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Crime Story

Crime Story

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Terribly done to doom
Review: I thought Mr. Nice Guy was worse, but this has got to be the most awful movie Chan has made in his career. When I saw this movie, I thought I would get the great comedy and acrobatic martial arts with it. In this case, though, all this movie provides is a too-serious environment that is perverted and stupid in any way. If you're a fan of Chan, I suggest you don't even lay your eyes on this one.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Jackie Chan can act!
Review: I was a little disappointed with "Crime Story." Basically, there's not enough good action. Sure, the car chase was really great, but that's about it. The other stuff is simply okay. And there's a huge lack of martial arts in this film. You only get a couple of scenes, and it's very quick.

On the positive side, I liked the dubbing a lot. They did a good job there. Plus the tape transfer seemed pretty good, with solid visual and sound quality.

It's not a bad movie by any means. It didn't drag. I just could have went for more (and better) action.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Mediocre action, not enough martial arts
Review: I was a little disappointed with "Crime Story." Basically, there's not enough good action. Sure, the car chase was really great, but that's about it. The other stuff is simply okay. And there's a huge lack of martial arts in this film. You only get a couple of scenes, and it's very quick.

On the positive side, I liked the dubbing a lot. They did a good job there. Plus the tape transfer seemed pretty good, with solid visual and sound quality.

It's not a bad movie by any means. It didn't drag. I just could have went for more (and better) action.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Successful "Port" of Jackie Chan Across the Genre Gap
Review: I will admit, I watch Jackie Chan movies for two (plus one) reasons, and I am almost entirely watching them one by one at the times. What do I mean by that? The three reasons I watch Jackie Chan is: the charm of his character, the slapstick, and the incredible martial arts; for my previous statement, let us simply focus on the slapstick and martial arts. What I meant by my earlier statement was that when I watch the fight scenes, I commonly watch them over because the first time I was too busy admiring his moves and laughing at the slapstick to care about the content of the fight in itself. The second time I watch it, it's to pretend I'm Jackie, and the people I don't like are the baddies who're getting beaten up.

This movie takes care of the first viewings for me in the most effective way possible: making it for the most part nonexistant. While laughing at Drunken Master II, all I can do ussually is feel it being a good thing to see many evil men having their faces smashed and bodies tumbled upon each other; they are built up in which their characters deserve nothing better! Crime Story fits in that category, and while satisfying, it is far inferior to Drunken Master II in that respect.

How is Crime Story a movie that in some ways works and some ways doesn't? The reason it works is that it tells a very gritty crime story (no stupid remark intended) extreamly well. Director Kirk Wong clearly knows his stuff, and if you are unsure throughout the movie as you watch it, wait and watch closely the scene in which Jackie Chan and Detective Hung lead a search on the criminals' ship outside of the city. The lighting and wind and water-dripping effects are used to incredible effects. However, the reasons why these didn't quite work was the lack of satisfaction by which these despicable villains were taken out. The sickest one who hit Jackie with a few solid hits ran off, and Jackie shot him a couple of times later.

The only thing I could think of to say was: "Hey, that's It?!" Police Stories 1 & 2 were less gritty, yet the enemies were ussually taken out in an incredibly satisfying way. One of the big villains in Police Story 2 (which for SOME REASON isn't out on DVD yet!!!) was picked up by Jackie Chan on the second floor of a warehouse, and thrown out the window, where he slid down a giant sign made up of many neon lights. Now THAT is a satisfying way to take out a villain! Shooting him and him quickly dying is just too weak, I'm sorry.

Maybe I didn't talk about the movie and break it down enough in my long review, but I do personally believe that my main point is enough to stress everything that should decide wheather you'd love or hate this movie. While I liked it, it was like a different part of my mind liking it, which wasn't necessarily a good thing. However, I still enjoyed the movie immensely, as it showed a more mature and darker side of Jackie Chan, as well as a more acting side as well.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Successful "Port" of Jackie Chan Across the Genre Gap
Review: I will admit, I watch Jackie Chan movies for two (plus one) reasons, and I am almost entirely watching them one by one at the times. What do I mean by that? The three reasons I watch Jackie Chan is: the charm of his character, the slapstick, and the incredible martial arts; for my previous statement, let us simply focus on the slapstick and martial arts. What I meant by my earlier statement was that when I watch the fight scenes, I commonly watch them over because the first time I was too busy admiring his moves and laughing at the slapstick to care about the content of the fight in itself. The second time I watch it, it's to pretend I'm Jackie, and the people I don't like are the baddies who're getting beaten up.

This movie takes care of the first viewings for me in the most effective way possible: making it for the most part nonexistant. While laughing at Drunken Master II, all I can do ussually is feel it being a good thing to see many evil men having their faces smashed and bodies tumbled upon each other; they are built up in which their characters deserve nothing better! Crime Story fits in that category, and while satisfying, it is far inferior to Drunken Master II in that respect.

How is Crime Story a movie that in some ways works and some ways doesn't? The reason it works is that it tells a very gritty crime story (no stupid remark intended) extreamly well. Director Kirk Wong clearly knows his stuff, and if you are unsure throughout the movie as you watch it, wait and watch closely the scene in which Jackie Chan and Detective Hung lead a search on the criminals' ship outside of the city. The lighting and wind and water-dripping effects are used to incredible effects. However, the reasons why these didn't quite work was the lack of satisfaction by which these despicable villains were taken out. The sickest one who hit Jackie with a few solid hits ran off, and Jackie shot him a couple of times later.

The only thing I could think of to say was: "Hey, that's It?!" Police Stories 1 & 2 were less gritty, yet the enemies were ussually taken out in an incredibly satisfying way. One of the big villains in Police Story 2 (which for SOME REASON isn't out on DVD yet!!!) was picked up by Jackie Chan on the second floor of a warehouse, and thrown out the window, where he slid down a giant sign made up of many neon lights. Now THAT is a satisfying way to take out a villain! Shooting him and him quickly dying is just too weak, I'm sorry.

Maybe I didn't talk about the movie and break it down enough in my long review, but I do personally believe that my main point is enough to stress everything that should decide wheather you'd love or hate this movie. While I liked it, it was like a different part of my mind liking it, which wasn't necessarily a good thing. However, I still enjoyed the movie immensely, as it showed a more mature and darker side of Jackie Chan, as well as a more acting side as well.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Protector done properly
Review: In Crime Story, Jackie Chan does drama, and he does it well. The year before (1985), Jackie had been involved in another police drama, a terrible film called The Protector. Although Jackie was the protagonist in The Protector, he was not a likeable character. In fact, there were no likeable characters. In addition, the action sequences, which could have been good, were poorly filmed and much of the visual impact was lost due to poor camera work.

In Crime Story, Jackie seems to be out to prove he can do a gritty drama properly. Although his character isn't a goofy, affable fellow, he is certainly likeable. He plays a police officer on the verge of a nervous breakdown, after he killed some criminals in the line of duty.

He's hired on for a high-profile case when a construction magnate is kidnapped. Jackie's tension and anguish grows more and more, as other police officers are killed or seriously injured during the course of the case. These scenes show Jackie is capable of more than just goofy gurning, and I understand why this film garnered Jackie the Golden Horse Best Actor Award from Taiwan.

The camera work is vastly superior to that of The Protector, and tense fight scenes upon a derelict ship and inside a burning building (the latter scene bore a heavy influence upon John Woo's Hard Boiled) work very well.

All in all, the story makes sense, except for a ridiculous part in which the bad guys resuscitate a woman with their car's jumper cables. I once saw a really bad vampire movie where this trick worked, but something tells me it just shouldn't be used in serious films, at least, not the way it was used in Crime Story.

If you like to watch Jackie Chan for his comedy, skip Crime Story. He only slips into comic relief mode a couple of times in this film. However, if you would like to see a decent cops n' robbers flick, check this out.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Protector done properly
Review: In Crime Story, Jackie Chan does drama, and he does it well. The year before (1985), Jackie had been involved in another police drama, a terrible film called The Protector. Although Jackie was the protagonist in The Protector, he was not a likeable character. In fact, there were no likeable characters. In addition, the action sequences, which could have been good, were poorly filmed and much of the visual impact was lost due to poor camera work.

In Crime Story, Jackie seems to be out to prove he can do a gritty drama properly. Although his character isn't a goofy, affable fellow, he is certainly likeable. He plays a police officer on the verge of a nervous breakdown, after he killed some criminals in the line of duty.

He's hired on for a high-profile case when a construction magnate is kidnapped. Jackie's tension and anguish grows more and more, as other police officers are killed or seriously injured during the course of the case. These scenes show Jackie is capable of more than just goofy gurning, and I understand why this film garnered Jackie the Golden Horse Best Actor Award from Taiwan.

The camera work is vastly superior to that of The Protector, and tense fight scenes upon a derelict ship and inside a burning building (the latter scene bore a heavy influence upon John Woo's Hard Boiled) work very well.

All in all, the story makes sense, except for a ridiculous part in which the bad guys resuscitate a woman with their car's jumper cables. I once saw a really bad vampire movie where this trick worked, but something tells me it just shouldn't be used in serious films, at least, not the way it was used in Crime Story.

If you like to watch Jackie Chan for his comedy, skip Crime Story. He only slips into comic relief mode a couple of times in this film. However, if you would like to see a decent cops n' robbers flick, check this out.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Good action set pieces, but low on comedy
Review: Jackie Chan goes all serious in this film. He plays a cop who goes after a gang of kidnappers who have kidnapped a woman`s husband. To get him back, the woman must pay ransom money of $60,000,000. She doesn`t (suprise suprise) when Jackie tells her about times when money was paid and the victim was killed anyway. But it all works out all right in the end. Jackie also finds out one of the people in his department may be involved with the criminals who do the kidnapping. There are some fine action set pieces in this movie, like the car chase with Jackie and the kidnappers and the rescue of a little boy from a burning building, but the comedy and tomfoolery that made the "Police Story" series so much fun are lost. The relentless violence, bad dubbed voices (which sound more American than apple pie) and lack of comedy are bad, and do not capture the spirit of what a Jackie Chan film should be. The words at the bottom of the screen saying things like "The Police Officer dies immediately in this scene" are really annoying. If you want to see Jackie fooling around, don`t see this. If you want to see Jackie being serious, "Heart of Dragon" (1985) with Sammo Hung is a much better example of how to pull a serious role off. Some nice action, but all in all, a wasted opportunity and a great shame.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I don`t know about you, but I liked it
Review: Maybe this movie was not that good of a Jackie Chan movie, but I liked it as a movie. The fight scenes are not that good, but the stunts he was doing in the car chase was really good. I also really liked the plot it`s like a average ransom plot but I still liked it. He was very serious in this movie, and even know the dubbed voice was not his I liked it, but stillI perfer Chans voice. I think he really sounded like a good actor. So go get this movie it`s not that bad.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Not funny... INCREDIBLE
Review: No, this isn't one of Jackie's light-humored romps, so don't even bother with this movie if that's all for which you're looking. This movie shows Jackie's acting ability... he can be dramatic and serious, not just a loveable clown. There are many comedies you can choose from in his long list of movies; there are fewer when you try to find a broader range of his impressive acting abilities which is wider in scope than many might expect. As other reviewers have covered the story itself, I'm just going to add a few words here. Now, Jackie took this part because Jet Li walked out on it and Jackie happened to walk into the director's office right after this happened. So, being a pal, he offered himself in Jet's place. Or so I understand the history behind it. Don't let the fact that is in not a comedic venture steer you from this gem of a movie; it is a fantastic piece filled with drama and action. We still get to see Jackie's trademark and inimitable body work in this film. It is a GOOD movie. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. And if you like his dramatic acting, check out Thunderbolt (awesome) and Heart of Dragon (very good and touching). Yes, folks, Jackie is a REAL actor, he has depth and scope, he is dynamic. Don't make the mistake of pidgeon-holing him into one static dimension. It'll be your loss.


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