Jackie Chan, having recently turned 50, seems to be on his last
legs as the consummate martial artist in the world of film.
Jackie Chan, having recently turned 50, seems to be on his last legs as the consummate martial artist in the world of film.
Starting out as an extra in Bruce Lee’s films, he moved on to supporting roles in the Hong Kong film community through the 1970s and went on to direct, write, star and perform his own stunts in a bunch of classics, including “Young Master,” “Drunken Master,” “Project A” and “Police Story.” His trademark wit and charm are still there, but our hero seems to have slowed down a bit, turning his newest film, “Shanghai Knights,” a sequel to “Shanghai Noon” with Owen Wilson, into a mixed bag. It’s worth a look, but pales in comparison with the films Jackie made when he was younger.
“Shanghai Knights” starts where the first film ends, with Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) as the sheriff of Carson City, Nev. Just when things start feeling comfortable for the new sheriff, he gets word that his father has been murdered and his sister is trying to find those who are responsible for the act.
Before heading off on his quest, Chan’s sheriff finds his partner from “Shanghai Noon,” Roy Buchanan (Owen Wilson), to help him out. Essentially, we get a rehash of the first film, with the action this time being played out in New York and London.
The film starts with the murder of Wang’s father (Kim Chan), who is killed by an English villain named Lord Rathbone (Aidan Gillan). In the gloriously choreographed fight, Wang’s sister Lin (Fann Wong) proves her mettle but is unable to save her father. She follows Rathbone to London and word is received from her brother Wang and his partner. They plan to meet up in London, which forces our two heroes to become stowaways on a ship with predictable fights and comic sequences to liven things up.
“Shanghai Knights” will definitely recoup its initial investment, as Jackie Chan fans are going to want to see it. Yet, Jackie’s age is starting to show, and his ability is starting to decline. How long can the man go on making two films a year, one for the Hong Kong market and one for the Western market? Only time will tell.
Jackie definitely has the fountain of youth going for him, but his future films should focus more on his charm and less on trying to showing him doing death-defying stunts, which he is becoming less able to do.
Jackie still uses his patented weapons to dispose of the bad guys, namely ladders, sticks, logs, benches and whatever else seems to be in the area, but he seems unable to control them as well as he used to. It’s like watching the 30-year-old Chan in slow motion.
That being said, Chan is always affable, charming and amusing, due to his ultimate goal of entertaining the audience at all costs. The film is a little campy, and the writing is thin but there are some big laughs. Most come from Chan, and a few come from the deadpan delivery of his costar, Owen Wilson. Mostly, we get a retread of the first film, with locations changed to make things seem slightly different. This won’t bother casual filmgoers, but may make discerning viewers uncomfortable, thinking they have seen the same thing twice.
So, “Shanghai Knights” is subpar Jackie Chan, but it does have its moments, as all his movies do. The decision to add a contemporary popular music soundtrack to the film is a little strange, too.
SHANGHAI KNIGHTS. Directed by David Dobkin. Written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. With Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, Kim Chan, Aidan Gillan and Fann Wong. Rated PG-13 (Cartoon-style martial arts violence), 100 minutes. Now playing at Bay Area theaters.
