Where Do You Live Story Funny Police Story
stunt-filled Hong Kong action-comedy
Jackie Chan directs this film in which he plays a policeman who, at the film's start, is part of a massive raid that captures a major crime lord. The crime lord's secretary (Brigitte Lin) will be forced to testify against her boss, so the police have Jackie keep watch over her until the trial. That doesn't sit well with Jackie's girlfriend (Maggie Cheung).
What seems like a cute romantic comedy gets a bit darker as the crime lord's henchmen set out to kill both Brigitte and Jackie. There are so many amazing action set-pieces that it's hard to pick which is the best, from cars driving full-throttle downhill through the middle of a shanty town, to Jackie using an umbrella to hang on to the outside of a double-decker bus driving at full speed, to bone-crunching jumps and falls, and a huge action sequence inside a shopping mall.
If the overall story had been a bit more engaging, this might have gone down as one of my all-time action faves. As it is, it's highly recommended for action fans or those who want to know why Jackie Chan spent two decades as one of the world's biggest superstars. This was a huge commercial hit all over Asia, and won multiple awards, making it one of the premiere films in Jackie Chan's career. It has spawned multiple sequels.
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Possibly the most essential Jackie Chan movie
It is a great shame that Jackie Chan's eventual emergence as a fully -fledged Hollywood star did not happen much earlier when he was at his physical peak. Of course even now he is pretty amazing,but he IS around 50 now. The Jackie Chan of Police Story would have REALLY amazed the world.
Police Story may not be his best movie but it is possibly the one to watch to get an overview of his abilities and film-making style {one must not forget he directed many of his Hong Kong films}.It is a somewhat uneven but often exhilarating film which mixes cop drama,slapstick comedy and amazing action. The film features opening and ending action sequences which are amongst the best done EVER. The opening has a shoot-out in a shanty town,virtual destruction of the town by cars and Jackie hanging on to a bus with a walking stick. The climax features an incredible fight scene in a shopping mall which is a fantastic combination of martial arts,brawling and sheer destruction,and the final stunt-WOW!
In between the film concentrates more on comedy,some of which slows the pace a little but is simply delightful to watch,such as a scene where Jackie has to answer lots of telephones at the same time {cut from the slightly poor dubbed version which also has a far inferior score},a very funny courtroom scene and even the old pie-in-the-face routine! Some of the humour may annoy those wanting more action but it is as essential to an understanding of Jackie's art as his martial arts and stunts,and here he perhaps perfects his favoured 'everyman' hero,a normal guy who may have amazing martial arts skill but still has relationship problems and is as likely to lose a fight as to win it. Sadly female stars Maggie Chung and Brigite Lin simply exist to be knocked about!
By no means a perfect film,and possibly Project A,Drunken Master 2 or Dragon's Forever might be better films but if you want a sampling of Jackie doing everything he does best,than this is the film to see .It spawned 3 sequels,all of which add to and build on the first one.
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Great stunts, some laughs and a reasonably good story start a solid series for Chan
Jackie is one of the key police officers in a bust that captures big time criminal Koo. As a `reward' he is told to guard Koo's secretary, who has turned states evidence. However Koo's men try to get to them before the trial - the least of Jackie's problems as his girlfriend May storms out when she sees him with Selina. When Koo is acquitted, he frames Jackie for the murder of a cop, forcing Jackie on the run to clear his name and get Koo.
The first film in the successful Police Story series is a fair example of a Jackie Chan film for those who have never seen one - reasonable plot, great action, average acting (potentially bad dubbing) and the comic scenes. However it is not as good as some of the sequels and, just generally, some of Chan's other films. Police Story opens with a great shoot out that culminates in a car chase through a shanty town and a fantastic series of stunts on a bus. From this point on it then focuses on the plot and quiet a few moments of comedy. This works reasonable well but it feels like the comedy and action have been divided up into separate sections. This takes away from the film a little bit.
The plot is pretty solid for a Jackie Chan film (by recent standards this is a masterpiece of writing!) although some of the dialogue doesn't quite fit. The moment where Jackie is forced on the run by the police is a bit hammy and the `you don't see us as people' rant just doesn't seem like Jackie. Of course part of the problem with this is the dubbing in the version I watched - I just don't understand viewers who would sooner see a really bad dubbing job than watch a subtitled version! The cheesy American voices here do detract from the performances and I found it difficult to judge some of Chan's comedy lines when they were being delivered by another person in a very flat way. However he still has presence and his physical work is great. Special mention to the stunt men here also, there are a lot of great falls (including a dive from a bus top) that must have hurt - I don't care who you are! Tung's Uncle Bill has fewer funny lines than I'm used to but he is still funny. The female cast are pretty wasted with both Lin and Cheung on screaming duty for the majority of the film (and most grating it is too!).
The film ends on a rather strange shot but set up an angry cop that Chan never really convinced me as - a personae that just seemed to be dropped in the later films in the series, but the overall film is still very enjoyable. The plot is good even if the acting isn't and the action involves plenty of amazing routines and stunts - it's just a shame that the action and comedy were very fragmented, it disjointed the film.
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First entry in Police Story saga with Jackie Chan as brave and likable cop
POLICE STORY packs a violent confrontation between Jackie and nasty villain and his hoodlums . This stirring and exciting story about the cop named Chan Ka Kui of the Hong Kong precinct is well played by Jackie Chan . Ka Kui (Jackie Chan) is a Hong-Kong cop who pursues and arrests a drug-lord but he accuses Chan with the killing of another police . Chan as one army man fighting a group of heinous criminals has to clear his name, whilst keeping himself from getting murdered or detained , and keeping his sweetheart (Maggie Chung , famous star of Asian cinema )from leaving him . Chan attempts to protect a witness , the mobster's secretary (Brigitte Lin) who helps him to track down the gang of drug lord. Then Chan looks for vengeance against the ominous villains at a cat and mouse game.
This thrilling movie is crammed of brawls with punch , bounds and leaps , action-packed, breathtaking stunt-work and lots of humor with tongue in cheek. Jackie Chan is top notch as intrepid cop who scores his first big hit by virtually single-handedly capturing and imprisoning a big drug-lord and as always he makes his own stunts like is showed on the final fake-shots. Awesome,incredible stunts and brief comic touches, as usual ; the picture is better constructed than the followings . The lighting-paced storyline slows down at times but frenetic action sequences make up for it. Spotlights movie include Jackie jumping over a bus , furthermore moving fights and brawls at a mall , among others. This is a phenomenal action movie distinguished by nicely cinematography of the spectacular sequences , furthermore contains sense of humor such as subsequent entries. Lousy musical score mostly composed by synthesizer and in the American score is created by J. Peter Robinson . Lavishly produced by Raymond Chow and Golden Harvest Production and professionally directed by Chan. In the various ¨Police story¨adaptations Jackie teamed up to prestigious actresses and parternaires and fine action stars in their own right ,like Maggie Cheung and Michelle Khan . This first version titled ¨Police story¨ directed by the same Jackie Chan is a perfect action film for enthusiastic of the genre; the following was ¨Police story 2 (1988)¨ also pretty violent and with abundant humor touches ; it's followed by ¨Supercop¨ directed by Stanley Tong ; after that it went on ¨Police story IV : Crime story and finally ¨New Police story¨. Rating : Good, the picture has its sensational moments , mostly provided by its agile star, the great Jackie Chan.
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Jackie Chan's Masterpiece?
Version: Universal / Hong Kong Legends R4 DVD release. Cantonese / English subtitles
Once upon a time, five years ago, the world was obsessed with 'The Matrix', and I was perhaps one of the few fifteen year olds left who still believed that 'Terminator' was better than 'Matrix'. I was but a simple teenage boy, looking for a good action movie, and then there was a shining light on a TV station I had never really watched, a little station known as SBS. One night I noticed in the TV guide that a movie starring Jackie Chan - 'Police Story' would be on later. Being fifteen, and having only seen 'Rumble in the Bronx' and 'Rush Hour', I said... "WOW AWESOME" and sat down to watch it, and continually shouted "WOW AWESOME" as the movie progressed. Two weeks later, after SBS had shown the 'Police Story' trilogy, I knew I had found my new favourite actor.
Jackie plays Chan Ka Kui, a Hong Kong cop who busts a major drug-lord, Chu (Yuen Chor). Chu's secretary, Selina Fong (Brigitte Lin), is being held by the police as a witness against Chu, and Chan is assigned to protect her. Things go bad - reaaaal bad - when Chu's case is dismissed and he decides he wants Fong and Chan dead.
'Police Story' is one of the greatest action movies ever, and certainly one of my favourite Jackie Chan films. It starts off strong, and ends with one of the most incredible action sequences ever filmed. Everything in between is great. However, some of the funny parts may seem a little tasteless to more than a few people...
As a story, this is still one of Jackie's better efforts. For an action movie, the story is pretty good, and Jackie is a much better actor in this than he is in the acting & plot intensive 'New Police Story'. This isn't 'Miracles', but maybe that's a good thing.
'Police Story' is one of Jackie's finest works. It got me hooked on Jackie Chan movies, and should provide a nice start for any potential Jackie fans. The bad news for anyone who sees this first is that Jackie Chan movies don't come much better - 10/10
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Awesome Jackie Chan cop flick!
This is a high-energy and awesome cop flick starring Jackie Chan, who plays Hong Kong Detective Kevin Chan. He is framed for murdering a fellow cop by a drug lord and, while having to clear his name, Kevin goes on a mission to capture the druggie while, at the same time, keeping his girlfriend.
Chan displays some of his best martial arts action in this film, with incredible stunt work, daredevil jumps and butt-kicking action. It's good old-fashion fighting skills with no wires and CGI.
The plot is pretty simple, nothing too suspenseful, but it's fast-paced with a mixture of humor and drama. And, the acting is pretty good - fun stuff and dialog coming from Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung, Brigitte Lin. Cheung displays the tenderness in her character while Lin displays more of a feisty personality. And, Bill Tung as the Chief is a lovable and hilarious character.
Highly recommended action film!
Grade A
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Wow - this is the best Jackie Chan film of the 80s, bar none
Warning: Spoilers
This film is certainly Jackie Chan's best during the 80s, it allows Chan to put his directional and physical self on cellioud in the way he intended rather than the mess that happened with The Protector.
The film, unlike some of Jackie Chan's other films, has a very strong plot - a cop arrests a drug dealer after hanging on the bus and stopping the bus armed only with a six shooter - (it would appear in Stallone's Tango and Cash - an endurament to the originality of this one sequence).
The drug dealer frames Chan after the court case falls on 'dubious' witness testomy and Chan has to live a life where the drug dealer taunts and teases him at every path. Chan's career as a cop goes downhill, the supercop turned laugh-at-cop.
The film doesn't disappoint, it isn't as long-winded as say Armour of God, it has the action and common sense to put a seroius story behind it. This film really puts Jackie Chan on the map - this is his best film of the 1980s.
Go rent it now, leave your stallone's, arnie's, van damme's, bruce willis', this is what action is about!
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An easy contender for Jackie's best movie
Warning: Spoilers
Top-notch outing from director and star Jackie Chan at the peak of his powers, offering a plot which allows Chan to create a well-acted and likable character, superb action sequences - I mean, they really are the best here I've ever seen - a memorable supporting cast, and excellent production values. The film opens with a major fast-paced shoot-out, which is followed by an amazing stunt involving a number of vehicles rolling down a hill and demolishing a shanty-town in the process; for sheer visual spectacle this takes some beating. The set-piece is followed by a chase involving a bus which has a nice pay-off. Finally the action finishes and the viewer can take a breather whilst the plot evolves.
Like most modern-day successful Chan films, the film takes the structure of having a major action event followed by some plot furthering, then of course the physical and fast-paced humour that Chan always inserts into his films. Most of the comedy here comes from Chan being given the job of Brigitte Lin's bodyguard, and the scrapes and pitfalls he falls into as he tries to win her affections. The light-hearted, good-natured humour is fun and pleasant to watch, which makes a change from the cruel and often offensive humour seen in modern cinema. Then suddenly we're back into the thick of the action, with Chan doing some amazing stuff like taking on a gang of bad guys, kicking people through car windscreens and hitting someone so hard with a car door that it flies off! Things eventually become more serious when Chan finds himself framed and is forced to take his own superior hostage to escape. Then the action moves to a shopping mall, where you better hold on to your hat because the conclusion is one of the best ever filmed. An action-packed odyssey of incredibly dangerous back-breaking stunts, physical humour, super-fast martial arts moves, and more breaking glass than you can shake a stick at. POLICE STORY definitely holds the record for "most glass broken in a film, ever" and the bone-crunching finale is the stuff that action fans' dreams are made of. The lack of special effects and the work of the stunt team add to the excitement, putting you into the thick of the action so that you really feel every blow.
Chan is, as I mentioned before, at the peak of his game and his character a real revelation. He plays a straight-forward, occasionally bumbling everyday kind of character and this is a major strength for the film, because you end up feeling closer and more in league than if he was some kind of superman a la Schwarzenegger. The supporting cast is strong and blessed with memorable performances, especially the overacting superiors and the two girls caught up in the fray, Brigitte Lin and the beautiful Maggie Cheung, who has a smaller supporting role and is a little wasted (by that I mean in terms of her role, not that she's on drugs). Once again there are memorable stunts (the famous "pole slide" being the best, quickly followed by the bus routine) and all kinds of physical movements which are delightful. A magnificent action-cum-comedy-thriller which taught Hollywood a thing or two, but which stands light years ahead of most contemporary American fare.
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Awesome!
A winters day, 28th December 1986, two bored 14 year olds hire a movie. "Hmmmm, Police Story, looks interesting", "who is this Jackie Chan?", "never heard of him". Two hours later after watching the film, in a daze, we wanted to know more. 16 years later (and severely out of pocket from collecting JC movies!) the film still grabs me like no other. Ok, maybe I have a soft spot for it as it was my "first" (Cannonball Run doesn't count!!) JC movie, but it is an excellent movie. It has all the classic JC elements, Action, Humour, Action, Heart and ACTION! Some comments say it's dated, it was made in 1985, of course it's dated! But then so must Jaws, Casablanca, Singin' in the Rain and The Godfather!!!!!! Without movies like Police Story where would Hollywood action be today? PS set standards, many a scene has been stolen for use in other movies. To really fully appreciate it you must see it in widescreen, you miss so much of the movie otherwise (yes, he really does fall off the bus going round the corner!). If you haven't already, SEE THIS MOVIE NOW!!!!
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Great Action Film
A virtuous Hong Kong police officer (Jackie Chan) must clear his good name when the drug lords he is after frame him for the murder of a dirty cop.
My knowledge of Jackie Chan is pretty limited, and I have to confess I have not seen many of his films. Apparently this was his breakout role in action films, and it really is a triumph. The stunts are incredible, the action is superb, and there is a lot of broken glass. I was already fascinated from the beginning, when an entire town is destroyed! The film can be watched in either English or Cantonese. I am not sure how accurate the translation is on the dubbing, but the English is pretty funny. The film itself is supposed to be funny, so I am not saying the dubbing itself is humorous -- I am just curious how closely the words match.
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Amongst Jackie Chan's best
Probably Jackie Chan's best film in the 1980s, and the one that put him on the map. The scale of this self-directed police drama is evident from the opening and closing scenes, during which a squatters' village and shopping mall are demolished. There are, clearly, differences between the original Chinese and dubbed English versions, with many of the jokes failing to make their way into the latter. The latter is also hampered by stars who sound nothing like their Chinese originals. In fact, the only thing the dubbing has corrected is the court trial—at the time, trials in colonial Hong Kong were conducted in English, while the original has this scene in Cantonese!
Nonetheless, Chan's fighting style and the martial arts choreography inject humour where possible, so non-Cantonese audiences don't miss much. It's not, after all, the dialogue that makes a Chan flick, but the action and the painful out-takes. The story is easy to follow: Chan plays an incorruptible Hong Kong detective pursuing a gangland godfather (Cho Yeun), and assigned to protect a star witness (Brigitte Lin). The action is superb from beginning to end, and there's not much time to breathe in between. It'll never get you thinking, but what an entertaining, and well strung-together, film. Arguably, this is one of the best martial arts films out there.
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Outstanding
Out of the 10 plus films Jackie Chan has directed this is his most personal. I can see why its a personal favorite of his because of the energy and sweat that was put into making the movie. The ingredients for success are here with the actor/director's trademark of slam bang action sequences with a touch of the absurd. Jackie Chan as director creates many show stopping moments for this well made feature.
The opening sequence begins with a nicely ser up action moment that pays off with a fantasitc car chase. My favorite opening scene in all of Jackie Chan's films because of its usage of excellent action imagery. Ging Chaat Goo Si/Police Story(1985) does lose some steam after the scene ends but only for a short while. This sequence represents some of the best work in Jackie Chan's output from the 1980s.
The car chase which concludes the opening scene of Police Story(1985) is the big moment of the sequence. Its a amazing moment especially when Kevin Chan drives his car down in and out some Shantytown buildings to catch some drug dealers. This aspect of the car chase makes it stand out from car chases in American films of that period. The originalty of the car chase in Police Story(1985) is what makes the moment fun to watch.
Ging Chaat Goo Si/Police Story(1985) is one of five Hong Kong action pictures that would influence numerous American action pics of the late 1980s-early 1990s. The one actor whose films have been influenced the most by Police Story is Sylvester Stallone. Especially true in films like Tango & Cash(1988), and Demolition Man(1993). Many American action pics have been influenced by this picture and some never reaches the excellence of its action sequences.
What makes Police Story work is the approach to make the character of Kevin Chan Ka Kui into an everyman figure who fights against opponents with strength and will power. Because of this approach the movie becomes much more entertaining. The everyman character that Jackie Chan plays is a part of what makes his films popular with audiences in manny parts of the world. He rarely plays a character who is super tough and is not an everyman.
The stunt work in the action scenes are amazing because of the danger element. Jackie Chan performs such dangerous stunts in Police Story(1985) that it's a testament to his strong conditioning and bravery. Because of his fearless attidude, Jackie Chan always recovers from injury to do more dangerous stunt work. Very few would do what Jackie does and this is what makes him beloved in the eyes of his fans.
Police Story(1985) finishes in style with the action sequence that tops the one at the beginning. The physical work done in this one scene is reward with top notch execution of the action. The closing sequence uses visual gags to strengthen its status as a classic sequence. Many have imitated this one scene but few never bother to make any imitated scene into a great scene.
Maggie Cheung plays a lousy role as the helpless girlfriend of Kevin Chan, May. One of her first major film roles before she became known as a serious dramatic actress. During this period in her career, Maggie Cheung never did any action moves or attempted to do so. This would change when Maggie Cheung took on the role of Thief Catcher in The Heroic Trio(1993).
Police Story(1985) and Police Story 3:Supercop(1992) are the best in the Polce Story series. Both contain strong female characters in the presence of Brigitte Lin and Michelle Yeoh. The two films have dazzling action scenes with creative thought put behind them. Police Story(1985) and Police Story 3(1992) have high octane finalles that never bore or disappoint.
Ging Chaat Goo Si/Police Story(1985) was Jackie Chan's response to the disappointing results of his second American film, The Protector(1985). Has many of the Chan highlights The Protector lacked. Jackie Chan as actor and director wanted to do things with Police Story(1985) he wasn't able to achieve in The Protector(1985). Police Story(1985) benefits from losing the Dirty Harry style of The Protector(1985).
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Arguably Chan's Best Movie By Far
Jackie Chan is considered by many film and martial arts movie fans as one of the greatest action stars ever to grace the silver screen and Police Story cemented his reputation as the likely successor to the late, great Bruce Lee. If Enter The Dragon bared the so-called bench mark of Lee's greatness in the 70s, then the same can be said about Police Story and Jackie Chan in the 80s.
Forget about the Rush Hour trilogy, or any of his US efforts- the one film that really typifies Chan's excellence, not to mention kick starting his status as a high kicking, bone-crushing kung- fu talisman, as well as his movie career was this, Police Story- the first in a series of successful cop films, set in mainland, present day Hong Kong.
I've seen many of his efforts- likewise the US-based Rush Hour, Rumble in the Bronx, The Medalian and The Tuxedo to name- and frankly many of them pale into insignificance compared to Police Story. In those movies, we saw a less 'dumbed down' version of Jackie, of whom didn't get the opportunity to utilise his fighting abilities to the maximum, not to mention the fight sequences were no where as good as those in such efforts as Drunken Master, Police Story to name.
The stunts in this movie are extraordinary and are the best featured in any action movie. The shopping mall scene is literally one of a kind and has to be seen to be believed: the flying shards of glass, Chan who is left dangling outside the bus only by his walking stick as a madman frantically drives through the streets of the town, and Chan successfully making usage of all sorts of inanimate objects and prop devices as weapons to fight the bad guys with.
Considering he is known for injuring and breaking every bone in his body and putting himself in harm's way, Jackie's persistence in showing his versatility as a stuntman himself by not relying on one, is somewhat of a testament to his reputation as a kung fu expert. Especially as he has the bruises to show for it. Thus, he has proved that he is no one-trick pony when it comes down to devising and coming up with various and clever looking moves.
Story-wise, there is not much to discuss but what it lacks in narrative, it makes up with its end-to end action and fight sequences. As for the dialogue, well it's not a really huge aspect of the film- which is why most fans of Jackie's and martial arts films are more interested in action, as opposed to the story.
Unlike say The Matrix, there are no wires or CGI, or any form of computer trickery involved. What you see is what you get- and what you get with Police Story is a great Jackie Chan epic, full of action and pulsating stunts.It is miles better than Rumble In The Bronx, Rush Hour and all his other American efforts.
Police Story is an excellent film and one I'd definitely recommend to anyone who is a novice Jackie Chan fan, but of whom are unsure which one they should watch first.
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CHARLIE CHAPLIN WITH A BLACK-BELT...A STAR IS BORN...CHARMING CHAN DELIVERS & THEN SOME
Jackie Chan was Born to be a Star, or perhaps more Down to Earth, He made Himself a Star with Hard Work, Dedication, and Determination.
This Hong-Kong Feature became an International Hit with its Death-Defying Daring-Do. Incredible Practical Stunts that most in the Industry would say are Impractical as Jackie Performed and Audiences were Amazed.
As Likeable as any Action Hero, He Delivered a Half-Action, Half-Comedy Extravaganza on a Limited Budget with Unlimited Appeal.
Predictably the Extensive Comedy-Slap-Stick bits are an Acquired Taste, especially Considering the Cross-Cultural Limitations.
Overall, Arguably the Best of Jackie Chan can be Seen here and the Glory is Captured on New Transfers that are as Pristine as it gets in the World of Home HD Video.
One of the Highlights of the 1980's and Action Fans (and their dates) Responded with Overwhelming Praise as He Launched a Stellar Career that Survives to this Day.
Few have Embraced the Love of Craft more than this Dynamo as it is Evident in Every Jackie Chan Movie and His Fans Eat it Up.
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jaw dropping real stunts
Good cop Chan Ka Kui (Jackie Chan) is part of a team tasked with taking down mob kingpin Chu. Chu tries to bribe him to no avail. DS Chan becomes the force's poster boy. The cops release Chu's secretary Selina Fong in hopes of turning her against Chu. In turn, they assign Chan to be her police protection despite her objection.
This starts with a big set piece action and some great Jackie physical stunts. The screwball comedy is a bit surprising. There is a clash of tones. The case is serious but the movie keeps going for the broad jokes. The story is definitely not tight enough to be a courtroom drama. The comedy comes when one accepts the movie's silliness. It does excel mostly in its action and what action! The stunts are incredible. The action is jaw-dropping. This is Jackie cruising at his heights.
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My second favorite Jackie Chan movie
My favorite Jackie Chan movie will always be "Drunken Master" (1978), followed by this film from 1985, "Police Story." In it, Chan plays a Hong Kong super-cop who busts a notorious crime lord and his gang, and is then assigned to protect the man's girlfriend (Brigitte Lin) so that she can turn state's evidence. As the story goes on, the gangster sends his goons to dispatch Lin, but Chan takes matters into his own fists and feet, while keeping girlfriend Maggie Cheung at bay. Like "Drunken Master," "Police Story" has many of the signature stunts and over-the-top martial arts/action choreography that Chan has become famous for, climaxing in a battle royal at a crowded shopping mall. In his role as director, Chan exceeds in excellence, giving a charismatic and funny performance that accentuates the action. While light on the overall slapstick humor of "Drunken Master," at heart "Police Story" is just that, a police story, a gritty cop-thriller that would be oft-copied over the years to come.
10/10
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Great start, brilliant finale, but the stuff in-between
Jackie Chan stars as tough police inspector Chan Ka Kui, who is determined to bring Hong Kong drug lord Chu Tao (Yuen Chor) to justice, but who finds himself having to clear his own name when he is framed for the murder of a corrupt cop. Helping Chan to put things right is Chu Tao's secretary Selina (Brigitte Lin), but her presence doesn't sit well with the inspector's jealous girlfriend May (Maggie Cheung).
Police Story is widely regarded as being amongst Jackie Chan's best films, but while it undeniably showcases some of the star's most incredible fighting and stunt-work—opening in spectacular fashion with the destruction of a hillside shanty town during a car chase, and closing with a jaw-dropping shopping mall showdown in which no pane of glass remains un- smashed—the simplistic plot and frequent Chaplin-esque comedy routines prevent it from being one of my favourites. Chan is renowned for his trademark blend of kung-fu and comedy, but in this case it seems out of place amidst the organised crime, murder and shooting.
6.5/10, rounded up to 7 for the eye-watering moment three men fly through the top window of a double-decker bus and hit the ground in a most painful manner.
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So come for the stunts of course, but don't tune out during the comedy.
For a movie that I thought had a damn-serious reputation as a tough cop action drama... Well, there's also a moment where Jackie Chan does the moonwalk to unsuccessfully get poop off his shoe.
This movie is incredible entertainment. Police Story isn't a grand masterwork of cinema, but they don't all got to be that (side bar, I watched this after a double-shot of Ozu and it was the equivalent of having a really healthy full course meal, and then getting the best ice cream sundae or piece of over the top cheesecake at the Cheesecake factory, but I digress).
In this case, Chan has a total, consummate and complete dedication to being the kung-fu goofball of cinema. Obviously you see his magic (and what else can you call it) in the big set pieces - with the bus early on and especially at the mall at the end (he EARNS having his slide down the pole through those thousands of lights three times) - but its in the little moments, if one can call them that, when he is interacting with the woman his cop character is supposed to be keeping an eye on.
Itd be easy to just make this a standard potboiler and there are a couple of scenes where that's evident (ie the cop friend winds up, gasp, double crossing 2/3rds in), but Chan subverts that by being so silly or, more to the point, he makes it so that wild things happen to him, like in the courtroom, but the humor isn't mean or in poor taste either.
And then when it *does* suddenly turn dramatic in the latter part of the film, whether you think it earns it or not (and I thought it mostly did), Chan commits to that as well and shows how he realty could do it all. If he had adapted Macbeth he would have been one helluva martial arts mad Scottsman! Police Story especially is a small treasure for action fans (if a little rough over 30 years on), and its clear that it's not only in the stunts but in his entire persona, how he interacts with people and especially women, that a character like this is SO Buster Keaton too. I'm almost surprised he didn't have a top hat.
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Jackie Chan's best classic masterpiece HK action flick ever made!
Police Story (1985) is Jackie Chan's s best classic action masterpiece from Hong Kong! I love this movie to death and It is one of my favorite best action flicks this one and part II are classic and the best one In the series. This film is fearless action packed filed with spectacular incredible, insane action scenes. I grew up watching Police Story II (1988) as a child, which was my favorite best Jackie Chan movie. Watching this on Blu-ray few days ago I must say this is the original and the best action movie from the 80's of all time. This is Jackie Chan's the best finest action movie of all time, which I really do believe that it is a classic masterpiece! This is my favorite Jackie Chan film which is his best one. Police Story is the finest police action movie of all time. And, yet, believe it or not, it's not the action in the film itself that makes this be the case. This is especially odd in a movie with only a $26 million budget (in 1985!), with multiple real fights, realistic stunts used in the film, Jackie Chan making his own stunts. The acting is believable, the movie is fast paced and highly entraining and it has a humor in it.
This movie is what it is, a perfect 10, because it takes the vision of one of the most imaginative directors on Earth, and realizes them almost perfectly with all the tools that fit the task - real stunts used in the film, realistic injuries, Jackie Chan is crazy making his own stunts but that does the man a legend. I don't think Bruce Lee would have done better stunts than Jackie Chan did; on the bus, shop mall, or in the car. Running barely foot down hill for the bus, Jackie is climbing onto the bus using the umbrella, as he reaches around the side of the bus we see the handle of the umbrella is clearly bent, the scene was really crazy and spectacular.
Police Story is one of Jackie Chan's best known and beloved movies and for a good reason. It does have a bit too much comedy but the action is just spectacular. My jaw was hitting the floor during the opening sequence when the cars are driving downhill through a shanty town, which interestingly enough was totally ripped off by Michael Bay in Bad Boys II. Tango & Cash (1989) Stallone and Russell's action flick ripped off the scene from the bus. The movies are just ripping off Jackie Chan's films stop doing that. Why would Jackie Chan making two reboots is beyond me? This movie just did not need any sequels. Police Story II and Supercop were great sequels but than the series should have just stop making films.
One of Jackie Chan's biggest selling points is that he likes to do his own stunts and Police Story has some of the best you'll ever see. There are scenes which will make you wince as it looks like people are genuinely injured during some of the stunts. During the end credits of this we get some out takes and we see that Jackie and some cast did indeed hurt themselves for their art. Such dedication should be lauded and is why Police Story is one of Chan's finest hours. The music is a little dated now and the humor overload does take away a lot of the tension and excitement but there are a lot of classic moments. The finale in the shopping mall is action-packed and Chan is just ferocious towards the bad guys. The stunts are completely insane in scale (at one point, in the mall Jackie Chan jumped on a Christmas tree pole lights who were plugged into the wall; and he fall on a glass house.) The mall pole slide also nearly paralyzed Jackie Chan after nearly breaking the seventh and eighth vertebrate in his spine. He also dislocated his pelvis doing it and he sustained a real burns on his hands.
There was a moment during the opening scene which is something we rarely see in an action movie; one of the police officers gets really scared during a shoot-out and ends up wetting himself in fear which really adds to the scene's realism. I'm pretty sure if you are in a shoot-out in real life you will be terrified so it was something that was a nice addition. The music is a little dated but as the film was out in 1985 then we can let that slide. The film is realistic and Jackie Chan did one of his best acting performances of his life, I have ever seen on a screen.
Overall, Police Story is action packed spectacular essential for any action fan. It is Jackie Chan's classic action packed masterpiece and I love this movie to death I love it so much.
Police Story (Chinese: 警察故事; pinyin: Jǐngchá Gùshì; Jyutping: Ging2 caat3 gu3 si6) is a 1985 Hong Kong action film written and directed by Jackie Chan, who also starred in the lead role. It is the first of the Police Story series featuring Chan as a Hong Kong police detective named "Kevin" Chan Ka-Kui.
10/10 Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: Golden Harvest Media Asia Group, Golden Way Films Ltd., Paragon Films Ltd. Starring: Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, Chor Yuen, Charlie Cho Director: Jackie Chan Producers: Raymond Chow Leonard Ho Screenplay: Jackie Chan, Edward Tang Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 1 Hr. 41 Mins. Box Office: HKD $26,626,760 (Hong Kong)
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Brilliant action with a decent storyline! 8/10
Review: After watching a few mediocre Jackie Chan movies, I finally reached a film which I throughly enjoyed, mainly because of the amazing, epic action scenes in the shopping mall at the end. It was good to see Chan act serious at the beginning of the movie but he can't help putting the silly comedy in the middle. The action at the end did make up for the comedic scenes and after such a long gap since I last watched it, it still looks great today. Watching Chan go nuts whilst performing some outrageous stunts really gave this film the "WOW" factor and the Commando like mall scene has never achieved again in today's cinema. Anyway, for people who haven't watched Police Story before, Chan plays Chan Ka Kui whose a cop trying to takedown some drug dealers. After an amazing car chase through a village and a death defying bus chase, he finally catches the criminals and he has to protect the secretary who can win the case against them in court. On the day of the hearing, the secretary gets kidnapped so the case is thrown out of court because of lack of evidence. He then gets framed for a police officers murder so to prove his innocence, he fights to get back the secretary who has evidence against them. The storyline wasn't too bad, along with the acting from the cast but Chan did show true emotion while he was fighting and causing havoc in the mall and village. The ending was a bit abrupt and the girls constant screaming did get on my nerves but the action really saved the day. I personally think that this movie has to go down as a classic because Chan pushes the stunts to the limit and he cut down on the silly, irrelevant comedic scenes which I have seen in a lot of his movies. Anyway, this is definitely worth a watch and I'm sure you will invest in a copy after seeing it. Brilliant!
Round-Up: I haven't got a clue how Jackie Chan directed and starred in this movie because there is so much going on. I'm surprised that he also wrote this movie because there isn't that much comedy and he actually gets angry with his enemies. Anyway, this film won the Hong Kong film award for Best Picture and Best Choreography in 1986 but Chan didn't win the best actor or director category, which I think he really did deserve. I personally can't remember the other movies in this franchise so I'm hoping that they will be just as good when I get round to watching them. Fingers Crossed!
Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: HK$26,626,760
I recommend this movie to people who are into their action/crime/martial arts/comedies starring and directed by Jackie Chan. 8/10
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Watch out the shanty town chase, bus hanging scene n awesome mall fight sequence.
Warning: Spoilers
I remember seein this on a VHS during late 80s. This film, unlike some of Jackie Chan's other films, has a very strong plot - a cop arrests a drug dealer after hanging on the bus (jus watch with what object he clings on the bus) and stopping the bus armed only with a six shooter - (it would appear in Stallone's Tango and Cash n Aamir Khans Baazi). Police Story opens with a great shoot out that culminates in a car chase through a shanty town and a fantastic series of stunts on a bus. The stunts in this movie are extraordinary and are the best featured in any action movie. The shopping mall scene is literally one of a kind and has to be seen to be believed. Police Story- the first in a series of successful cop films. The originalty of the car chase in Police Story(1985) is what makes the moment fun to watch. It's co written n co directed by Jackie. The shanty town chase inspired a similar sequence in Bad Boys II. There's also a similar scene in the 2004 Thai film, Born to Fight. Jackie Chan fan Brandon Lee paid homage in his film Rapid Fire by filming a similar sequence from the mall fight scene, in which Jackie's character rams a villain with a motorcycle, through multiple layers of glass. This movie inspired 3 sequels n 3 reboots.
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Dance
tedg 19 December 2000
One of the most interesting problems in cinema is how to film dance. Dance is purely visual and relates directly to the emotions. But it differs from cinema, being at once more abstract and human. I know of no fully successful film about dance, despite the expected enormous payoff.
But in elaborate fight films we have an interesting solution. Add violence and make some of the movements so clearly and `really' dangerous they amaze. It works, at least as well as other dance attempts, largely because violence is now one of the fundamental cinematic links with the mental underworld.
Jackie Chan is among the best of these `dancers,' and here is at his most effective. Unlike Bruce Lee, who applied a patina of religion to his ballet, Chan has cultivated a notion of self-deprecating humor.
The problem is in the filming. The best dance solutions engage the film as a participant, moving and weaving as part of the choreography. But the framing here (directed by Jackie) is typically static. Will the innovations of `The Matrix' lead to a choreographed camera as this genre evolves?
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Jackie Chan at his awesomeness!!!
I was a teenager when Jackie Chan finally hit it big in America. I went to go see all his American releases and feel in love with the super star that does all of his own stunts. It wasn't until later when I grew up that I watched all his older stuff, which I feel is much better.
The biggest difference between his stuff when he was known in America and the stuff when he was just the biggest star in China, is that the stuff he made during his international sensation era was that he was trying hard to appeal to a grander audience. He would do cartoonish films that both adults and kids could see without censorship. Thought these movies where just as entertaining for it's action scenes and stunt work, it's missing something, drama.
The stunt work was so intense on this film that it added to the drama of the film. Jackie Chan plays a cop determine to take down a true bad guy and rather than showing this determination by crying on cue, Jackie and his legendary stunt team did it through the action. Jackie hurt himself in order to show officer Kevin Lee's determination to stop the villain.
I seen the movie a few time and every time the stunt work just makes me curl. When Jackie gets his head pushed into a glass wall, I felt it. when he was getting jumped by a gang, I felt it. when he was in his car driving down the hill crashing into sheds, I felt it and it hurt.
This early work of Chan was nothing but extreme an absolutely must see if you love action movies
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Police Story
Warning: Spoilers
Jackie Chan made many films in his home country of China, and after this martial arts action comedy thriller, directed by himself, he became an international superstar. Basically Jackie is a Hong Kong police officer who manages to catch and arrest a big drug lord, and of course he is not happy, and he sets him up for a murder he did not commit, a fellow cop. Jackie is now trying to clear his name, while chasing the real bad guys, keeping himself for getting arrested or killed, oh, and trying to keep his girlfriend from leaving him, while protecting a female witness. Also starring Brigitte Lin as Selina Fong, Maggie Cheung as May, Yuen Chor as Mr. Chu, Bill Tung as Inspector Bill Wong and Kenneth Tong as Tom. The story isn't exactly something to pay full attention, I personally concentrated more on the great comedy moments, e.g. answering four phones, the fight and action sequences, and of course Chan's agility in death-defying stunts. There is a downside, the English dubbing is absolutely terrible, worse than a spaghetti western, and I don't know why (why he learnt English) Chan couldn't have voiced himself, but if you can ignore this, your in for quite a treat. Jackie Chan was number 41 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars. Good!
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Police Story
Warning: Spoilers
This is the film that introduces us to Inspector Chan Ka-Kui of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. As the story opens he is taking part in an operation to catch a local drug lord; this leads to a shootout in a hillside shantytown, a car chase and finally a fight on a double-decker bus that leads up to the criminals arrest. That isn't the end of the story though; Chan is given the job of protecting his secretary who is to be a key witness. This leads to some awkwardness when Chan's girlfriend mistakes the beautiful witness for a rival. Later the criminal is bailed and sets about framing Chan for the murder of a police officer; this leads to more fights and a spectacular finale in a shopping centre.
If you are looking for a decent story with some spectacular action and plenty of laughs this could be the film for you. The action isn't the CGI one gets these days it is proper action with stuntmen (and women) doing some fairly crazy stuff. The main cast members, including Jackie Chan, do most of their own bone crunching stunts. These fights and stunts are impressively choreographed and are often as funny as they are thrilling. The comedy is pretty good; genuinely laugh out loud funny at many times. Jackie Chan does a great job in the lead role; it is of little surprise that he went on to make more 'Police Story' films as well as going on to become a global star. The rest of the cast are pretty good too. Overall I heartily recommend this to anybody who wants great action and plenty of laughs.
These comments are based on watching the film in Cantonese with English subtitles.
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Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089374/reviews