This surprised me more than any Jackie film I have watched so far. I knew Project A was good and remembered it fondly but not this good.
Jackie is Dragon Ma, a member of the Naval Police out to get pirates terrorising the coasts of Hong Kong.
After a stoush with the local police and some unsuccessful attempts to get the pirates the Naval Police is summarily disbanded and attached to the regular police force, (don’t ask me if this could ever happen in real life, this is a film).
When the boss of the former Naval Police is taken by the pirates the squad is immediately reformed with Dragon Ma at the helm.
Operation Project A – “Get the fucking pirates” is in full effect!
After the crew infiltrate the pirate stronghold, now with Sammo Hung along for the ride as a petty crim with a heart of gold (or something), all hell breaks loose and the final fight is totally balls to the wall action.
One thing that stuck out, remember this is early Jackie Chan, is the level of violence in this film, a great many guys are stabbed and deaths definitely occur with great frequency. I know that is how things happen in the real world but in later Jackie movies the repercussions of violence are generally limited to a sore head and some bumps and bruises.
This film was the first that let Jackie try some jokes, and largely to good effect, the early training sequences in particular are amusing.
Finally the bad guy pirate is suitably muscly and dangerous looking, and he handles himself with aplomb in the final fight against three different good guys at once.
1/ Are there any “WOW!” fights?
Fight after fight, after fight, after fight, after… The bar fight and finale are both classics.
2/ Are there any “WOW!” stunts?
The clocktower fall, which Jackie only did three different times as he wasn’t happy with the first couple. The bicycle chase also looks quite dangerous in spite of the fact that it is mostly played for laughs.
3/ Which Jackie is it? Serious / Whimsical / Cocky…
Noble, honest and brave, (Sigh!!).
4/ Does he get to use Jackie-exclusive toys?
No.
5/ Do stolen relics come up?
Does stolen treasure count? I say yes!
6/ Are there hot chicks (that usually can’t act)?
Only the daughter of the Naval Police boss. Meh.
7/ Is there a blooper reel over the credits?
Yep.
8/ Were there injuries on the shoot? Severity?
Oh yes. The clocktower fall produced much pain and bruising when the first couple went wrong.
9/ Has he still got it?
One of the first films where they let Jackie be Jackie, and it shows.
10/ Is it a “Jackie Chan” film, or just one he is in?
One of the first truly great Jackie Chan films.
Final Rating – 8.5 / 10. Amusing, witty, with awesome non-stop action, and Samo Hung in some sort of ill-fitting vest is always good value.
