Interested in checking out Jackie Chan movies, where to start?

Some obscure 70's ones people haven't mentioned that I've enjoyed:

- Shaolin Wooden Men
- Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin
- Spiritual Kung Fu (though this one is pretty weird)
- Fearless Hyena

I've yet to see Snake in the Eagle's Shadow or Dragon Fist.
 
Surprised no one has mentioned Heart Of Dragon! It is a dramatic comedy (with most of the comedy coming from Sammo Hung's scenes), but the action is top notch! Like Wheels On Meals, most of the action takes place at the end.

To me, Drunken Master 2 (unedited) is the best martial arts film ever made.

My Lucky Stars and Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars are silly comedies that have great fight scenes. Though, Sammo Hung plays the main character in these.

My other favorite Jackie Chan movies (action-wise): Drunken Master, The Young Master (Jackie takes every type of fall in the final fight), Project A, Wheels on Meals, Police Story 1 & 2, Armor Of God, Dragons Forever, Miracles, Crime Story (though not many fights in them, cool to see Jackie play such a serious character), Who Am I, The Shanghai Noon movies, and New Police Story.
 
Llyranor said:
Some obscure 70's ones people haven't mentioned that I've enjoyed:

- Shaolin Wooden Men
- Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin
- Spiritual Kung Fu (though this one is pretty weird)
- Fearless Hyena

I've yet to see Snake in the Eagle's Shadow or Dragon Fist.
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I remember buying Spiritual Kung Fu back in the nineties and feeling ripped off. Was this one of the ones he wasn't a star in that got repackaged as a "Jackie Chan Film" after he became popular?
 
Sir_Crocodile said:
I remember buying Spiritual Kung Fu back in the nineties and feeling ripped off. Was this one of the ones he wasn't a star in that got repackaged as a "Jackie Chan Film" after he became popular?
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No, he has a starring role here. You may be thinking of Hand of Death where he has a minor role but his face is plastered all over the dvd cover.
 
Dictator93 said:
I am pretty sure one of my favourite Jackie Chan movies is Wheels on Meals. Great martial arts (amazing martial arts), fun story, great scenery...
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Was that the one with the scene where the guy thinks he's invisible? I'm pretty sure that's the first one I saw as well (it broadcast here in Australia on a very multicultural-focused network, in original Cantonese or Mandarin or whatever) and I laughed my arse off watching it. The rollerskating competition, fast-food restaurant scene and that scene with the cover band in the market were all super memorable.

Honestly don't think there's a bad place to start with a JC movie, as long as it's an older one. I wouldn't *start* with anything newer than, say, Rumble, though.

Edit: Shit, that was Winners and Sinners (aka 5 Lucky Stars), not Wheels on Meals. So that can be added to the list, I guess. I tend to prefer the less "essential" ones though, because they're a bit goofier. Twin Dragons I quite like, which also fits into that category of not greatest but funny.
 
Llyranor said:
No, he has a starring role here. You may be thinking of Hand of Death where he has a minor role but his face is plastered all over the dvd cover.
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He could be thinking of a ton of different ones. I know I used to get frustrated when I'd go to a record store nearby that had a nice Foreign Film section of DVDs and find a lot of what appeared to be cool-looking old Jackie Chan flicks that I'd never heard of, only to look the titles up online and find "Oh, this isn't a Jackie Chan film so much as its a film starring some nobodies where Chan appears in the background of a scene for like 10 seconds."
 
I'd start with Project A, Police Story, Wheels on Meals, Young Master and Drunken Master.

Wheels on Meals is probably my overall favourite its goofy and charming but has good action.

Drunken Master 2 has some well shot and well choreographed fight scenes, its worth watching.

Most of his output through the late 70's mid 90's was worthwhile, there are some average films like crime story that are not what your looking for.

But really you cant go wrong.
 
Triteon said:
there are some average films like crime story that are not what your looking for.
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But Crime Story doesn't have any slapstick or comedy, so it might be right up OP's alley!

But yeah, it's a very average film. Let me correct that - it's a very average film with some amazing fight scenes. Still worth watching for the JC fan.
 
You mentioned you don't like the slapstick stuff, but I'd recommend Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon, two very funny and still has action movies. He works very well with Owen Wilson and Chris Tucker.
 
Man so many. Drunken Master is an absolute must. A Police Story is the most important Jackie Chan movie in my opinion. There are many more but these two are absolutely essential.
 
Drunken Master
Police Story
Armor of God
Armor of God 2
Rumble in the Bronx
Rush Hour
Rush Hour 2

Llyranor said:
Some obscure 70's ones people haven't mentioned that I've enjoyed:

- Shaolin Wooden Men
- Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin
- Spiritual Kung Fu (though this one is pretty weird)
- Fearless Hyena

I've yet to see Snake in the Eagle's Shadow or Dragon Fist.
Click to expand...

No joke, that film and Drunken Master are almost identical films. Same cast, same story beats. They came out the same year too.
 
I feel like if you're jumping into Jackie Chan it's not a good idea to jump into the Lo Wei films. He's just not utilized correctly. Funky to see a young Jackie Chan though, before he so firmly solidified his contributions to cinema.

I'll chime in again and vote for Miracles/Mr Canton Lady Rose/Black dragon. I feel like Jackie Chan himself said that was his favorite film. Anita Mui, from Legend of Drunken Master (among others) is like, legit spectacular in every movie I've seen her in. RIP.

Little Soldier Big General is fun, but light on martial arts action.
 
Watching Wheels on Meals again today, I forgot about Sammo's hilarious Jheri Curls.
wheelsonmeals_1.jpg


Edit:
Christ. I also forgot about the offensive take on mental illness in this movie.
 
Well finally got around to this

Saw The Young Master last night. The fights had a slower more stage play/theatrical vibe to them but Jackie’s elaborate choreography with the fan, the swords, the various fights with the bench, and others were all very impressive

Watching Police Story 1 now. Huh, now I see where Bad Boys 2 got the idea for the downhill shantytown scene. Police Story’s was better though; the entire first 15 minutes was just one set piece after the other.

Also rented Police Story 2 and 3, Drunken Master 2, and Rumble In The Bronx for my first batch of Chan movies
 
I feel like Drunken Master and Rush Hour are the best one to draw someone into his particular comic and fighting style
 
LiK said:
His 70's and 80's movies were his greatest works. He had a few good ones in the 90's and 00's.

These are my faves:

Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
Drunken Master 1 and 2
Project A Part 1 and Part 2
Police Story 1-3
Armor of God 1 and 2
Young Master
Dragon Lord
Wheels on Meals
Dragons Forever
Who Am I?

Please let me know what you think of them.
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Snake in Eagle's Shadow and Who am I are definitely my favorites, but they are also traditional slapsticky Jackie Chan.
 
The fights in Drunken Master 2 were pretty damn impressive. I like how even though the fight choreography doesn’t have the brutality of a movie like The Raid, they feel like they hurt more. Does that make sense? Like Chan and co look like they’re beating the crap of each other and both combatants are getting bloody and bruised. The choreography is more stylish and acrobatic but the moves hit just as hard.
 
Didn’t like Rumble In The Bronx that much, too campy and slapsticky, and the fights weren’t as impressive as the other Chan films I’ve seen

Police Story 2 is slower than the first but once it’s starts picking up, it gets really good. Some great fights and stunts
 
Most have been mentioned but Armour of God II: Operation Condor has to be the funniest for me. Right up there with Rush Hour in terms of comedy.

There was one point where I had to look away from the TV because I was in pain from laughing too hard and didn't want to make it worse.
 
More_Badass said:
Well finally got around to this

Saw The Young Master last night. The fights had a slower more stage play/theatrical vibe to them but Jackie's elaborate choreography with the fan, the swords, the various fights with the bench, and others were all very impressive

Watching Police Story 1 now. Huh, now I see where Bad Boys 2 got the idea for the downhill shantytown scene. Police Story's was better though; the entire first 15 minutes was just one set piece after the other.

Also rented Police Story 2 and 3, Drunken Master 2, and Rumble In The Bronx for my first batch of Chan movies
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Drunken Master 2 is incredible. a certain top 10 of all time action movie for me.

Rush Hour 1 and 2 are really fun, my favorite buddy cop stuff since the Lethal Weapons. you're in for some dope shit.
 
Bishop89 said:
Finally, go watch some Police Story.
tumblr_oo231txbxE1rmrpdmo1_400.gif
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That new police story gif reminds me of what I don’t like about his fight scenes in his newer movies: the reliance on wires to give him the elevation he needs for those jump kicks (you can see the floatiness in the descent). It’s necessary but it makes it feel more floaty / unrealistic.

Edit: it could be the speed of the gif, but I’ve seen it in several of his late 90s - current films.
 
If you watch the original Drunken Master, make sure you try and catch the hilarious English dub they did for it. It was by far and away the worst dubbing I'd ever heard and was so bad it looked back to amazing. Everyone speaking like a 1950s English villain for no apparent reason, except with American accents
 
Police Story 2's playground fight is, for my money, the best action scene in cinematic history, and also has my absolute favourite bit of wirework ever:

a0lRYYC.gif


I usually hate any kind of wirework, but goddamn this one gets me. It's so simple, but I can't help but laugh every time that dude goes flying backwards from a simple kick.
 
matrix-cat said:
Police Story 2's playground fight is, for my money, the best action scene in cinematic history, and also has my absolute favourite bit of wirework ever:

a0lRYYC.gif


I usually hate any kind of wirework, but goddamn this one gets me. It's so simple, but I can't help but laugh every time that dude goes flying backwards from a simple kick.
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That's a good point. I generally dislike wirework too, but when it's used to sell the impact of hits, I like it. It's also used in the final fight in Drunken Master 2. :-)
 
Police Story
Rush Hour 1, 2 and 3.

I just watched 1 and 2 this week, god I love those movies. Jackie Chan never fails to impress with his stunts.
 
Police Story 1 and Drunken Master 2 have been my favorite of his films so far

Besides the big fights in 2, Police Story 2 and 3 haven’t been as good as the first, and I didn’t like Rumble In The Bronx that much
 
I always have an argument with my husband about who would win in a fight ; Lee or Chan. I say Chan, he says Lee.

I counter by saying that if were a ring match, that might be true. If literally anything existed in the space they were fighting in, Chan would whoop his ass lol
 
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