02-08-2014, 03:40 PM
Jackie Chan's latest. It really shouldn't be titled "Police Story" because the only connection to that franchise is that it's a cop tale. But then again, the last installment "New Police Story" suffered from the same affectation. This is a good thriller, the sort of film that Harrison Ford might have made in the 90s, but not what one anticipates from a JC flick. It's not funny. In fact, it's tragic. There are only a few stunts and fights, but nothing extraordinary. Jackie adopts an 'MMA style" of choreography, which means they roll around and do some arm bars and chokes. The fights are ok, although of the one-action-one-shot variety, simplistic and gritty for Jackie and something anyone could do. The plot, and there is enough of one that subtitles are required, revolves around a hostage situation in a villainous-lair-like bar called the Wu Bar, which inexplicably has a cage for cage fighting in the middle of it, or maybe it's just for the cage dancers. It's a father-daughter tale, a complicated revenge scheme, and gangsters involved in some sort of crime but what crime it is is never made clear. Tian Jing plays Jackie's daughter, which is ironic as she just starred alongside Donnie Yen in his MMA-style police drama Special ID. The finale siege, shot almost entirely in slow motion, is an amusing examination in chaos, while not staggering, a satisfying spectacle nonetheless. No swordfights. Ultimately, PS2013 is a lot like Shinjuku Incident, a decent thriller but not what we want to see in a JC flick. We still want stunts and comic choreography. Jackie turns 60 soon, and we should cut him some slack.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse