Police Story (1985)
7.8
Jackie Chan is at his finest in this modern action comedy masterpiece
Movie
Hong Kong
Cantonese
Action, Crime, Thriller
1985
CHI-HWA CHEN, JACKIE CHAN
Ben Lam, Benny Lai Keung-Kuen, Bill Tung
99 min
TLDR
Iconic!
What it's about
In order to pin down a nefarious drug kingpin, virtuous Hong Kong police officer Chan Ka-kui goes rogue to protect a key witness and clear his good name.
The take
After an initially disappointing breakthrough attempt to Hollywood, Jackie Chan pivoted back to Hong Kong, unexpectedly creating an iconic film franchise and maybe perhaps one of the best martial arts movies ever made. Police Story seems to be a simple story at first, but it was through this film that Chan’s spectacular stunts evolved for a more modern setting, incorporating slapstick and action choreography into a definable style, while also questioning the ways Hong Kong police conducted themselves at the time. Police Story is Jackie Chan at his best, pushing an entirely new standard for action films all over the world.
What stands out
Of course, the stunts are amazing, the jokes are funny, but what strikes me the most is that monologue where Ka-kui bitterly talks about the way police administration would prioritize their comfort over actually doing the work. It’s a rare impassioned performance from Chan that I wish he did more of, because it grounds his comedic side and makes Ka-kui feel like someone worth rooting for.
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