I Became a Jackie Chan Fan in Less Than 24 Hours

Why Police Story 1&2 have been the highlights of my quarantine watchlist thus far.

By: Josh McCormack

Well, hi guys! The world sure has changed a bit since I last wrote anything on this blog.

I hope you all are staying safe, listening to the experts (our President not included), and watching a lot of good movies.

While I'm missing my University, my friends, and my girlfriend, I've been trying to take this opportunity as an excuse to read more, write more, and watch films that I'm ashamed of never having seen before. This includes everything from rom coms like Moonstruck to 80s horror gems like April Fools' Day, or even ones I'm truly ashamed of never having seen like The Right Stuff and...*ducking for cover*...Dead Poets Society.

However, somewhere along my journey scouring through unseen blu-rays, it struck me that I had never seen the seminal 1973 Bruce Lee classic, Enter the Dragon. Of course I immediately rectified this by watching the film and falling in love with it, just as everyone else on planet Earth has for almost half a century. The film's fight scenes were just as exciting and wonderfully choreographed as I had always heard, and once it was over I had a desire to watch more Hong Kong action cinema. This desire led me into diving into the work of another icon; Jackie Chan.

Chan is a performer who I've always respected, but never dug deep enough into his work to consider him a legend like Lee. My knowledge of his films stems from his animated show that I watched infrequently as a child and his less than stellar run of films he has made in the United States. I had, of course, heard of his incredible early work in Hong Kong from friends and filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, but I never had any personal experience with Chan's Chinese acting or directorial efforts.

Well, after seeing 1985's Police Story and 1988's Police Story 2, I only have one thing to say; HOLY SHIT!

Action, slapstick comedy, romance. These films have it all. And at the center of it is Jackie Chan. Not only is he the greatest martial artist I've ever seen in a film (not an exaggeration), but he's an incredible comedic actor, and a genuinely skilled filmmaker. All these ingredients concocted two of the greatest action films I have ever seen. I only wish I discovered these when I was younger, because seven year old Josh would have flipped.

For those who haven't seen it, the first Police Story follows officer Chan Ka Kui as he attempts to take down an evil drug lord, Mr. Tao, who eventually frames the cop for the murder of a fellow officer. All the while, Chan must keep the wife of the drug lord safe, as well as try to keep his relationship with his lovely girlfriend, May, afloat.

The plot, while basic, is not as perfunctory as one might believe. It's generic, sure, but Chan and screenwriter Edward Tang actually spend a lot of time on the dynamics of the characters, the inner workings of the villainous crime syndicate, and even throw in some political undertones about class inequality, that I actually found pretty poignant.

The love story of Police Story (Police Love Story?) also works surprisingly well. Some of the gender dynamics might not be the most palatable in today's day and age--whether that's a product of the time or of different cultural standards, I'm not sure--but Jackie and his costars, especially Maggie Cheung as May, have fantastic chemistry. 

Chan's comedic talents carry these films far as well. With every put down, embarrassing moment, or punch to the face, Chan mugs for the camera in a way that is so indelibly charming and hilarious. It's understandable after viewing these films how this guy is not only an athletic marvel, but also a bonafide movie star. Where so many other action stars of the time were gruff and superhuman, Jackie Chan is affable and seems like someone you'd want to hang out with.

But of course the big draw to a Jackie Chan movie are the fight sequences and rather than tell you all about them, take a peek at one for yourself:

The speed, the acrobatics, the impact of the hits all make up incredible sequences like that one. Chan and co-director Chi-Hwa Chen use wide angle lenses and precision cutting sparingly to show off this incredible stunt work. Chan, himself, choreographed most of the fighting and with countless takes, and filmmaking that doesn't hide the action like most American filmmakers do, these fight scenes are just insane. The only modern comparison I can think of is that of the John Wick films, but as amazing as those fight sequences are, they are still chuck full of hidden camera tricks and CGI to make the fights seem more fluid than they really are. There's no bullshit here, it's balls to the wall filmmaking with broken bones and bloody knuckles. It's incredible seeing the physical pain Chan and his stunt team go through to give us these iconic battles.

As fans of the film know, the centerpiece of the film is the climactic mall showdown that--once you watch it--blows the roof the fucking off of whatever room you're watching this movie in. It's a nearly ten minute long symphony of spinning kicks, motorcycles, and broken glass (so. much. glass.). It's the type of action scene in which all other action scenes are judged. It's some kick ass stuff. It also showcases Jackie as a worthy successor to physical performers like Buster Keaton from the silent era who put their bodies on the line for audiences' entertainment. Different kinds of films, but the same overall effect.

Now, I haven't spent a lot of time talking about 1988's Police Story 2 and that's really because all of the aspects I love from the first film carry over to the second one. It's got fantastic action, great romantic comedy, and another fantastic lead performance from Chan. However, it's a bit of a step down from the first.

My biggest issue with Police Story 2 is that it's a bit more of a standard, straight action picture whereas the first film was much more of an action comedy. Of course, the comedy that is there is still great. The movie is surprisingly unafraid to commit to a fart joke and Chan's directing prowess had grown even in the three years between the film and just his expert shot composition can get a laugh (a certain bathroom confrontation between Ka Kui and May is staged like a modern Wes Anderson gag), but these moments are a bit fewer and far between. In its place is a bit more of a slow burn, generic police procedural plot about going undercover to stop a group of blackmailing bombers. 

However, the film is still a blast. The fight sequences, while never reaching the heights of the mall fight from the first movie, are still expertly crafted and will leave your jaw dropped. Here's an example:

                                      

I mean, come on! This is gold!

Both films conclude with an end credits song--sung by Jackie Chan, if you thought he didn't do enough--and a blooper reel of all the failed stunts throughout the filming. While these are meant to be moments of levity, one can't help but be a bit disturbed by the amount of injuries that are caught on camera. If you wanted an example of how committed the cast and crew making these films are, you can't get better much better than this.

Look, I know we're gonna be stuck inside for a long time. So why not brighten your day with some kick ass kung fu by watching both Police Story films? The two recent 4K Criterion Collection releases are gorgeous restorations and whether you're a newbie like me or a lifelong fan, this is the type of exciting, upbeat cinema you should be trying to enjoy in an attempt to block out the craziness that has become our lives over these past few weeks.

I became a Jackie Chan fan in less than 24 hours...and you guys can too!