, Po works faithfully in his family's noodle shop, but by night he dreams of becoming a true master of the martial arts. Now an ancient prophecy has come to pass, and Po realizes that he is the only one who can save his people from certain destruction. With time running short and malevolent snow leopard Tai Lung (Ian McShane ) closing in, Furious Five legends Tigress (Jolie), Crane (David Cross ), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), Monkey (Chan), and their wise sensei, Master Shifu (Hoffman), all draw on their vast knowledge of fighting skills in order to transform a lumbering panda bear into a lethal fighting machine. Now, if the noble Po can master the martial arts and somehow transform his greatest weaknesses into his greatest strengths, he will fulfill his destiny as the hero who saved his people during their darkest hour. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, (more)
Legendary martial arts stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li come together onscreen for the first time ever in director Rob Minkoff's time-traveling take on the Monkey King fable that finds an American teen transported back to ancient China after wandering into a pawn shop and discovering the king's fighting stick. Once there, the adventurous teen joins an army of fierce warriors who have sworn to free their imprisoned king at all costs. In addition to appearing as the mythical Monkey King, Li assumes the role of a silent monk, and Chan appears in the role of kung fu master Lu Yan. Famed action choreographer Yuen Woo Ping presides over the fight sequences. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Jet Li, (more)
In this third installment of the popular action comedy franchise, LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) and Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) book a flight for Europe and prepare to clean up the streets of Paris after discovering that Chinese triads have extended their criminal influence to the City of Lights. Chinese Ambassador Han (Tzi Ma) is in Los Angeles and about to reveal the details of a clandestine triad conspiracy to the World Criminal Court when an assassin takes aim and pulls the trigger. Though Carter has been demoted to directing traffic at the time of the shooting, Lee is acting as a bodyguard to Han when the bullets begin to fly. Lee quickly gives chase, but hesitates when he realizes that the gunman is Kenji (Hiroyuki Sanada), his old friend from the orphanage. When triads steal an envelope containing vital information regarding the conspiracy from Soo Yung's (Zhang Jingchu) Chinatown kung fu studio, Carter and Chief Inspector Lee race to reach Genevieve (Noémie Lenoir), an underground entertainer who could prove the key to bagging the bad guys. During the course of their investigation, however, triads clash with the French police, threatening to turn the romance capitol of Europe into an explosive hotbed of crime and violence. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, (more)
- 2006
The Jackie Chan-headlined action farce Rob-B-Hood concerns Slipper (Chan), a character caught up in a hornet's nest of problems. Raised by poor parents and expelled from school at an early age, Slipper became notorious for his lightning-fast footwork and quick-fingered hijinks, but managed to tally up a massive amount of gambling debt. With no other choice, he accepted his crooked landlord's bid to participate in a series of crazy heists. They paired up with another shady character, Octopus (Louis Koo), and successfully kidnapped BB, a tycoon's grandson, but unforeseen complications led the trio to keep the baby longer than they had originally intended. Now, when the men learn that a triad intends to collect on some unpaid ransom and kill the child in the process, they decide to keep the baby indefinitely, as an unofficial "adopted son," and train him in the ways of burglary. They receive assistance, in this endeavor, from a teenage hanger-on, Pak Yin (Charlene Choi); a nurse named Melody (Gao Yuanyuan); and the landlord's missus, (Teresa Carpio). Suddenly, however, the rollers and the triads begin to close in, and the men must figure out a way to return the baby to his folks. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis Koo, Michael Hui, (more)
- 2005
Gen-X Cops star Stephen Fung makes his directorial debut with this action-comedy hybrid from Hong Kong. Frequent Jackie Chan collaborator Daniel Wu plays Georgie, the gay son of a triad king who has been chosen to take his father's place when he dies. However, the crime boss's man thinks that Georgie's roommate Sam (Eason Chan) is his leader's son, and Georgie is all too happy to play along. Being the top dog isn't easy, and soon Sam finds himself in danger. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eason Chan, Stephen Fung, (more)
A pair of teenage kung fu experts find that their widowed father's far-fetched tales of adventure may hold more water than they thought in this martial arts adventure featuring fight choreography from The Matrix action director Yuen Woo Ping. In his day, Teddy (Anthony Wong) was a force to be reckoned with, but these days most of the aging chiropractor's energies are spent looking after his rebellious son Nicky (Stephen Fung) and his thrill-seeking daughter Natalie (Gillian Chung). Despite the fact that the young pair cringe when their father begins waxing nostalgic about the good old days, what they don't realize is that their father is still fighting the good fight by doing his best to protect other retired agents. When their father is kidnapped by a vengeful nemesis looking to settle a score from the past, Nicky and Natalie jump into action with Natalie's butt-kicking boyfriend Jason (Daniel Wu) to take on the bad guys and ensure that their father has a safe and happy homecoming. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Historical fact blends with high-flying fiction as Jackie Chan steps into dual roles as a determined archeologist and a loyal general of China's first emperor in director Stanley Tong's lavish historical action film. Jack (Chan) is an intrepid archeologist in search of a mythical gemstone that is said to have the power to defy gravity. Though Jack's days are spent traversing the globe with scientist sidekick William (Tony Leung Ka-fai) in hopes of finding the elusive gem, at night in his dreams he assumes the role of General Meng-yi, devoted servant of Emperor Qin Shi-huang. As Jack and William venture to the mystical Heavenly Palace -- a wondrous fortress rumored to have been built by Qin Shi-huang himself -- Jack's vivid nocturnal journeys find him falling head-over-heels for the emperor's comely Korean consort Ok-soo (Kim Hee-seon). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Kim Hee-seon, (more)
A police officer has been disgraced in front of both the department and the entire city, and when the sadistic gang that wronged him attempts to cement their grip on the terrified community, the only man who can come to their aid is the one nobody believes in anymore as the long-running Police Story saga receives an exciting breath of fresh-air from director Benny Chan. Police Inspector Wing (Chan) used to be Hong Kong's top cop, but when his entire team is wiped out by a youthful group of cold-blooded bank robbers, Wing quickly falls into a deep depression. A year after everyone including Wing's fiancée has lost their faith in the fallen police inspector, Wing gets a second shot at glory when he is assigned an ambitious new partner and given the opportunity to bring the gang that nearly destroyed his life to justice. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Nicholas Tse, (more)
Jules Verne's famous novel of a daring man who takes on the greatest voyage in history is once again adapted for the big screen in this adventure comedy. In 1872, eccentric British inventor Phileas Fogg (Steve Coogan) has come up with any number of gadgets to help people travel with greater speed and ease, and is working on plans for a flying machine. In a lively discussion with Lord Kelvin (Jim Broadbent), the head of the Royal Academy of Science, Fogg states his belief that it's possible for someone to travel around the globe in a mere 80 days. Kelvin, who makes no secret of his belief that Fogg is a crackpot, challenges him to do just that, and adds a wager to the bargain to make things interesting: if Fogg can't circumnavigate the globe in 80 days, he'll give up inventing forever. Fogg takes the challenge, and teams up with his manservant, a former acrobat named Passepartout (Jackie Chan), and lovely navigator Monique (Cécile De France) to make the epic voyage -- traveling by train, boat, balloon, horseback, or any other means at their disposal. However, Fogg and his companions are dogged along the way by the false accusation that the inventor took part in a bank robbery, forcing him to not only complete the journey but clear his name as well. Like the blockbuster 1956 adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days, this film features a number of major stars in cameo appearances and supporting roles as Fogg makes his way around the globe, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Cleese, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Kathy Bates, Sammo Hung, Rob Schneider, Richard Branson, Mark Addy, and more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, (more)
Explore one of the cinema's most enduring traditions as the Independent Film Channel and filmmaker Ian Taylor team up to take viewers on an unforgettable tour of the stars, fighting styles, and inventive weaponry of the Hong Kong film industry. From the early screen adventures of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung to the remarkable choreography of Chang Cheh and the hard-hitting films of the legendary Bruce Lee, Chop-Socky: Cinema Hong Kong explores and analyzes the unmistakable techniques and innovations of kung fu cinema with the help of such filmmakers as Lau Kar-Leung (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin) and John Woo, and such high-kicking superstars as Jackie Chan and Jet Li. From the silent era to such modern innovations as "wire-fu," this exhilarating and exciting documentary leaves no stone unturned. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
East and West team up to take on bad guys in the British Empire in this sequel to the action comedy hit Shanghai Noon. Chon Wang (Jackie Chan), once an Imperial Guard in China, is now the Sheriff of Carson City, NV, while his onetime cohort, former train robber Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson), scrapes together a living writing dime novels based on his adventures and waiting tables in New York City. However, when Wang learns that his father was killed by bandits who broke into the Emperor's palace and stole the Imperial Seal, he's determined to bring the criminals to justice. Wang's sister Lin (Fann Wong) has learned that the killers have escaped to London, so Wang travels to England to meet her, with O'Bannon in tow. As Wang and Lin -- whose martial arts skills rival those of her brother -- look for the culprits, they discover that Lord Rathbone (Aidan Gillen), who is looking to shorten his path of succession to the British throne, is in cahoots with Wu Chan (Donnie Yen), the bastard son of the Chinese Emperor's father, who needs the Imperial Seal as part of his plan to win control of the nation. As Wang and Lin try to get to the bottom of Chan's schemes, O'Bannon finds himself infatuated with his pal's sister. While set in Victorian London, Shanghai Knights was actually filmed on locations in the former Czech Republic, which more closely resembled turn-of-the-century England. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, (more)
Though it's an English-language film, the fantasy action comedy The Medallion is one of the highest-budgeted movies to come out of Hong Kong. Cop Eddie Yang (Jackie Chan) and his partner, Interpol agent Arthur Watson (Lee Evans), are in pursuit of international human-smuggling crimelord Snakehead (Julian Sands). The partners get seriously wounded and a mysterious ancient medallion transforms them into superpowered warriors called Highbinders. The two halves of the medallion are supposed to grant eternal life when joined together by a powerful young boy who was born during a specific time in the Year of the Snake. The villainous Snakehead wants to gets his hands on both the child and the medallion, and the heros try to stop him. Aided by special effects and action choreography by Sammo Hung, Chan fights his way toward a violent conclusion with Snakehead that takes place in mid-air.. Claire Forlani plays Jackie Chan's love interest, the Interpol agent Nicole. Also starring John Rhys-Davies as Commander Hammerstock-Smythe. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Lee Evans, (more)
- 2002
Documentarian Mabel Cheung traces the seemingly improbable but true tale of international movie superstar Jackie Chan's realization that the truth about his family's history is much different than he was led to believe. As Chan's mother's health deteriorated, his father decided that the younger Chan should know the truth about his family before either or both of the elder Chans passed away. In actuality, Chan was Jackie's mother's family name and not that of his father's family, which his father fearfully changed from Fong after the advent of China's Cultural Revolution. Additionally, Jackie was not an only child, as his parents each had two children -- all of whom have long since become estranged from their respective parents -- in each of their previous marriages. Traces of a Dragon premiered in 2002 and was screened in the Panorama program of the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ti Lung, Jackie Chan, (more)
Clothes make the superspy in this high-energy action comedy. Jimmy Tong (Jackie Chan) is a well-meaning but clumsy New York City cab driver who is tapped by Steena (Debi Mazar), associate to multi-millionaire Clark Devlin (Jason Isaacs), for a new job as Devlin's personal limo driver. After a mysterious accident lands Devlin in the hospital, Tong learns that his new boss has a secret -- when he's not wheeling and dealing in high finance, Devlin is also a secret agent for the CSA, a top-level security agency. The secret to Devlin's success as a spy is his trademark tuxedo, a suit which is loaded with special gadgets which turns him into a high-tech fighting machine. After Tong dons the tuxedo and is transformed into a martial arts master, he takes over for Devlin and discovers that the agent's injuries didn't happen by accident. As Tong tries to chase down a handful of international super-villains bent on world conquest, he has to deal with Devlin's new partner, Del Blaine (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a CSA rookie who is just as baffled by her new assignment as Tong. The Tuxedo marked the feature-film debut for director Kevin Donovan, who had previously won international acclaim for his work in television commercials. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, (more)
- 2002
- NR
- Add The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies to QueueAdd The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies to top of Queue
The Art of Action is a compilation film, hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, that offers clips from various action films that featured martial arts action sequences. Among the films excepted for this collection are Rush Hour 2 with Jackie Chan, Charlie's Angels, and the multiple-Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The DVD release of the film features interviews with actors and directors. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Jackie Chan tones down the martial arts action but turns up the international espionage in this globe-trotting adventure. Buck Yuen (Jackie Chan) is a sporting goods salesman from Hong Kong who daydreams of living the exciting and dangerous life of an international spy. One day, Buck makes the news after he accidentally stops a gang of bank robbers from getting away with the loot, and his brief moment of celebrity attracts the attention of Many Liu (Eric Tsang), a low-rent private detective who's looking for help with a missing person's case. One of Many's clients is looking for his long-lost son, and Many thinks Buck is just the guy to help track him down. Buck signs on, and is sent to Korea, where he meets a mysterious man named Mr. Park; Buck doesn't think he's the man Many wants, but he wonders if he might be his own father, who disappeared when he was a child. Buck makes the acquaintance of Carmen (Kim Min-jeong), an attractive journalist who tips off Buck that Mr. Park is actually an infamous North Korean espionage agent; Buck confronts Mr. Park, who has suddenly fallen ill, and Park on his deathbed tells Buck a riddle that, if properly decoded, could lead him to a great fortune. As Buck and Carmen try to unravel the mystery of Mr. Park's final words, their adventures lead them to Istanbul, where the fate of millions is suddenly put into Buck's hands when he discovers a deadly biological weapon coveted by Mr. Zen (Wu Hsing-kuo), a ruthless Chinese crime boss. One of Jackie Chan's most lavish Hong Kong-based vehicles, Takmo Mai Sing was a massive commercial success there, where it did impressive business opening on the Chinese New Year. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Eric Tsang, (more)
A surprise box-office smash spawns this inevitably action-packed buddy comedy follow-up that reunites director Brett Ratner with stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. Chan is Chief Inspector Lee of the Royal Hong Kong Police, who travels back to China with his American colleague, Los Angeles detective James Carter (Tucker). The men intend to take some vacation time but are quickly pulled into the case of two murdered U.S. customs agents, who were investigating an illegal counterfeiting scam involving Ricky Tan (John Lone), one of the most powerful Triad gangsters in Asia and an old enemy of Lee's. Lee and Carter are soon embroiled in a dangerous mystery that also involves a sexy secret-service agent (Roselyn Sanchez), a billionaire hotel owner (Alan King), a dangerous femme fatale (Zhang Ziyi) and a finale set in a lavish Las Vegas casino. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, (more)
