As I promised when I reviewed 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri", I'm finally writing a positive review. I needed this.
I saw the first two movies from Jackie Chan's Police Story franchise a few days ago... Again. I had seen each of them at least five times already, and, as always, I loved them. There is a lot to be loved here. I prefer the second movie, as it has more action, better constructed plot, and less silly comedy, but the first one is also rather great and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
A direct continuation of 'Police Story', 'Police Story 2' tries hard - very hard - to top it everywhere. Luckily, it succeeds - the scale is bigger, the production values are better, and, of course, the fight scenes are more and longer. The writing is also a bit more balanced - this time the story never drags, and the villains are more interesting. The first one had a sleazy corporate boss and his thugs, trying to get rid of an important witness, and Jackie Chan's character trying - and, of course, succeeding - to stop, them using legal and not so legal methods and causing a lot of destruction. Without spoilers, all of this is addressed in the second movie, and the sleazy corporate boss and his thugs appear again - to give us one of the most spectacular fight scenes in Jackie Chan's entire career. The main villains are different, though - young, ruthless, intelligent terrorists, excellent bomb makers and, of course, great fighters, they want money and they will do anything to get it. (And they will give the viewers some great fighting and frighteningly huge explosions, unseen in Hong Kong movies before.) It is hardly the greatest story ever, but it gets the job done, flows nicely and gives us enough action and humour.
And the action is exceptional. Well filmed, extremely well directed and choreographed, and, as one can expect, dangerous. Watch the outtakes at the end and you will see it. Also, back then Jackie Chan was damn fast and he showed this in his fight scenes. Just watch and be amazed.
All in all, this is an excellent action comedy. See it.
I saw the first two movies from Jackie Chan's Police Story franchise a few days ago... Again. I had seen each of them at least five times already, and, as always, I loved them. There is a lot to be loved here. I prefer the second movie, as it has more action, better constructed plot, and less silly comedy, but the first one is also rather great and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
A direct continuation of 'Police Story', 'Police Story 2' tries hard - very hard - to top it everywhere. Luckily, it succeeds - the scale is bigger, the production values are better, and, of course, the fight scenes are more and longer. The writing is also a bit more balanced - this time the story never drags, and the villains are more interesting. The first one had a sleazy corporate boss and his thugs, trying to get rid of an important witness, and Jackie Chan's character trying - and, of course, succeeding - to stop, them using legal and not so legal methods and causing a lot of destruction. Without spoilers, all of this is addressed in the second movie, and the sleazy corporate boss and his thugs appear again - to give us one of the most spectacular fight scenes in Jackie Chan's entire career. The main villains are different, though - young, ruthless, intelligent terrorists, excellent bomb makers and, of course, great fighters, they want money and they will do anything to get it. (And they will give the viewers some great fighting and frighteningly huge explosions, unseen in Hong Kong movies before.) It is hardly the greatest story ever, but it gets the job done, flows nicely and gives us enough action and humour.
And the action is exceptional. Well filmed, extremely well directed and choreographed, and, as one can expect, dangerous. Watch the outtakes at the end and you will see it. Also, back then Jackie Chan was damn fast and he showed this in his fight scenes. Just watch and be amazed.
All in all, this is an excellent action comedy. See it.