Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: 90-81

90-81

90. Chan Takes On Iron Head the Thief
Drunken Master (1978)
Category: Fight - One on One
(The fight begins at 2:20)

This comical fight scene comes from Chan's breakthrough film Drunken Master. Although I feel the film is a bit overrated, this sequence displays some of Chan's burgeoning skills. Lots of fast foot and hand work along with a 'Bruce Lee' moment with a hammer.


89. Drunken Master vs. The Bamboo King
Drunken Master (1978)
Category: Weapon Fight

Another fight from Drunken Master see's our arrogant Chan in a beautifully staged fight featuring bo sticks and a wooden stool. In retrospect, this could be lower on the list, if it wasn't for how much I hate Chan's personality in this film. It makes the fart and poop jokes that much more distateful and just doesn't find the right tone. This is great one on one work though that would make Lau Kar-Lueng proud.

88. Draggd Behind a Hovercraft & Stopping it in the City
Rumble in the Bronx (1996)
Category: Chase/Stunt



Just an absolute stunt fest and the first action clip that really shows the difference between Chan and all his action counterparts. From huge jumps (jumping onto the hovercraft broke Chan's ankle), to skiing behind the craft, to all the ridiculous hanging on, this is just one beautiful stunt after another. I particularly love the bit where Chan gets crushed by the hovercraft and rises out fo the sand in it's aftermath, I couldn't imagine Keaton with a straighter face.

87. General Fights His Own Army to the End
The Myth (2005)
Category: Fight - Weapons Fight

The Myth was Chan's attempt at an epic period piece (like Hero) mixed with an Indiana Jones adventure story. While its clearly in the 'superhuman' realm of fighting, I think Chan is able here to pull off this one man vs. hundreds feel he is going for. Again, it's a different style of fight than Chan is exploring and his creativity comes through here as well, see how he uses his spear to send rock projectiles into the oncoming calvary. It's not perfect, but I find it inventive and effective.

86. Exploding Tanker Truck Finale
The Accidental Spy (2002)
Category: Action/Stunt/Car Chase
(It doesn't really begin until 0:15 in)

Few people could blend the different categories of action scenes like Chan can. In this epic scene here we have elements of a car chase, fight scene, and thrilling disaster piece. There's ample practical stunts, practical destruction, and it's filmed pretty well to boot. The only real negative are the clearly CGI flames on the tanker. In the end, its forgiveable for such a great real explosion in the end though.

85. Final Fight in the Museum
Rush Hour (1998)
Category: Fight - Multiple People / Stunt
(The scene begins at 7:31)

Another great hybrid action sequence from Chan. What starts out as a shootout becomes a fight and ends with parkour (not seen in the clip) and one incredible stunt. What helps this scene is that it fits really well as the finale of the film. While there are plenty of problems with the film, this finale does a good job in brining it all together and wrapping it up with action. Chan uses a gag here that he exploits in several of his fights, watch how an enemy will discover a soft spot of Chan's (in this case, the fact they don't want the vases broken) and exploits it for laughs. A very clever gag.

84. Circular Door and the Police
Shanghai Knights (2003)
Category: Fight - Multiple People
(Unable to embed compatible video but LINK is here. Video starts at 8:00)

It's such a frivolous little action beat that you may not think twice about the creativity and cleverness on display. It's only a minute and twenty seconds long, but there is a grace to every step Chan takes here; notice he slides out the door at the last second getting his hat stuck, something he finishes the scene by putting on. He would keep the same theme in the next action scene that see's him lose his jacket in the beginning and then put it on at the end. Who else puts together such a sublime piece of wackiness, grace, and wit? I think the music just underscores it perfectly.

83. Snowmobile and Helicopter Shootout
Police Story IV: First Strike (1997)
Category: Action/Chase
(All 3 videos combined only equal a little over 5 min.)







James Bond gets the Jackie treatment here in another one of Chan's shootout/fight/chase/stunt hybrid scenes. Leave it to Chan to take what is essentially a Bond ripoff (the skiing henchmen) and turn it into a self-deprecating (the silly hat is from a souvenir shop) scene of humor. See for instance Chan's ungloved hands, which remain ungloved the whole sequence, even after he takes an icy dip. Add snowboarding to his resume alongside skiing behind a hovercraft.

82. Lu Yan and Jason fight Soldiers in the Restaurant
The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)
Category: Fight - Multiple People
(Unable to embed compatible video, but LINK is here)

Essentially The Forgotten Kingdom was written off because it was directed at a family audience. It's a shame because two of Chan's best action sequences came from that film, including this scene that allows Chan a few moments to really shine with a wooden bo. You get the feeling here that Chan was able to use the young boy in much the same way he integrated Tucker in his Rush Hour sequences. It's too bad it's the forgotten film, because this sequence here deserves to be remembered.


81. Chinese Village Fight w/ Sammo Hung
Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
Category: Weapons Fight - Muliple People
(Unable to embed compatible video, but LINK is here. Video starts at 4 min.)

Another forgotten and overlooked film in Chan's career, features a couple imaginative sequences by Chan. While the film is suspect, at the very least Chan was able to demonstrate a couple of exemplary scenes like the one above.


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Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51

50-41
40-31

30-21
20-11
10-1

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.

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Introduction
100-91
90-81
80-71
70-61
60-51

50-41
40-31

30-21
20-11
10-1

Jackie Chan's Top 100 Action Scenes: Introduction

Introduction

Without question, Jackie Chan is one of the greatest action stars, directors, and minds to ever try their hand in film-making. He first had a film role in 1962, made his big break in 1978 (with Snake in Eagles Shadow as well as Drunken Master) and has created countless classic action films and sequences since. I first encountered Jackie in 1998 with Rush Hour (which I thought was incredible at the time), and was amazed at how he constructed quick, elaborate, fight sequences with daring stunts and intricate hand and footwork. Here was something completely different than the standard kick and punch of Jean Claude Van-Damme (or kick, punch, & toss if you're Steven Seagal).

As I began to watch more of Chan's work, I realized that it just wasn't something different, it was in a class of its own. The next works I discovered were Rumble in the Bronx and Police Story IV: First Strike. This was some of his first imports (not even his best) into America (I only got them in late 1998 and 1999), but I thought they were incredible. Add on to that, my mother enjoyed Chan's brand of action, which featured intricacy over brutality, comedy over seriousness, and cleverness over obviousness. We began to watch the films together and we both got a kick out of them (no pun intended there).

I know what you must be saying, "You haven't even finished your 100 Favorite Films of All-Time, why tackle another?". The simple answer is, "Because I want to do this one right now!" Sorry, there's no way around it, I stalled out on #41 of my Favorite film list. I do expect to get back to that soon, but I've been waiting to do this Jackie Chan list for ages now. About five months ago I was able to finish off all the major films in Jackie's filmography, and I recently had a week vacation to begin and finish the actual ordering from over 200 Jackie Chan action sequences, no simple task (I had to go back and watch over 90% of the 100 action scenes).

My mindset in crafting the list was to not order the list in the sense of 'objective quality' only. Much like I do with my yearly best pictures and my personal top 100, the list is a balance of quality and personal enjoyment. One sequence might be technically more impressive than others, but if I just don't enjoy watching it as much, then it will probably rank lower than a scene that might scene less impressive that I just find more enjoyable. Most action stars would have a list of 100 shootouts or 100 fights, Jackie's list is a compilation of impressive fights, mind-blowing stunt fests, hilarious set pieces, bold car chases, outlandish foot chases, scuba tank fights, and on and on. No other star has the creative wit and diversity to pull off a list like the one I'm about to post; there is none like Jackie Chan. No other action star could say he was influenced as much by Bruce Lee as he was Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd.

This list is also meant as a research tool and advertisement for all current fans of Chan and future fans of Chan. There might be those who only know his recent output, perhaps only seeing him in things like The Spy Next Door or The Karate Kid. I hope that this list will let you see the glory, contributions to cinema, and (lets be frank) art that he has left behind. For those interested in Chan already, I hope this is a guide to further delve into the myriad of pleasures that his films have to offer. I look forward to your thoughts on my judgments, placings, and commentary. As much as any good film, some of Chan's sequences inspire debate, thought, and mixed feelings.

Perhaps in the end, as much as I am making this list for others, I'm making it for myself. For Chan's ability to bring myself to awe and wonder & for his ability to go beyond and consistently challenge himself, and me in the process. Like many at the top of their fields, their drive & determination to be the best and present their best, challenges all those who watch them in the process. Most of all though, I am making this list for the way Chan's films were able to bring my mother and I together; to just enjoy his films and all they entail. They are fond memories and I always know that when I go home, we can pop one in and just sit and enjoy them. As much as this list is about measuring things, that's something that just can't be measured.