★★★★★ ★☆☆☆☆
This Jackie Chan outing is a quality action adventure with a blend of humour and violent action. Perhaps it feels like stating the obvious but the stuntwork is astonishing and looks very very dangerous.
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DESCRIPTION
Kevin Chan is called upon by his superiors to assist the Chinese authorities in bringing down an international drugs ring.
PEOPLE CREDITS
◦ Jackie Chan:
◦ Michelle Yeoh:
◦ Maggie Cheung:
◦ Kenneth Tsang:
◦ Yuen Wah:
◦ Bill Tung:
• Martial Arts Choreographer: Stanley Tong
• Executive Producer: Leonard K.C. Ho
• Executive Producer: Jackie Chan
• Writer (Screenplay): Edward Tang
• Writer (Screenplay): Filre Ma
• Writer (Screenplay): Lee Wai Yee
• Producer: Willie Chan
• Producer: Edward Tang
• Director: Stanley Tong
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This is a very slick and professional package and, especially in the second half, feels more like a Hollywood action film rather than a traditional martial arts action film. With this episode in the series we see rather more gun battles than usual and the fight sequences are less imaginative than in some of Chan's other films. Perhaps this was done to broaden the appeal of the film. The swing from tongue-in-cheek humour to graphic and extreme violence is very stark. This helps emphasize the inhumanity of the villians and helps the danger that Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh's characters are in feel rather more life-threatening. That said, I prefer the fight sequences of the first two Police Story movies to the occasionally cold graphic violence on show here.
Stanley Tong directs pretty well with some flashy cameras angles and some well filmed stunts. He also paces the film well and during the mainly non-action first part of the film never really loses the viewer's interest.
Jackie Chan is quite brilliant in this film. His ability in marrying action sequences and humour is beyond question. In this movie, he is extremely funny and extremely agile but he also manages to look more angry and scared when need be. This, coupled to an increased realism and more bloody violence, helps make the situations he is in feel rather more dangerous and involves the viewer even more. Support is very good from an equally athletic Michelle Yeoh who performs some breathtaking stunts herself.
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