5 comments about Gorgeous.

1. So I was pretty impressed with Gorgeous until the end came around. I enjoyed the non violence theme and could definitely get with the humor that I was being given. Odd, but still funny and enjoyable. Seeing Jackie in a non comedic role was very interesting. You won't find that very often. The first fight Jackie has with Brad Allen is certainly gorgeous but the finale is just pure crapola. I really wish they wouldn't have turned to the comedy and made Jackie into the stupid character he always plays. Shu Qi does a very good job in trying to make herself Jackie's love interest. Fun movie, could have been way better though.
   
   I was really looking forward to the Jackie commentary and while it was very informative, it was just an interview and he wasn't actually watching the movie with us, at least it seemed that way. The making of also gives you an more of an inside view of the film. You can tell that the cast and crew had one heck of a good time making this movie.



2. What a great little gem of a film,I'm a huge Jackie Chan fan.and this film is quite a rare feat,A Jackie Chan romance film,but of course it has plenty of that trademark Chan action and humor,but it has lots of heart too,quite rare for an action film,but it works quite well here!!!Contains BOTH Widescreen and Full Frame versions of the film,as well as the Original Cantonese and English dubbed soundtracks,as well as a cool half-hour "making-of" Documentary,so everyone will be happy!!! One of his great Hong Kong films,that was made after "Rush Hour" by the way,and it's just as good!!! "Gorgeous" delivers!!! Long live Jackie Chan!!! Five stars!!! A+



3. What a delightful 99 minutes! If you can come to Jackie Chan with an open mind, not expecting the same ol', same ol', then you will be see something new. Gorgeous, even.
   
   The story revolves around an old legend of the reuniting, after their deaths, of man and woman in the deep as dolpins. The story passes on to the female lead, Shu Qi as Bu, whose name means dolphin, making her a living legend. When her dolphin friend Abu brings her a bottle with a message, she believes her destined love has sent for her. She leaves Taiwan for Hong Kong and (in that huge, giant city) finds the sender who is actually a handsome...gay man. They become fast friends.
   
   One thing leads to another and Bu saves C.N. Chan (Jackie Chan), who is a millionaire playboy. They are charmed by and with each other. A romance begins, not by today's standards when romance means meet, have sex, maybe get to know each other, then go separate ways. Their romance is truly charming and innocent, as in bygone days. When Jackie's character shows great respect and humility at the end, the viewer knows what the outcome is.
   
   Oh yes, the fight scenes. Apparently, martial arts fans come to this movie expecting more. The fight scenes also show restraint and respect and even laugh out loud humor. Frankly, I was reminded of the hilarious fight scenes of the first half of "Ong-Bak: Thai Warrior." How much slapstick humor could be incorporated into the sequences and for the fighting to show no blood or even breaks in skin? That is what the viewer gets here. The music behind the fighting is also different--a more playful sound, including Chinese drums.
   
   The best fights are between Jackie and an American, both respectful and considerate of each other. This type of fighting was pleasant to watch--seeing great talent and control to best each other without that wretched drive to kill and destroy. One reviewer indicated the use of wires and speeding the recording of the fighting. Is that done here?
   
   Even though I really enjoyed this film, I must state what I saw as a shortcoming. Jackie and his supposed school-time buddy are nowhere near the same age. Shu Qi is much too young to play his love interest. I was a bit embarrassed for him. Is Jackie, like the rest of us, having a hard time dealing with his age?
   
   Even so, the film has its gorgeous points: Bu's purity and self-confidence, the honesty of the fights, Jackie's change of heart, the wardrobes of the gay men, and, of course, the beauty of the dolphins and the legend surrounding them.



4. I actually buy the movie just to enjoy the action sequence between jackie chan and brad allen. The story is kinda boring.



5. GORGEOUS is a change of pace for Jackie Chan. Oh, this one still boasts your basically incredible martial arts sequences, but, really, this film marks Jackie Chan's foray into romantic comedy territory. And, despite that Jackie doesn't seem to have the acting range to pull off this type of leading man role, the other elements in this picture lift it into something I find quite entertaining.
   
   The plot revolves around a young starry-eyed village girl named Bu (Qi Shu), who finds a message in a bottle and flies to Hong Kong to meet the message's author. In Hong Kong Bu meets and falls for C.N. (Jackie Chan), a wealthy, lonely playboy businessman heading up a trash recycling empire. But as Bu and C.N. become close, their fledgling romance is interrupted by C.N.'s lifelong rival, who persists in sending his clumsy thugs after C.N.
   
   Whether you like GORGEOUS or not will hinge on how you feel about the lead actress, Qi Shu, as this film is as much a showcase for her as it is for Jackie Chan. My feeling on this is that Qi Shu wafts in like a breath of fresh air and is instantly captivating. There's an infectious exuberance about her, and a certain naturalness. I could watch her expressive face all day long. She definitely sets the mood of this film, which is mostly bright and whimsical and sweet. Wonderful actor Tony Leung also deserves his propers, as his gay fashion shutterbug provides a good share of the funnies (I couldn't help cracking up at his elevator scene with Jackie). In fact, some of the best moments happen when Leung and Qi Shu are playfully sharing the screen.
   
   Jackie Chan is never better than when he's performing his breathtaking stunts and acrobatics. Let's face it, dude's strength isn't in delivering lines. I'll say this, though, I've never seen Jackie so wistful and low-key than in this role, and he manages to tone down his usual mugging. Jackie has stated publicly that the character of C.N. is like him in many ways (both are clean-living, keep fit, like to wear white outfits, are environmentally aware). Sadly, though, this doesn't translate into an adept acting performance. As a romantic leading man, yeah, he's pretty wooden. Perhaps aware of this lack, Jackie makes sure that Qi Shu and Leung get plenty of camera time.
   
   Thankfully for Jackie, he does engage in several lighthearted scuffles (although not as many as we'd like). Jackie, as ever, is amazingly inventive and agile with his choreography. This time, he uses baseball bats, a boat, and a motorbike as supporting characters in his fight scenes. His opponent in two of these brawls is the tiny dynamo Bradley James Allan, who in real life happens to be the first ever non-Asian member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. In GORGEOUS, he plays martial artist "Allan," hired by C.N.'s rival to beat up C.N. and partly because his shorter stature would make C.N.'s defeat even more ignominious. As several persons have remarked, it's refreshing that Jackie and Allan's combat is marked with mutual respect and a spirit of competition. It reminds me a little of Return of the Dragon, of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris's classic colosseum fight to the death. The only downside to Jackie and Allan's two otherwise excellent fights is that the camera was sped up in spots.
   
   Again, GORGEOUS isn't your typical Jackie Chan martial-arts action-comedy. It's more sedate in its pacing and, would you believe, more character driven. Some fans won't dig it, won't like the more contemplative Jackie Chan on screen and that it's not more action-oriented. But I like GORGEOUS a lot. Jackie Chan tried to change up his style, and, even if he wasn't completely successful, I'm still glad he had the guts to experiment and branch out. I say, check out this flick. You might even develop a craving for Chinese pot rice.

3 comments about Chocolate (First Print Edition) DVD.

1. I impulsively picked up a bootleg copy of Chocolate in D.C. without having seen a trailer or any production photos, or really even knowing anything about it other than it was from the director of Ong-bak and Tom yum goong -- both of which I loved -- and having a female star.
   
   I don't know that I want to even try describing how unexpectedly thrilling and beautiful this movie was. The lead actress looks even younger than she does in the poster above. It all starts with her conception, and she slowly gets older as you see her childhood. I kept expecting another stage but it stops with her as a teen. So I watched a movie about an autistic teen girl who teaches herself how to fight and beats the crap out of dozens of Thai gangsters. The stunt work isn't as good as the two Tony Jaa movies I mentioned above, but it's still quite strong. It also has all the story and character development -- at least for the lead character -- that those two movies were missing. This humble reviewer was really moved by the lead character.
   
   I've already said too much. I need lots of people to see this. NOW. I've been affected by this movie. I'm going to think about it for a long time. Please tell me someone else around here has seen Chocolate.



2. Ever since the international successes of Prachya Pinkaew`s "Ong-Bak" and "Tom Yum Goong" with Tony Jaa, the U.S. has been flooded by a lot of action films from Thailand. Most recently, are Jaa's mediocre earliest films such as "Battle Warrior" and "Spirited Killer" just to capitalize on the Muay Thai magic in movies. Prachya Pinkaew, now returns with a martial arts film that will be categorized in the "girls who kick butt" genre; "CHOCOLATE" is a film full of hard-hitting fights and amazing stunts. Newcomer Jeeja Yanin (sometimes credited as Yanin Vismitananda) has the skills to be dubbed the "female Tony Jaa"--after all, it is much easier to teach a martial artist to act than to teach an actor to do martial arts.
   
   An autistic teenager named Zen (Jeeja Yanin) is a child born of an affair between a top-ranking Yakuza officer named Masashi (Abe Hiroshi) and a Thai woman (who was also a mistress of a Thai crime lord) named Zin (pretty Ammara Siripong). The Thai gang boss (played by Pongpat Wachirabunjong) doesn't appreciate the fact that the Yakuza is muscling into his turf and Masashi was forced to return to Japan and Zin is left to raise Zen by herself. Growing up, Zen discovers that she has an uncanny photographic memory, and she can imitate complex martial arts moves by watching the students in the Muay Thai school next door and by watching Tony Jaa and Bruce Lee's films.
   As fate would have it, Zin becomes stricken with cancer and she needs money to pay for her medical needs. Aided by childhood friend, Moom (Taphon Phopwandee) they intend to capitalize on her quick reflexes and incredible agility in a sidewalk show and by collecting debts that a lot of folks owe her mother. Little do they know that the past is closing in on them and it will lead to a final resolution to the events that led to her birth.
   
   Martial Arts films usually have a simple plot and "Chocolate" (labeled after Zen's favorite vice) is no different. The problems with the film is that the plot may be a little overreaching and seems a little silly. A lot of its elements are underdeveloped and the script is a little scattered. The film's main premise of an autistic teenager with amazing fighting skills requires a very large suspension of disbelief; I don't care how good your reflexes are or if you have a photographic memory, one can learn the moves but one cannot fully gain the fighting "savvy" or the experience of rolling or taking a punch. The film gets a little absurd, the villains are a bit comical; the Thai Boss' second in command is a transsexual with his own gang of transsexuals. I think the plot would have done better without these elements, that it should have developed its more human side with a lot of emotion since it does have the potential to do so.
   
   The plot's hollow storyline aside, "Chocolate" is a visual mayhem of violence. Zen's opponents go from easy to medium, from hard to "VERY HARD"--it's almost like a video game. Jeeja has the necessary skills and I was very impressed with her athletic abilities. For a film like this, the action scenes need to be able to steal the show, and it does. The film is a stunt show, the fights are long and hard-hitting, they also get more violent as the film progresses; it displays Jeeja's martial arts skills to efficiency. Highlights include a very nifty meat market battle and the film's showstopper, the very stunt-ridden fights on the side of a building. Jeeja performed most of her stunts without wires, with absolutely NO stunt doubles and with this, I am very impressed. With the film's end credits, you'll see her sustain very real injuries when performing some of the stunts. Jeeja's performance acting-wise is decent for a newcomer, but it is clear that she needs to attend a few acting workshops.
   
   The director also gives subtle tributes to Bruce Lee classics such as "The Big Boss" (the ice factory scene) and "Fist of Fury". There is also a cool animated "dream" sequence very similar to "Party 7" (which may also be a hint of Kill Bill?). There is also a very weird, quirky assassin who uses the Brazilian martial art Capoeira, who also wears a negative-colored track suit (Black suit with white stripes) as a tribute to Bruce Lee's "Game of Death". The near-climactic encounter also occurs in a setting very similar to "Kill Bill", and I found it very curious as to why Thai mobsters would use samurai swords.
   
   Despite all the very cool fisticuffs, the film's dark tones, the film does seem a little too hollow. The film became overly ambitious, it's as if it couldn't decide whether to be dramatic or comical. However, I do hope to see more of Jeeja Yanin, she may not be as charismatic as Michelle Yeoh or Cynthia Khan, but hey, the actress is still young and she's still developing. The film may not be as bone-crushing as "Ong-Bak" or "Flashpoint"; "Chocolate" isn't as impressive as the best of Bruce Lee, Jet Li or Jackie Chan action films, but it is a satisfying enough martial arts film. The film is simply a stunt show, made to showcase Jeeja's amazing skills and fortitude--now, if she just goes to an acting workshop, she'll be awesome!
   
   Recommended for action junkies and a good rental for everybody else. [3 ½ -Stars]



3. Although I have heard about his films for a number of years now, I have not watched a Prachya Pinkaew film. I, of course, know that his films Ong-Bak (2003) and Tom yum goong (2005) are supposed to make most Hong Kong action films look like child's play; however, it might be because of the hype that surrounds his films that I put off watching them. Yet, instead of watching Ong-Bak or Tom yum goong, I decided to watch Prachya Pinkaew's latest film Chocolate because of an Internet acquaintance's enthusiasm for the film and I must say that I was not disappointed with this hour and a half long bit of filmic action.
   
   Chocolate opens with a confrontation between a Thai gang and a group of yakuza who seem to be trying to gain ground in the city. There is a standoff, but thank to a stunning, hard as nails woman named Zin, an uneasy peace is made between the two groups. Masashi, the head of the yakuza, becomes infatuated with Zin and they quickly strike up a steamy affair that comes to an abrupt end when Masashi becomes the target of the Thai gang. Zin protects her man, but is excised from the gang and soon breaks up with Masashi who quickly returns to Japan for his own protection thereby leaving the pregnant Zin behind.
   
   Zin gives birth to a daughter who she gives the name Zen. A quiet, distant child, Zin soon learns that the little girl is autistic, but does her best to raise the girl as normally as possible. Later, she gains the help of Moom, an overweight, slightly effeminate guy whom she saved from bullying. After having a run in with her old gang, which costs her a big toe, Zin and family moves to a run down home where she hopes she can live in peace. However, she becomes afflicted with a deadly disease and now the livelihoods of herself and her daughter are in danger.
   
   In order to make ends meet Moom and Zen put on a show in which he chucks balls at her as well as the audience members. With her senses honed by her autistic nature, she is able to catch the balls easily. However, one day a group of toughs throw a knife at her which she catches as well, slicing her hand in the process. However, she soon reduces the toughs to mounds of suffering and pain. As Zin's condition worsens, Moom finds a book of all the individuals who owe Zin money. Zen, only comprehending that her mom needs money for her stay in the hospital, unleashes upon the small time thugs. However, her activities draw attention to Zin's former gang, so can she and Moom keep up their money making plans without putting themselves in danger?
   
   Let's face it. Those of us who watch Chocolate are not watching the film to see an intricately woven plot with a satisfying outcome. What we are here to see Yanin `Jeeja` Vismistananda kick gangster butt, and that is exactly what she does. After the weak plotline is established, Chocolate becomes nearly nonstop action sequence with the near invincible Zen beating up ice factory workers, butchers, and gangsters. Leaning heavy on its influences, Kill Bill, Zatoichi, and Hong Kong action cinema, Chocolate makes for some fluffy, mindless action fun.

5 comments about The Tuxedo.

1. Surprisingly good effort of mixing secret
   agents, fung fu and comedy together with
   very good results. Look for bad guy from
   'The Patriot' in here as well as foil.
   Hewitt sure has grown up! Wow! No more
   too 'cute girl next door', like in Party
   of Five!



2. Quirky, funny and light-hearted! Jackie Chan has wonderful humor in this movie where he plays a chauffer who turns into a secret agent to help catch the bad guy while his boss is in the hospital! Lots of funny high tech gadgets are used in this movie, kind of like the ones you'd expect in a 007 movie!
   
   The drawbacks in this movies is the annoying character Jennifer Love Hewitt plays..... part of the interactions she has with Jackie Chan's character are funny and the other parts are not.
   
   The villian and how he plans to conquer the world is very hokey and phony! Plus how Chan's and Hewitt's characters attempt to capture the villian is a little silly.
   
   Otherwise you have a great movie!



3. It's one of the bad movies starring Jackie Chan. It's not funny. The fighting scenes are below par compared to other films of Jackie.



4. Jackie Chan Movies have a certain flair but usually are only fair movies but this one is a terrific movie with a good plot and Jennifer Love Hewitt plays a great sidekick for Chan. Lots of humor and nifty action gets rolling in this film .Chan becomes a super hero in the Tuxedo and watching him use it is hilarious . Don't walk and instead run and get this one for a lot of fun maybe on a Saturday night.



5. When you are in the mood for a silly movie, this is it! Jackie Chan always manages to make fun out of every situation. Do not take it serious. It is not an action thriller, or a serious movie, It is a fun movie, just go for the ride!

5 comments about Mr. Nice Guy.

1. Ow, of all the Jackie Chan movies I own, this is certainly one of the best. The way he fights always is very funny, and ofcourse, Richard Norton does a great job on this one playing Giancarlo. Giancarlo is the coolest and funniest mafia boss I've ever seen in a movie. I'll tell you what the story is about:
   It's about gangs which have a problem with business, and then they see people filming them. Ofcourse they don't like that, and they start chasing them. The man was shot, the girl ran away with the tape, and then she ran to Jackie, and then he gets in trouble. It's very funny, it's not longwinded although it's more than 50% chasing and fighting. Jackie plays a very skilled cook, and the funniest thing is, he doesn't know anything about why the gangs want him.
   I really like this movie. I shall say, if you want to have a good laugh, buy Mr. NiceGuy, sit back, and most importantly, enjoy.
   Keep On Rocking!!!!!!!!!



2. If you want UNCUT ORIGINAL version, ALWAYS look for ORIGINAL LICENSED Production. NOT US Release. Its a foreign film, it should not be US version to begin with~! HELLO!!!?? Why settle for LESS with US Version where they edit and cut so many excellent scenes especially with Jackie's Fighting Scenes. And US Release ruins the speed and sound as well. I have been collecting Jackie Chan's movies both HK and US Release Version for quite some time now. I found HK Version to be MUCH MORE in enjoyable, and HIGHER in Quality. American Market always like to "Americanize" and "Control". Regional Code Regulation thing is one of the example to CONTROL the Market. Why not let everyone enjoy the same HK Original Release move the same way ENTIRE WORLD enjoys it ?? No one makes Hollywood American movies to "French version" or "Chinese Version" ~! This what Americans are doing~! Well, enjoy the cheap "American version" then~! LOL



3. So, why is this tv chef such a tough guy anyway? I enjoyed this movie, but the plot wasn't that interesting, and none of the bad guys seemed to be all that tough, so the fights were just all Jackie. Even with Jackie's hands and legs tied, the big boss presents no challenge to Jackie. Stunts were okay, like Jackie hanging from a doorknob at a construction site. Overall, though, this movie doesn't have anything that would make me say it was anywhere near his best movie.



4. As with many of his films, Jackie Chan relies more on stunts and action than story in Mr. Nice Guy. The movie contains mostly stunts like Rumble in The Bronx & First Strike and not so much in the way of one on one fights such as Who Am I and Legend of Drunken Master.
   
   Jackie Chan plays "Jackie Chan", famous tv chef located in Melbourne, Australia, where the movie pretty much all takes place in. He becomes the "Nice Guy" by helping out a female reporter escape from Gene Carter (Richard Norton) and his gang of goons. She accidentally leaves her videotape of one of Gene's illegal business deals with Jackie, and that's when Jackie becomes entangled in the mess throughout the rest of the movie.
   
   Several highlights in this film include Richard Norton, who plays the bad guy boss, like in many of his movies. There is a funny cameo from Sammo Hung, who also directed Mr. Nice Guy. There are tons and tons of chase/stunt scenes featuring Jackie. The best is one of the last scene at a construction sight. Another good but small one is on the street. A Pepsi truck overturns, looses all the cans of soda, and Jackie and a goon are fighting it out in thousands of exploding cans of soda. The final scene in the movie involves Jackie driving a MASSIVE construction vehicle through Gene's "cheap-looking" mansion. Really cool, though you can kinda tell its a cardboard set. Oh yeah, and his sports car collection gets crushed too. Oh, and the dubbing on the film is rather done well too.
   
   I miss a really good fight scene the most from this movie, but the stunts make up for it. If you enjoy Rumble In The Bronx, First Strike or Supercop, Mr. Nice Guy needs to be added to the collection.



5. Moving from Hong Kong to Melbourne Jackie Chan continues
   his dance routines. Choreography seems to be the method in his movies.
   He can probably disable somebody with one punch ( if he wanted to).
   But action, comedy and gangsters make people pay to see these.
   For me this is a boring kind of film. Jackie Chan is a master of bobbing and weaving, but must have scars to prove you can't always get the stunts right.
   He does seem like Mr. Nice Guy.

5 comments about A Touch of Zen.

1. Included in the Time Magazine Best 100 Films of all time list, A Touch of Zen does not disappoint. Though it starts slowly, the momentum gradually increases until the viewer is completely caught up in the story of a refugee woman who seeks the help of two generals, disguised as common townfolk (one a blind man, the other a doctor), and a group of monks led by an abbot whose spiritual strength is expressed in his ability to thwart violence and defeat evil based on deflecting the advances of his enemy and using that deflection to repel whoever attacks.
   
   This mystical bent is strong in the film and lends it some real juice. Also on hand is a poor artist who lives with his mother, a spy who wishes the artist to draw his portrait, the evil eunuch Hsu, a whole bunch of guards/soldiers in service to both Hsu and his "boss" Wei (the equally evil ruler), Mun-Ta (another bad guy), the town magistrate, and, of course, the artist's mother who's on hand for comic relief and as well to provide a touch of humanism to A Touch of Zen. The bad guys had previously tortured and murdered the refugee woman's father and are now out to finish her off, as well as the two generals who have sided with her.
   
   A clear inspiration for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon--as many others have noted--this film boasts quite a few martial arts fights (mainly with swords) and quite a few flying leaps. It's also nice to see that a good looking woman, the refugee, is so adept at martial arts herself--women's lib had apparently hit China before it got to the US!!
   
   This is a three hour film, broken into two parts, so there is actually an opening credit sequence for the second part of the film exactly like the first part sequence and a short (two-minute) recap of the last scene from the first part at the beginning of the second part. In addition, the image is somewhat muddy at times. In spite of these drawbacks (hence the four stars instead of five), this deservedly is part of the Time Magazine Top 100 Film List; it's a gripping story with great visuals and nary a false note anywhere.
   
   Highly recommended.



2. This movie is terrible. It is three hours of nonsense. The pacing is so slow that you have to make a lot of use of the fast forward button. The fight scenes are laughable. The fighters hop like bunnies. Every single fight scene in this film, and in almost every other oriental so-called kung fu film, is absolute worthless garbage. Fast forward through all the fight scenes, which means fast forward through most of the movie. Also fast forward through all the scenes where nothing is happening. That doesn't leave much. They have a 15 minute movie with 170 minutes to skip. And someone tell me why the two stars of the film look so Caucasian. Is that the Chinese ideal of beauty? In the movie they make fun of superstition and belief in ghosts, but at the end they give us a final shot of a godlike image, more superstition. The star is actually some magical Buddhist abbot. Gimme a break. The only good thing about this horse manure is that the leading lady is very cute. Other than that, I can't think of a reason to waste 3 hours on baloney. And for all the people who place this idiocy at the top of their all time movie list, I have to question your motives. Do you want to seem smart? Is it cool to recognize crap simply because it is from another country? That is an insult to all the truly great foreign films. Just cause it's foreign, doesn't mean it's worth a damn. Placing this trash on a par with the truly great foreign films simply because it is foreign is an insult to the great ones. This movie, pure and simple, is inferior. It makes me wonder if the Chinese movie audience has the taste of little children.



3. In the first ten minutes I thought it was just okay;
   then it did nothing but get better for the next 177 minutes. Director King Hu was a visionary;no wonder so many contemporary movies have explicitly and liberally lifted his ideas.
   
   Unlike so many martial arts' movies, character reigns;
   the plot is intricate, evolving and and motivates the action.
   And the natural locations make me want to take a very long walk around China. A feeling of reality and naturalness prevails in every scene.
   
   If you buy this, and you should, read the bio of King Hu Jing-Chaun; amazing what he's done and the lasting impact of his work. His genius really shines in Touch of Zen.



4. Sublime and sprawling, A TOUCH OF ZEN is perhaps the greatest in King Hu's series of ground-breaking, metaphysical period dramas.
   
   Vaguely, A TOUCH OF ZEN is a martial arts film, and it's greatest influence was on other HK martial arts films (and later international crossovers like CROUCHING TIGER, HERO and HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS). But it approaches being martial arts as Tarkovsky would have done it - the film is set up in three methodically paced, long sections (it's a 3 hour film), which all feature a bit of action but devote more attention to character, landscape and narrative. The focus of each section falls upon different characters, with the central character in each section embodying different virtues: the humility and creativity of the artist (the focus of the first act), courage and confidence in the second act, and an assured enlightenment in the third. The three acts are linked by tightly controlled and far more explosive bursts of action in an otherwise meditatively paced film.
   
   Hu explores other elements as well - the first act, mostly devoted to the artist, eases viewers into a framework of intrigues that will shape the plot; this section of the film is very slow, but in hypnotic (and definitely not dull) fashion, with an abundance of careful set detail and some rather astounding landscape photography. Here, palace intrigues and suggestions of the supernatural (A TOUCH OF ZEN is loosely adapted from a number of Pu Songling's gently surreal stories, collected in "Strange Tales From A Chinese Studio") drive the slowly coalescing plot. Intriguingly, the ghost story elements explored early in the film are satirized a bit later, adding a discrete layer of obtuse irony and genre commentary to the overall proceedings.
   
   Gradually shifting into a second act, which moves the focus to an imperial fugitive (Yang Huizhen) who is being tracked in the area. Here another of Hu's advances surfaces - Hu had a knack for creating strong and complex female characters, and the fugitive seen here is one of the most memorable; definitely a touchstone for Ang Lee, among many others.
   
   A TOUCH OF ZEN is divided with an intermission (on the DVD - more on this later) into two halves, and this 'second act' falls on either side of this division. A semi-famous, and much imitated, action sequence is to be found here.
   
   During the third act, the focus shifts again, to a group of monks that make a brief but memorable appearance earlier, and - as the level of action gradually rises, so does the level of mysticality, with Hu's complex and highly personal take on Buddhism recalling Andrei Tarkovsky's similarly mystical and oblique Christianity.
   
   Throughout, we have Hu's sense of humor, a sort of greatly modified slapstick providing extra charm - the very playful sense of humor would seem to be a strange addition, but it somehow works, giving an otherwise slow, meditiative film a breezy sense of rhythm. Again, I would point out the influence of Pu Songling (perhaps upon Hu's entire body of work); Songling's work - a classic of Chinese literature, blends spiritualism, surrealism, unexpected humor, political intrigues, horror and hints of the erotic - and Hu is unafraid of blending these seemingly disparate qualities into a vast, and sublime, cinematic endeavor.
   
   This is a beautifully shot film, on my personal short list of the most gorgeous ever, and the US/R1 DVD does present A TOUCH OF ZEN in all of its' widescreen glory. Unfortunately, the film seems to be otherwise unrestored, with an indistinct print and several spots of faded colors distracting from some exquisite compositions and landscape shots of a variety that would've made John Ford jealous (with at least one explicit visual reference to Kurosawa as well). I would hope to see a fully cleaned-up DVD available at some point in the hopefully not-too-distant future.
   
   But - grainy DVD or not - this is something every cinephile out there should see.
   
   -David Alston



5. This is one of the worst films I've seen in a long, long time. It's very long, very drawn out, very boring. There's little action and little dialog, making it a chore to sit through. The actors don't act so much as move from pose to pose. Very little of the plot makes any logical sense. Perhaps this film is of some interest to people with an interest in the genre. My guess is that the overall positive reviews here are based on a combination of self selection--only people with reason to believe they will like the film go out of their ways to watch it--and cognitive dissonance--I paid $18 or sat through unending hours of this, so it must've been good.

5 comments about Twin Dragons.

1. I am a cantonese person and I rent this US version dvd. Is some ways it disapointted me because it doesn't provide cantonese audio and they substitute English audio instead. Anyway, this movie is so funny is so ways. I especially like the bathroom scene. It can't help laugh loudly. The action parts are quite boring but I think American people would like to watch them.
   I would like to give it a 4 stars if it provides chinese audio.



2. I always enjoy jackie chan. It was fun watching him play two parts and his actions are always amazing.



3. Bad US dub aside (and they really should start releasing these films uncut and in their original language tracks), Twin Dragons has an interesting premise but rather shoddy execution. Through the use of various camera tricks and body-doubles, Jackie Chan plays a set of twins seperated at birth. One becomes a famous concert pianist, the other a streetwise mechanic. The trouble begins when the musical brother returns to Hong Kong for a concert, and the twins start sharing each others actions through a psychic link.
   
   For my money, there wasn't enough of the twins interacting in the same frame, and too much of the typical 'mistaken identity' goofing associated with these stories. The effects used to make two Jackie Chans appear onscreen together are quite convincing, but the story resorts to the "one twin ducks out while the other comes in" device too often, sapping away the fun. The confusion with the two girlfriends is entertaining but ultimately overplayed, and even some of the scenes in the final car-testing area could've been cut (particularly the goofing in the heat/water rooms). My desire for a trimmer cut doesnt excuse the US version's butchering, however.
   
   Really, Twin Dragons is worth 2.5 stars, but the sub-par US dvd keeps me from rounding up. It's worth checking out to see the fights, sunts, and some of the visual tricks, and those alone will probably make this movie memorable to fans. But objectively, it's not one of Jackie Chan's better efforts.



4. What do you get when you take two of the best action directors in Hong Kong near the peak of their powers - Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam - add two Jackie Chans and throw in his Police Story co-star Maggie Cheung? A load of rubbish, unfortunately. Made as a fundraiser for the Hong Kong Directors' Guild, Twin Dragons was painful enough in its original 100-minute version, but rescored, redubbed and shorn of 15 minutes by scissor-happy Miramax offshoot Dimension Pictures it's gone from being a vaguely comprehensible bad picture to an almost completely incomprehensible even worse one.
   
   It's the usual Corsican Brothers/mistaken identity plot (separated at birth, one twin grows up to be a streetwise hustler with an irritating sinus problem, the other an acclaimed conductor and concert pianist until - well, you know the rest), but thanks to perfunctory writing and tired unimaginative staging it's a bit of a chore to watch. Despite some good opening stunts it's mostly a rather inept comedy with a leaning towards bedroom farce, not helped by some variable special effects - at one point Chan walks through his brother's arm in a muffed process shot that really should have stayed on the cutting room floor but which typifies the "It'll do" spirit of the enterprise. As for the truly irritating vertically challenged sidekick - Randy Newman's Short People could have been written with him in mind.
   
   There is one good (not great, just good) fight scene in and around various cars in a test laboratory, as well as a neat cameo by the two directors as cheating card players (John Woo also turns up in one shot as a priest), but it's definitely not enough for any but the Chan completists. As with all of Buena Vista's back-catalog of dubbed and re-edited HK releases there are no extras (though Chan does dub himself in the English-language version, whereas in the Hong Kong cut he's dubbed into Cantonese by another actor), but after seeing this, the only extra you'd be interested in is an apology. Of course, as you would expect with a turkey, the 2.35:1 transfer and sound are both very good.



5. This movie is hillarous even though it's dumb. It contains good fighting scenes. It's predictable but very entertaining. As other movies of this kind, if you don't suspense your logic while watching it, you won't like it. As for me, when I watch comedy, I just want to laugh. I don't care about logic.
   
   I own it.

5 comments about Robin B Hood.

1. From an American point of view, this movie is confusing, disconnected, and a bit melodramatic. But this isn't an American movie. Jackie Chan is Taiwanese. This is that type of movie. Watching this movie as a foreign film is quite enjoyable. A little strange, but fun!



2. I did not enjoy the previous effort of a Benny Chan directed Jackie Chan film in "New Police Story" that I was definitely worried about a "Three Men and a Baby" inspired effort. The result was mixed, but going in with low expectations I was pleasantly surprised. "Rob-B-Hood" (US release name is a bizarre name change to "Robin-B-Hood" though in this movie there is no stealing from the rich to give to the poor; neither title is very good) is the third film in the collaboration between Benny Chan and Jackie Chan and Benny's first attempt at a comedic action film. While this film was successful in Asia it was not theatrically released in North America and most of Europe.
   
   Jackie Chan and Louis Koo Tin-Lok star as mediocre bad guys Thongs and Octopus. Jackie Chan tired of stereotypical nice guy roles wanted to play a criminal, though his character Thongs is a burglar and compulsive gambler, the "good guy" nature of his character comes through quite clearly and his performance does not veer far from most of Jackie's previous personae. This role is a good step in broadening his experience as an actor. Octopus is a married womanizer who works with Thongs. He married very young to Pak Yin (the terminally cute Charlene Choi) and is doing his best to woo wealthy young women while avoiding his wife. Thongs and Octopus both work under the guidance of the Landlord (Michael Hui) a conservative criminal who hoards his theft while the other two spend their "earnings".
   
   The Landlord has had his loot stolen by another criminal (he suspects everyone after this) so he allows himself to get contracted to a nefarious case to kidnap a baby for seven million dollars and give the infant to the possible grandfather to test if the baby is his sons (the son is dead and currently frozen in a very expensive decorated freezer). Thongs and Octopus both need the money so they acquiesce and help the Landlord with the felony. Of course, Thongs and Octopus, through a partially botched kidnapping attempt, are forced to take care of the cute defecating infant until they can reestablish getting the kid to who hired them. And, of course, they get attached to the baby (I cannot believe the baby got nominated for Hong Kong Film Award's Best New Performer category).
   
   Some of the negatives of this film include the ill-defined female characters (it seems they would have been better characterization in the original three-hour workprint, but that meant a whole lot more exposition); especially Gao Yuan-Yuan's Melody character who I had trouble figuring out what her relationship with Thongs was the first time I watched this. Some of the baby poop jokes were overdone as well as some of the infant's scenes in general (reportedly the child was an enfant terrible on the set; delaying shooting and helping push the film over budget). There is only so much you can do with a babbling, spitting, crying child with flatulence. Yuen Biao's Inspector Steve Mok character is definitely underused (as well as Michael Hui), though at least he gets more than a cameo in this film. And then there is the horrible overuse of Pepsi advertising including one scene where Jackie slides down a pole revealing the largest Pepsi graffiti I have ever seen.
   
   I did end up liking this film though. There is a certain congenial innocence with the lead characters that works well in this comedic action hybrid. In most Jackie Chan movies there are little stunts that sometimes seem as throwaways but are quite dangerous and are done with Keatonesque ease. In this movie Jackie slides down a staircase column and props himself up with ease at the end. If he fell on the wrong side he could have been seriously injured, but since it is so effortlessly it seems so simple. Jackie Chan has used more wires in his stunts and it definitely shows in this film, but I do not fault him for it, since his body cannot handle the punishment like it used to. The stunt where he jumps from air conditioner to air conditioner to the bottom of the street is impressive (even if a wire was used) and his and Louis Koo's stunts in the amusement park owned by the grandfather (location was Ocean Park) were quite good. In fact Jackie was said to be impressed of Koo who was willing to do many of his own stunts in the movie.
   
   There could have been more fighting in this movie but there is a good scene in the apartment of Jackie between Jackie, Yuen Biao, Ken Lo and more. It is inspired by a similar scene in Project A (this is also mentioned in the Benny Chan commentary), but still pleasant. While there are many faults in this film and I think that many action purists will not like this film, I found much that was enjoyable from the comedy to the action and stunts. Now please Jackie no more movies with babies.
   
   ***½/*****
   
   The extras on the Dragon Dynasty DVD are quite good though they have stupendously stupid names. The best is a 39 minute interview with Jackie Chan named "Crashing the Hood." In this he talks about how he wanted to be more serious as an actor and how he wanted to play more of a bad guy (this would be repeated on most of the extras) and how he had trouble passing the script through China. He talks about how he wants to work with more of his Peking school brothers (Sammo Hung and Yuen Wah) and some of his experiences with Michael Hui on "Cannonball Run." He even talks about his changing belief in CGI, how he channeled his Mom's stroke into this character and his non-use of storyboarding. He does make a mistake stating that this is his first main bad guy role (that would be "Killer Meteors" (1977) plus he did a couple of "thug" roles even earlier in his career). The most telling quote is when he states "I control the whole movie" dispelling any notion of the director as auteur for this film especially since this movie is produced by Jackie's company JCE Movies Limited.
   
   "The Hand That Mocks The Cradle" is a 16 minute interview with Benny Chan that repeats much of what is in the commentary except that he does state that Jackie Chan micromanages much less now then he did when he first directed him in "Who Am I." "Baby Boomer: A featurette with costar Conroy Chan" (14m) is interesting because of so much of what Conroy actually does. He is an X-Games promoter, was an electrical engineer in college, is a rap group member and has an Australian accent. However, he has a small role in the film. "Playtime for Adults: On the Site of Robin B. Hood" (22m) and "Robin-B-Hood: An Original Making Of" (22m) are typical "making of" fare that were originally (along with the director's commentary) put out on the R3 release. Luckily those two features have scenes of Yuen Biao being interviewed.
   
   Now where are the deleted scenes?
   
   The audio commentary by Benny Chan (with two interviewers who do not state their names), which was ported over from the R3 disc, is informative if not a bit dry. The Dragon Dynasty cover has a mistake in advertising stating that Bey Logan is on the commentary. He is not -- to the condemnation of some and to the happiness of others. Benny Chan talks much about how many scenes were cut (the work print of the film was three hours long; though he states he prefers the shorter version; thank goodness) and that most of the cut scenes were non-action. He also talks about some of the influence of Project A and Winners and Sinners. It was the first comedy for Benny Chan and Benny talked about how the baby was very difficult - this was echoed in much of the extras. Most of the commentary was scene-by-scene discussing where the missing scenes were, who some of the cameo actors are and his personal feelings on several scenes such as his struggling with the rationale of the "shocking" scene toward the end.



3. I got to this review page searching for when this movie was really made.
   
   I considered JC's action scenes in Rush Hour III as an indication he was ready for the "Over-the-Hill Gang", and told myself Robin B Hood was dragged out of a Taiwan vault.
   
   But I was sucked in by the hype on the box, and it did live up to it. The action scenes are reminiscent of earlier films, and it was good to see it was made recently.
   
   Confusing? Absolutely, especially in the first half. Thongs, Landlord and Octopus' characters in the early action scenes segue not at all into some of the other first-half "personal" scenes. I had to rewind to connect Octopus to the early action scenes with the later scenes of him being a total jerk to his wife. Is this that guy we saw earlier, dear?
   
   But, I agree with another reviewer: this is not an American film. Maybe we are too used to characters and plots that follow steps 1,2 and 3.
   
   In the end, I think the plot and character relationships were resolved satisfactorily. Not perhaps to the standard of a professional thriller, but definitely beyond the expectations of a B-action movie.



4. The great, unbeatable, real life actionman Jackie Chan is ageing. This of course is not new or shocking information, but it is true. Therefore he has shifted focus a bit in his new film, "Robin B Hood" (for which the English name in China interestingly enough was 'Rob-B-Hood', which to my ears at least sounds a bit better). Although he still fights and leaps and such, it is no longer the main act. The comedy takes over, and I must say, quite succesfully.
   
   There is one big problem with this though. While action and leaping around is universally understood, humour varies from one end of the world to another, and I think that there is a bit of that going on here. If you understand Chinese and Chinese culture and or cinema history, you will probably see more funny things in this film than if you don't. There are still plenty of things that are easily recognized as humourous, but many of the references and a lot of the dialogue is better if you speak Chinese. Nothing surprising about that really.
   
   I think there are enough leaping and figthing (and a visit from Yuan Biao) to keep genre fans happy, and enough humour to keep anyone else satisfied. In short: I think it is a good film. Highly recommendable.



5. After regaining some of the ground he lost in Hollywood with his last couple of Hong Kong films, Jackie Chan takes a big step backwards with the overlong Rob-B-Hood, a downmarket three bad men and a baby romp that offers limp gay jokes, comic relief mental illness, family bonding and child endangerment for all the family. There is one fairly good action sequence at the halfway point as well as a neat stunt that sees him jumping down a building via the air conditioning units, but you definitely get the feeling that Chan's no longer pushing himself but is just doing what he knows he can still do while Yuen Biao is mostly wasted in a nothing bit part. He's made worse, but that's hardly a recommendation.
   
   Dragon Dynasty's 2-disc set the theatrical version with audio commentary. There's also a variety of interviews and featurettes, but the film is such heavy going you quite possibly won't want to spend any longer on it once you've seen it.

5 comments about The Accidental Spy.

1. Jackie Chan is back again in this fast paced action comedy. The action starts in Hong Kong, where Jackie works as a sales assistant selling exercise equipment. The viewer is immediately thrown into an action packed chase scene where Jackie pursues robbers in a shopping mall. Jackie Chan always makes good use of the props surrounding him, which is always a delight to witness. The action is then tranferred to Korea where he meets his missing Korean father, who worked as a double agent for the Koreans and the Turkish drug lords. Jackie is now involved in the unwrapping of the mystery which surrounded his father. The decoding of a telephone number leads him to a bank in Turkey. Here he is pursued by both Turkish and Korean drug barons who are looking for the Opiate Maxe, a highly addictive drug.

   Although the plot is nothing to shout about, the action scenes more than make up for it. The best chasing/fighting scene had me in fits of giggles, when Jackie is chased through a Turkish market naked with nothing but props he picks up on the way to cover his modesty! This is classic Jackie Chan, where the fight scenes are brilliantly orchestrated and with dashing of humour thrown in. One thing I can't figure out is who are the girls on the cover of the DVD. They certainly weren't featured in the film as the two main girls who do paly in the film are orientals.

   Lealing




2. I like this film fine, and I can't truly find any fault with it. It's just seems to fall well short of Chan's usual work. That's kind of unfair, considering that most his other films are terrific, and this one is only good. But in the end, I have a hard time recommending it.
   
   The action sequences are well executed, but lacking Chan's usual flair. The end bit about a tanker truck on fire and Chan having to rescue the driver and his family is just silly. How long can that truck stay on fire without exploding? I never care for the big stunt endings. I'd rather have enjoyed a creative martial arts showdown.
   
   Not terrible, but not great either. Better than "The Prisoner" and "My Lucky Stars", two of Chan's very rare bad films. But still falls just a bit short.



3. While Accidental Spy did a decent job of keeping me engaged, I think it was mostly the fact that the movie is slightly under an hour and half. The plot was not too bad, but what lacked throughout the movie was a really good stunt or two by Chan, and no good fight scenes that match up to his quality in other films. Don't get me wrong, there are some beautiful scenes and it will entertain, but I expected even more. This is one of Chan's later movies, and his age might be catching up, but all in all I hoped for bigger and better.
   
   Like I said, the movie was engaging for the most part, and overall everything is decent, but thats all it is - no high excitement from maybe but a very few scenes. The best was in the middle of the movie, a good foot chase scene, where Chan is being chased by a gang of men through public streets, and Chan manages to loose his bathtowel, thus fighting off goons while finding random objects to keep himself "covered up". Its good, funny action. The finale of the movie is really nothing more than Chan saving a couple from their gas tanker that is on fire, nothing to do with the bad guys, they are done for before this scene. Its pretty cool scene but limits Chan's stunts and action abilites, except for his jump from the tanker in the end which is pretty cool.
   
   The dubbing, fortunately, isn't too bad and Jackie Chan dubs his own voice which I think works so much better. Most of the charcaters in the film are pretty bland, no one is memorable. Most of the film takes place in Istanbul, so if you have seen very little of Turkey you get to see quite a bit of its capital in the film.
   
   Accidental Spy is an ok movie, something to have only to complete your Chan collection and if you desire something you haven't seen before. I would find this difficult to want to watch over and over unlike other films such as Legend of Drunken Master or Who Am I.



4. It's a fair action comedy startting Jackie Chan. It has some funny momnents. All the action scenes look exactly like they were copied and pasted from other excellent movies of Jackie such as Supercop, etc.
   
   Because of that reason, I gave it 3 stars. I've watched it once but I don't buy it.



5. The film is about Jackie Chan's character who is trying to find his father. He is told that his father is a man from Korea who is dying and appears to be a bad guy. Typical of Jackie Chan movies is the beautiful cop and an adventure that takes you from Hong Kong to Korea to Turkey. Also, you get an introduction to one of the most popular Asian actresses in the East, Vivian Tsu (Taiwan and Japanese pop singer/actress).
   
   This movie is way better than "Who Am I?" and the acting is much better as well.
   
   As for the movie, the audio is fantastic via DTS and the video is beautiful as well but unfortunately not anamorphic. As for special features, there is a pretty cool making of featurette but unfortunately it is not subtitled in English.
   
   Otherwise a solid movie for Jackie Chan and much better than "Rumble in the Bronx", "Who Am I?" and other movies of his that may be distributed internationally.

5 comments about Vampire Effect.

1. I saw this movie on tv and thought it was awesome! I've been looking for it everywhere and I'm so glad that Amazon has it!!! If you like Kung Fu Hustle, you'll like this too! It has awesome fight scenes and some humor thrown in there too!
   Yeah...I wouldn't say it's the best movie ever, but it sure was entertaining.



2. This vampire action comedy is one of my favorites for the very fact that I was thoroughly entertained throughout the entire movie. First of all, the characters are memorable, contributing a myriad of classic scenes. Charlene and Gillian are naturally cute, charismatic, and humorous. This movie was my first exposure to them, and all I wanted to do was reach through my television screen and give them a REALLY BIG HUG. The remaining cast did well in their supporting roles, including Jackie Chan, Karen Mok, "The Duke", Josie Ho, Edison Chen, Anthony Wong, and the vampire bad guys (one of which looks eerily familiar to Will Ferrell). Even the abominably horrible Ekin Cheng was good in this one. Good characters are important, of course, because they avoid the feeling of boredom by keeping things interesting between action sequences.
   
   And speaking of action, this film has plenty of it. More importantly, there is an emphasis of quality in the fight choreography. One aspect that helped in this regard is the featured weapon of the protagonists - a sword with a retractable spear-ended rope. This weapon, in and of itself, opened up a variety of moves that would have been otherwise impossible. Josie Ho and Gillian Chung, in particular, perform some wicked aerial maneuvers using these devices.
   
   In addition, the swordplay is superb, and is highlighted by two great sword fights - one taking place during the opening train station sequence and the other occurring in the church finale. In fact, the blade-wielding maneuvers showcased in this film put some other highly overrated fan favorites to great shame, and I truly feel sorry for those who would cite the horribly choreographed garbage seen in Ashes of Time, Storm Riders, or A Man Called Hero with the well-planned, precisely executed sequences seen in The Twins Effect. It's not even close.
   
   This film was so good that it actually set me up for being disappointed at other Chinese movies with the same actors and actresses. This especially applies to Ekin Cheng, whose other films almost always suck - and yes, this includes the obscenely overrated and exploitative wuxia crap mentioned in the previous paragraph. Even The Twins have never been able to match the value of this movie when both were lead actresses in a film, although they have managed to hit some good films when either one or the other takes the leading role (e.g., Beyond Our Ken, Good Times Bed Times, House of Fury) or when one or both are in supporting roles (e.g., Colour of the Truth, New Police Story, Just One Look). The Twins Effect 2 should have been a direct sequel, instead of a family fantasy. I am still yearning to see Charlene and Gillian team up and kick some butt in another movie, but the fact remains that The Twins Effect hits on all cylinders, optimizing their charisma while avoiding a descent into annoyance (as in Protégé de la Rose Noire).
   
   All in all, this film has everything one needs to be entertained. And may I remind the reader that it is precisely this - ENTERTAINMENT - that judges the greatness of a movie, more so than artsy dramatic elements or meaningless awards from established academies of critics who usually have no idea what they are talking about.
   
   In the end, the Twins Effect is a CLASSIC not to be missed.
   
   Rating = 5/5 stars
   
   P.S. - The Hollywood execs decided to slaughter this film when it was released in the U.S. by renaming it The Vampire Effect and cutting out 20 minutes of footage, which includes parts of the action scenes. However, the final fight of the U.S. version does have a better soundtrack than the original version. Therefore, I purchased both versions, which allows me to first watch the original until about the 1:20 mark, and then swap discs to watch the final fight on the U.S. version.



3. The Twins and Ekin Cheng team up to take on vampires. Now first of all the story is the only thing I had a problem with in this movie. They don't explain a whole lot but they really don't need to. It is not a long movie and they mainly just focus on one plot point and the rest of the movie is fighting vampires. Ekin Cheng is a vampire hunter and when his partner dies he gets a new one. She is a little wild and does not like Ekin's sister. They have a fight on the rooftop with poles and while you can tell they don't know martial arts, this scene is a lot better than it should be with Donnie Yen's choreography. Ekin Chen though just surprises me more and more everytime I see him. He has a great one on one grappling type of fight and just looks outstanding in the opening scene. His acting is of course excellent as well. So Ekin's sister actually falls in love with a vamire who is being hunted by the like super vampire. I don't know what video game they took the story from but it makes for a great final fight. And I mean AWESOME!!!! The vampire grappling was great. NONE of the fights are going to blow your mind but there is just something about those twins getting down and dirty. Also look out for a great cameo from Jackie Chan and Karen Mok.



4. this move was so nice, a comedy and action film. jacky (kong sang) chan has a small part, put that does not really matter.



5. This movie is pretty entertaining. Although Jackie Chan is on the cover, his appearance in the movie is minimal. I got a good laugh from the goofieness of it all. I would recommend this movie if you like goofy movies.

5 comments about Jackie Chan's Project A.

1. If you are like me, you may find it difficult to explore some earlier creations of martial arts films, simply because the newest ones look poor enough sometimes with their low budgets. I was very hesitant to watch Project A for the longest time, thinking its going to be such poor quality, with cheesy old kung fu fights accompanied by bad sound effects, and lousy dubbing. I was surpirsed to find out that Project A creates action scenes that you just can't find with today's films, and that includes many of today's Jackie Chan films.
   
   The quality wasn't as bad as I expected, even though the poor dubbing might make it seem that way at first. It definetly has a classic look to the film with picture quality and sound effects, but its really not bad and is forgotten quickly, for action scenes begin almost immediately and consume the film, as well as a plot that just keeps going. Overall, pacing is great and the viewer should never feel bored. Whether its introduction to new characters, something comedic, a new unfolding in plot, or a terrific action scene, there is always something happening.
   
   Perhaps the best thing about Project A are some of the main characters. In addition to Jackie Chan, there are other martial art greats such as Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, and Dick Wai. All get to show off their skills impressively in the film. A final fight lasting a good 4 minutes is just awesome in this film, pitting Chan, Hung, and Biao against the pirate leader - played by Dick Wai.
   
   As previoulsy mentioned, there is more than enough action to please in this film. Every scene is intense and offers something exciting and new. Stunts galore and bodies fly, as editing is used to a minimum to really show off the real work that is being created by these guys. The best stunt in the film was actually repeated during the movie, showing Chan falling from a multi-story clock tower through some cloth overhangs and down to the ground. Another great scene, is the bicycle chase, which is much more clever than your typical car chase that is seen in hollywood all the time.
   
   This will no doubt please anyone who loves good classic martial arts action and stunts. Expect to see some stuff that you can't find in today's movies, and you'll be saying "they just don't make em like they used to"



2. Dear Ragini !
   
   Thank's for your email UNFORTUNATELY the DVD that I received yesterday is
   not the same that I bought from you.
   This is A JET LI movie with a BAD QUALITY ....I'm sure this product is
   PIRACY.
   What can we do now? I'm very dissaponited with AMAZON.....
   
   Best,
   
   Roberto



3. Where to begin? This is a terrific movie, and one of Jackie Chan's very best. Full of imaginative fights and stunts, Jackie's athleticism will amaze even those already familiar with him. It also features fantastic moments from Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, and a couple of Shaw Brother's alumni in Dick Wei and Lee Hoi San.
   
   Jackie is Dragon Ma, a naval officer in early 20th century Hong Kong. His navy is taking crap from the police for losing ships and not capturing the pirate, Lo Sam Pau (Wei) and his henchmen. After they lose two more ships, the navy is forced to merge with Yuen Biao and the police department to fight local corruption, and THEN go after the pirates.
   
   Those in the know say that the uncut, remastered version from Fortune Star is the way to go. That being said, this version from Dimension does have a very good, widescreen picture with some bad English dubbing and no subtitle options. For Dimension, the dubbing is actually pretty good. If you want bad, check out any of the many Jet Li films that they've released. This one does have Danny Trejo as the voice of Lo Sam Pau. So if you're into pirates but have a hard time getting through those long, narcolepsy-inducing Johnny Depp films, give "Project A" a shot. This one has good fights AND pays homage to Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. 4.5/5 and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
   
   1983



4. I asked for and paid for Project A. What I recieved was a dvd cover of project A with a dvd labled Project A. In fact the dvd contained a copy of Project A 2 - the sequel. This is not acceptable. Another point I would raise was that I checked the box to wait until all the dvd's in my order where all ready to be shipped together, they were shipped in two packages over two different periods. Please explain.



5. INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT A:
   
   Jackie Chan is an underestimated genious outside his own reputation, the historical importance of his legacy trascends his best known image as a comedian and daredevil acrobat: There's a talented Director and visionary, a man who changed the Action film industry in Honk Kong forever with his personal touch and style in the early 80's, by creating the perfect fusion of goofy physical comedy and incredible restless action with some of the most impressive and dangerous stunts ever displayed on film. This 1982 period film about sailors, police and pirates, was the consolidation of Chan as a star in Asia after his major breakthrought with Yuen Woo Ping's kung fu classic "Drunken Master", and a movie that started an influence to follow from there on in the industry.
   
   This is a true milestone, considered by critics not only as the first important Honk Kong action comedy , but one of the best productions of the genre next to Chan's second best directed film, the timeless classic "Police Story". Besides being one of his most entertaining and funny movies, the film contains some of Jackie's best stunts ever. We've all seen the reckless and almost imprudent asian stuntmen falling on their heads and backs from the roof to the solid floor in many occasions in 80's HK action movies, but no one can get used to watch Jackie climbing handcuffed to a flag pole, jumping to the top of a clock tower, and then falling to the ground with no protection but a couple of cloth roof tops. And he did it at least three times, two of them registered in this film. Even the MTV idiots getting their private parts bitten by baby alligators, thinks that its totally insane. Outstanding comedy and action, great period scenarios, enjoyable classic soundtrack: This movie defines an era.
   
   So Jackie became a hughe international star and the world embraced this delightful character and action hero that he is, and then came the re-releases of his early and most important work to satisfy the needs of us fans. Among those DVD releases, unfortunately we can find editions like this one. Check this out:
   
   THE PROBLEMS:
   
   - Incomplete, cutted version with english dubbing, and the worst of all, the original amusing and perfectly synchronized music score was replaced by a new, awful synthesized random score, killing the comedy and sucking the joy out of the movie by trying to turn it into the current action flick. I mean, the "updated" new cover of the DVD speaks for itself.
   
   - The Classic Golden Harvest presentation and original opening sequence with credits, was replaced by a computer generated pirate flag : Jackie Chan's Project A, the new title, makes clear that this release is a mere vehicle to show Jackie to new audiences, with no respect for anything else.
   
   - The bar fight sequence is incomplete: The whole "spaghetti" incident was excluded, along with precious seconds of the brawl. Nice.
   
   - The scene in the gambling house in wich the Sammo Hung's character is introduced to the movie, was completely excluded. Now, he just happens to know everyone. Awesome.
   
   - From the Police training sequence, the "shower" scene is missing.
   
   - The intro of Sammo, Jackie and Yuen Biao in the arrest sequence at the club house is missing. The fight sequences are chopped off too.
   
   - The intro of the rifle robbery on a boat at night perpetrated by Sammo and Jackie, conceived as a Pekin Opera satire, is chopped off and ruined by the lack of score, waysting the rhymes and the joke intended.
   
   - The pirate assault to the english ship sequence, chopped off.
   
   - From then, everything is in place, till the new ending credits. By this time, only sadness for the lost original music score and impotence for the waysted money remains.
   
   Honestly, the picture and sound are decent. But that's it. The intention of this DVD edition is to introduce new audiences to Jackie's glorious past, and in that part only, it delivers. But this is not the final choice for any collector or faithful fan, not for a moment.
   
   THE SOLUTION:
   
   A couple years ago, FORTUNE STAR released a flawless remastered ALL-REGION DVD Edition, including the complete version in Cantonese DTS, 5.1, and original 2.0 mono soundtrack (Hurra!) with original character voices and music score, all the deleted scenes and outtakes, original HK trailer, and photo galleries. More than any fan could ask for, i tell you.
   
   Dear Customer: Look for this edition in Asian DVD stores online, and forget about this Edition. Don't be afraid, they're just as safe and efficient as here, i guarantee.