Saturday, June 26, 2010

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 100-91


100-91

100. Fighting together for the first time
Rush Hour (1998)
Category: Fight - Multiple People
(fight begins at minute 6)



Although I didn't intend this to be, I'm delighted that the first Jackie Chan film I saw lands the first action sequence on the list. It's kinda short and features several gags he's done better in other sequences, but it's still a fun sequence thats different because Chan is attempting to work Chris Tucker into the fighting, including a memorable moment when they finally click and score parallel jump-kicks. Notice how Chan uses the chairs and rugs in this scene. Very creative. In a scene that didn't make the list, Chan uses this rug gag to hilarious results in Operation Condor.


99. Helping Panther Escape from Prison
Police Story 3: Supercop (1992)
Category: Chase - Fight/Action
(sequence begins right away and ends at 5:40)



Not exactly a stunner sequence, but Jackie presents some really quick and crisp fighting that is typical of his eighties and early nineties output. Jackie is playing a cop undercover attempting to win the trust of an inmate by helping him breakout. There is a hilarious beat where after a beautiful display of kung fu Jackie remembers he has to look non-police like and hams it up with a weird pose. The sequence is topped off by an incredible slide down the side of a mountain on a rope. The stunt is great and no doubt incredibly dangerous.


98. Speed Boat Chase in Hong Kong
Twin Dragons (1992)
Category: Chase - Boat



How many great speed boat chases are there in film? Okay, I hear you John Woo and Michael Mann fans. Besides Face/Off and the Miami Vice series, Chan pulls off a fun and believable boat chase here. What separates it from your typical boat chase is that twice, the opposing boat literally comes on top of Jackie's boat, WHILE Jackie is driving and in shot! Incredible.


97. Raiding a Money Laundering Outfit
Crime Story (1993)
Category: Action/Fight
(Scene covers two videos, but only lasts about 3 min.)


Crime Story was Jackie Chan's attempt to do a 'gritty' police drama rather than the more light-hearted affairs he was doing. The results were mixed overall, but this was the best sequence to come out of the film. Chan's emphasis on 'gritty' comes across as things are less acrobatic and comedy filled than they are high-wire and brutal. The real heroes of this sequence is the Jackie Chan stunt team that takes numerous 15 foot falls that look very real and very painful.


96. Mr. Han Takes on a Gang of Kids
The Karate Kid (2010)
Category: Fight - Multiple People
(there is no video available yet for this one)


Probably the single best sequence Chan has put out since 2008's Forbidden Kingdom. It's a tricky sequence because it essentially boils down to a grown man beating up a gang of kids. They are aggressive and mean, but they are still kids. Chan gets around this by cleverly crafting the fight to where he only redirects the attacks of the kids to where they attack themselves; Chan essentially never attacks the kids himself. Very clever and creative, a small example of what is to come later in the list.

95. Cop Team is Ambushed and Strung Up
New Police Story (2004)
Category: Action - Shootout
(There is no video available)


Another attempt by Chan to return to a 'grittier' and more grounded police drama. The arrogant Jackie leads a young SWAT team into a trap set by young bank robbers. Essentially it's an ambush that features a good shootout sequence followed by some decent fighting. It's different for Jackie because the sequence see's Jackie lose his whole team as well as lose the fight with the young kung fu expert. Few action stars would take risks like this.


94. Showing Off by Fighting a Gang Member in a Temple
Dragon Lord (1982)
Category: Fight - Multiple People
(Fight begins at minute 4)



Dragon Lord (1982) came after Chan's big breakthroughs in 1978, but before he really established himself as THE superstar with 1983's Project A. Dragon Lord was a bit of a let down, as it featured most of Chan's unfortunate indulgences and little comedy or creativity. Still, it produced two scenes on the list. He's an arrogant punk in this scene trying to show off his kung fu skills in front of the ladies. It's unfortunate his character has little skills, but its a fun sequence to watch him try and take on and outwit clearly better opponents. Chan's quickness and overall flexibility really come across well in this scene.


93. Swinging a Good Horshoe
Shanghai Noon (2000)
Category: Weapon Fight
(I couldn't embed the right size video, here is the LINK to view it)


Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan are an infinitely better pairing than Chan and Tucker in the Rush Hour series in my opinion. From their first pairing comes this creative sequence where Chan creates a rope dart out of a horseshoe and a length of rope. You might argue that it's not the most incredible sequence or even that long of a sequence (I've seen much better technical use of the rope dart before), but there is just something so memorable about the way Chan uses it here.


92. Massage Parlor Scuffle
Rush Hour 2 (2001)
Category: Fight - Multiple People



It's essentially a re-mix of my #100 fight scene, but this one is definitely better. Chan gets a bigger chance to shine here, combining some great acrobatics with a couple great sequences where he fights two at a time. Chan is also able to integrate Tucker better here, it seems as though he finally was getting the hang of how to use him. I think Tucker's "You all look alike" line after punching Chan is great as well.


91. Military Hospital Fight
The Accidental Spy (2002)
Category: Prop Fight
(I couldn't embed the right size video, here is the LINK to view it)


In what was otherwise one of Chan's most forgettable films (still scored 3 scenes on this list though), this funny prop fight ranks in at 91. It starts out as an interesting, "What's he going to use next" kinda prop fight that ends in one of Chan's most hilarious bits, making genius use of a defibrillator. Again, what other action star would allow himself to be the butt of an excellent joke like that? Chan's influence by Keaton and Chaplin is evident in that joke there.



Behind on the list? Click the Link below to Re-Cap

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi i watch your JC video very nice

your great

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