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
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)
After the death of Bruce Lee in 1973, writer/director Robert Clouse made several attempts to reproduce the success of his Enter the Dragon, which belatedly made Lee a household name in America. Clouse felt (with good reason) that Jackie Chan could be the next big martial arts star in America, and he crafted this feature with him in mind. Jerry Kwan (Chan) is a Korean immigrant trying to make good in Chicago in the 1930s. Work isn't easy to find for an Asian immigrant. Jerry is forced by Domenici (Jose Ferrer), a well-connected mobster, to represent him in a no-holds-barred, winner-take-all battle in Texas. But can Jerry handle the pressure? The Big Brawl was Jackie Chan's first starring role in an American film, but Chan wouldn't break through in the United States until the 1996 U.S. release of Rumble in the Bronx. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, José Ferrer, (more)
This Hong Kong film is inspired by two of Frank Capra's films: the 1933 classic Lady for a Day, and Capra's own 1961 remake, Pocketful of Miracles. Directed by Jackie Chan, Chan also stars as Dragon, an up-and-coming gangster in 1930s Hong Kong who rises through the mob ranks by a series of lucky coincidences. Chan attributes his good luck to an old woman, a street vendor who he believes sells lucky roses. When the woman's wealthy daughter comes to visit, Dragon is determined to help the woman impress her daughter. This film was a labor of love for Chan, and his regular collaborators, Bill Tung, Sammo Hung, Anita Mui, and Yuen Biao also make appearances. Although there are bits of action throughout, this sentimental film emphasizes its warm-hearted characters. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, (more)
Follow the remarkable life of martial arts icon Bruce Lee, from his birth in San Francisco to his mysterious death in Hong Kong, in an absorbing, highly informative documentary featuring interviews with those who were closest to the legendary actor and athlete. Few screen stars have experienced such a rapid rise to stardom as the star of Enter the Dragon and Game of Death, and now, as such friends and colleagues as Jackie Chan, James Coburn, and Bolo Yeung share their fondest memories of the agile martial arts icon, fans can finally find out just why he continues to inspire such stars as Ong-Bak's Tony Jaa even decades after his untimely death. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
First, a little background: in 1955, the Director's Guild of America created the pseudonym Alan Smithee, which film directors are allowed to use if they feel their work has been tampered with to such a degree that they no longer want the credit. (For example, if you look at the credits of the expanded and heavily narrated TV version of Dune, you'll notice the director is not listed as David Lynch, but as Alan Smithee.) An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn is a comedy about a film editor (played by Eric Idle) who finally gets his big break -- he's given the opportunity to direct a big-budget action film starring Sylvester Stallone, Whoopi Goldberg, and Jackie Chan. But filming does not go well (the budget eventually balloons to 200 million dollars) and the producer, James Edmunds (Ryan O'Neal), tampers with the final cut of the film. As a result, the hapless neophyte director doesn't want his name to appear on the credits. But his real name is Alan Smithee, so what's he supposed to do? In a stunning example of art imitating life, director Arthur Hiller was supposedly unhappy with the interference of screenwriter and producer Joe Eszterhas on this project and chose to remove his name from the credits -- so An Alan Smithee Film carries the directorial credit of none other than Alan Smithee. Rappers Coolio and Chuck D appear as the filmmaking Brothers Brothers; Chuck D also contributed to the film's score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan O'Neal, Coolio, (more)
(Burt Reynolds) as J.J. McClure takes off across the country again in this rickety sequel to Cannonball Run. A sheik has offered $1,000,000 to the first driver to reach a destination in Connecticut from Redondo Beach, California, inspiring J.J. and others to go for the gold. With cameos from more name performers than any dozen films together, (Frank Sinatra and the rat pack, Telly Savalas, Susan Anton, Shirley MacLaine, Jackie Chan, Sid Caesar, Marilu Henner, Catherine Bach, etc., etc., etc.), the movie becomes a pastiche and is executed as though no rehearsals were required, or ever happened. A disparate group of people racing to get a lot of money was first successfully exploited in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, a much better film, and with just as many cameos, in fact. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, (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
This 1992 film is a live-action version of a popular Japanese comic book and animated series, transformed into a vehicle for international action hero Jackie Chan. Ryu Saeba (Chan), a womanizing private detective, is hired to find the runaway daughter of a wealthy businessman. Ryu's pursuit of the girl leads him to a cruise ship. Through coincidence, and a plot device borrowed from Die Hard, the ocean liner is hijacked, leaving Ryu to contend with the hostage takers as well as the elusive daughter. The action is satisfying, but standard fare for Chan, highlighted by a scene in which an onscreen battle between Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabar from the film Game of Death plays on a movie screen in the background, while Chan and his opponents mimic the fight in the foreground. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
Internationally famed action star Jackie Chan tones down his usual martial arts pyrotechnics for a more traditionally dramatic role in this police drama. Crime Story finds Chan portraying a Hong Kong police detective, an honest cop guilt-ridden over his participation in a recent shoot-out. He is absolved of wrong-doing by the force, however, and assigned to protect a major real estate developer. Despite Chan's best efforts, though, the man under his care is soon kidnapped. The criminals demand millions in payment from the developer's wife, and Chan takes it upon himself to try and foil their plot and rescue the developer. His job is made more difficult by the fact that his new partner on the case, an esteemed detective, is secretly in cahoots with the criminals. Though there are a number of martial arts sequences near the film's climax, much of the action is more typical of Hollywood than Hong Kong, consisting of shoot-outs, explosions, and extended car chases. The ample amount of blood and the overall gritty tone combines with Chan's restrained performance to create a darker experience than most other Chan films familiar to American audiences. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Kent Cheng, (more)
Mao Ling stars as a young girl, well versed in the deadly art of kung-fu. She takes over for her deceased male relatives in doing battle against the fiercest of warriors. The final set-to pits Ling against one as strong and able as she. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Angela Mao Ying
- 1990
Piecing together exciting film footage of martial arts performances, Deadliest Art demonstrates the reasons for the popularity of martial arts combat in visual entertainment. The history of the art, including basics of the Eastern philosophies that govern it, provides insight along with the demonstration of various types of martial arts fighting. Touching on the skills and frame of mind necessary to perform feats of this kind, this film showcases the beauty of defense without weapons, as well as special techniques required to incorporate the use of weapons, and the ways in which the martial arts have been showcased in the film industry. ~ Sarah Sloboda, All Movie Guide
- 1980
- NR
Jackie Chan stars in this uncharacteristically somber early work helmed by the legendary martial arts director Lo Wei. When kung-fu master San-thye is killed by the nefarious Chung Chien-kuen (Yam Sai-kwoon) of the Patience family, his student Tang How-yuen (Chan) takes San-thye's widow and his daughter (Nora Miao Ker-hsiu) with him on his quest for vengeance. Once Tang tracks down Chung, he reluctantly agrees to give his master's killer three days time to prepare. When he returns, Tang learns that Chung sawed off his own leg rather than fight the strapping lad. Though deeply disappointed, Tang has other things to worry about. The villainous Wei clan has poisoned San-thye's widow and holds the only known antidote. Eventually, the family convinces Tang to help them fight the Patience clan. Yet when their activities grow ever more devious and dishonest, Tang finds himself caught between the two warring clans. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- 1980
- NR
Sammo Hung directs himself and Jackie Chan in the Hong Kong action film Dragon Forever. Chan plays a lawyer who discovers that his client is a drug king. Chan teams up with a hapless friend (Hung) and a mentally unstable associate (Yuen Biao) to stop the kingpin. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
International martial arts superstar Jackie Chan directed and choreographed (along with veterans Corey Yuen and Fung Hark-on) this action-packed follow-up to The Young Master. Chan also stars as Dragon, a rebellious young man who is always getting into trouble along with his best friend, Cowboy (Feng Sing). The friends soon meet Tiger (Michael Chan), a desperate man in hiding from the Chinese Imperial Guardsmen who conspired with him to steal a number of priceless artifacts from the Forbidden City. Tiger's fellow guardsmen were intending to sell the treasures to foreign interests and divide the money, but Tiger left before the transaction could be completed. What neither Tiger nor Cowboy knows is that the Captain of the Guards (Whang Ing-sik) is working in collaboration with the latter's corrupt father to pull off the illicit deal. Tiger goes back and purloins some of the artifacts, escaping with the guards in hot pursuit, as they need a complete collection to maintain their agreement with the buyers. Dragon and Cowboy remain blissfully unaware of the situation and give Tiger a place to seek shelter, only to face the wrath of the Captain and his men when their hiding place is discovered. Stand-out sequences include the final battle between Dragon and the Captain inside a large barn and a scene in which the precariously perched Dragon tries to keep from falling off a steep roof as the guards stick sharp spears through it from below. Dragon Lord also inaugurated Chan's practice of including clips of misfired stunts and injuries at the end of his films. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Chen Hui-Min, (more)
- 1988
Hefty martial arts star Sammo Hung directs this wacky kung-fu-comedy featuring Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. Jackie Lung (Chan) is a philandering attorney who has been hired by ruthless gangster Hua Hsien-wu (Yuen Wah), who thwarts a lawsuit brought about by the wealthy and angry Miss Yip (Deanie Yip Tak-han). Her complains center around Hua's chemical factory, which she claims is polluting the local drinking water. Hua -- who is making illegal drugs in the factory -- isn't about to give up this lucrative franchise and resorts to all manners of less-than-legal means to defend it. Jackie gets his buddies Wong Fei-hung (Hung) and Tung Tak-biao (Yuen) to convince Miss Yip to sell her fish farm. When Fei-hung moves in next to Miss Yip, he starts to seduce her while Jackie tries to attract Yip's comely lawyer (Pauline Yueng Po-ling). Of course, the scheme falls flat when Jackie and Fei-hung realize that they have actually fallen for their marks while realizing that Hua is a very evil man. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
One of the earliest major films starring Jackie Chan, this 1978 Hong Kong offering highlights the relationship between a student and his martial arts master. This theme would dominate the American martial arts genre for years to come, as evidenced by The Karate Kid and many films to follow. Wong Fei-hong, played by Chan, is a 19th-century folk hero in Chinese culture and cinema, a kung fu master who fights injustice in the time of British colonialism. This character would later be portrayed by Jet Li in the more serious Once Upon a Time in China. Drunken Master finds Wong in his early years as a troublesome youth who is sent to receive discipline and martial arts instruction from his uncle (Siu Tien Yuen), the hard-drinking title character. Wong runs away, but runs afoul of some local villains. Beaten badly, he returns to his uncle, who trains him in "drunken-style" kung fu. The martial arts showcased by Chan in this film are important in the development of his career; the staggering, inebriated techniques allow for a looser, more flowing style, but more importantly, they contribute to the elaborate martial-arts slapstick that have become Chan's trademark and have made him an international star. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Simon Yuen, (more)
One of the most popular kung fu films ever, and perhaps the peak of the famed Bruce Lee's career, Enter the Dragon achieved success by presenting a series of superbly staged fighting sequences with a minimum of distractions. The story finds Lee as a martial-arts expert determined to help capture the narcotics dealer whose gang was responsible for his sister's death. This evil villain operates from a fortified island manned by a team of crack martial artists, who also host a kung fu competition. Lee uses his skills to enter the contest and then tries to chop, kick, and otherwise fight his way into the dealer's headquarter. The story is, of course, merely an excuse for showdown after showdown, featuring masterly fighting by Lee in a wide variety of martial arts styles. Essential viewing for martial arts fans, the film was also embraced by a larger audience, thanks to a fast pace and higher-than-usual production values. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Lee, John Saxon, (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. ~ Kimber Myers, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eason Chan, Stephen Fung, (more)
- 1983
- NR
Taiwanese filmmaker Chu Yen-ping directed this typically peculiar (and not too far from insane) action-comedy. It is nominally set during World War II, although it really exists in a world all its own, as references run the gamut from the '40s to the '80s. Hard-bitten Lieutenant Duan Wen (Jimmy Wang Yu) puts together a crack team of commandos in order to rescue a group of Allied generals who are captives of the Japanese military. There's an escape artist, a leather-clad tough girl with a bazooka (Brigitte Lin), a couple of wisecracking guys in kilts, and Sun Yueh in an extremely bizarre costume which brings to mind a homeless person called into military service. Pearl Cheung and international superstar Jackie Chan play some petty crooks looking for some money, and Adam Cheng shows up as the apparently gay leader of a tribe of hooded Amazons. As if that wasn't enough to completely baffle most viewers, there are also some Asian Nazis running around in futuristic jeeps, some sorcerers who drink human blood, and heaping helpings of gunplay, martial arts, singing, and dancing -- all in 88 breathless minutes. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
Four years after his rift with actor/director Jackie Chan, triad-linked Hong Kong producer Lo Wei hired Chan Chuen to direct this paste-up sequel to The Fearless Hyena, consisting primarily of outtakes, found footage, and hastily conceived linking material. James Tien, the grandfather in the first film, plays Old Chan, who must run from his home along with his reprobate son Lung (Chan) when the Heaven and Earth Society declares war on the Yin Yang Clan. The pair looks for Lung's uncle, another member of the clan, and enters rigorous training to prepare themselves for their impending battle with the Heaven and Earth forces, led by the original film's General Yen, Yam Sai-kun. Chan Hui-lau co-stars with Austin Wai and Dean Shek. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan
Ever wondered what a James Bond movie might be like if (a) Bond was from Hong Kong, (b) he was too busy to chase women or drink martinis, and (c) he spent a lot more time kicking people? Well, Jackie Chan gives us an idea of what the results might be as he plays a superspy in this funny and fast-moving action saga. Jackie (Jackie Chan) is a top cop from Hong Kong whose services are enlisted by the American CIA to follow a woman named Natasha (Grishajeva Nonna) who is travelling to the Ukraine. Natasha is smuggling U.S. currency into the former Soviet Union -- enough of it that a terrorist named Tsui (Jackson Lou) has been able to purchase a nuclear warhead from the Russian Mafia on the black market. Joining forces with Russian intelligence, Jackie and Ukrainian agent Gregor (Yuri Petrov) follow Tsui's trail to Australia, where Annie (Chen Chun Wu), the terrorist's sister, works at an oceanic theme park and uses deadly sea creatures to protect the illegally-obtained warhead. As usual, narrative takes a back seat to Chan's peerless action sequences and stunt work, including a chase of snowboards, a battle with sharks, and a memorable fight in which Chan proves that a ladder can be a splendid strategic weapon. As with many of Chan's films, Police Story 4: First Strike has been released under a multitude of titles in different territories, including Jackie Chan's First Strike, Police Story 4: Piece of Cake, and Police Story 4: Story of the CIA. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Jackson Lou, (more)
A pair of martial arts legends do battle through the magic of 21st century technology in this documentary that dares pose the question "Who would win in a battle between Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan?" From Lee's unparalleled ferocity to Chan's cunning acrobatic comedy, this question leaves no stone unturned in the quest to find out who truly is the world's greatest martial artist. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Young upstart cops are thrown into a maelstrom of danger in this Hong Kong-lensed action thriller. Ten tons of powerful explosives, recently recovered from smugglers, have been stolen by a Japanese terrorist group, led by criminal mastermind Akatura, and the Hong Kong police have to act quickly before the explosives fall into the wrong hands or are used against the wrong people. Chan (Eric Tsang), a effective but non-conformist police detective, decides to use cops that no one will suspect are cops; he pulls three promising but unlikely-looking students from the Police Academy and gives them a crash course on tracking terrorists. Jack (Nicholas Tse), Alien (Sam Lee), and Match (Stephen Fung) are soon sent out to infiltrate the operations of Akatura's right-hand man Daniel (Daniel Wu); along the way, they join forces with Y2K (Grace Yip), a female crime fighter with a talent for electronics. But the young cops soon discover that busting an international terrorist network is no piece of cake; their initial plan goes haywire, and they learn that Akatura plans to use his new-found firepower against the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. Boasting a high level of visual polish, Gen-X Cops features visual effects from Joe Viskocil and Sam Nicholson, who have worked on such blockbusters as Independence Day, Apollo 13, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Jackie Chan also makes a brief cameo appearance. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Toru Nakamura, Eric Tsang, (more)
