Shanghai Knights - February 7, 2003

[ssbomberman]

Well I saw the film on Saturday and loved it. The movie starts and jumps right into a serious intro--very nice beginning and then they introduce Chan and it all felt right. After the first fight scene I clapped because this was the Chan that the world needs to see. I have no mixed feelings about this film--it is excellent. Exactly the type of movie Chan should be making. The chemistry between Chan and Wilson is tight--much like watching him with Sammo and Yuen Biao in the past.

The fights remind me of Project A and Miracles, though a little slower (but hey he is almost fifty). Anyway, this film is the culmination of a life of influences and I liked how they worked in the silent film references and all the other funny stuff (like Jack the Ripper and Sherlocke Holmes and the fact that Roy's picture on the back of his book looked very much like Mark Twain).

Anyway, I hope to see Chan do more film like this. My ONLY gripe about the film was the fight between Donnie Yen and Chan. This should have been longer, better, more intense--I wanted a straight uninterrupted fight like we saw between Jackie and Urquidez. Sadly, I think Yen's kung fu is too tight for Chan--and I think Chan used his avoidance to beat his enemies. He does this a lot in his films--finding ways to beat enemies that are too good of fighters for him...but I just wanted to see more!

Anway, go see this film...

[Dolemite]

Never saw the first one, but I saw this one last night. It was a fun little movie, but it semed to stretch on a bit too long. But there was some impressive fights, and funny dialogue, not to mention lots of nice sets and tons of extras. It really felt like a fairly big budget motion picture. Of course, the story was a tad generic but you can't beat the charm and energy that Jackie Chan brings to every movie he does. The chick playing his sister was hot, but not as hot as the evil Chinese chick in Rush Hour 2. Owen Wilson was okay, my favorite movie moment of his is still when he's decapitated in The Haunting.

Man, did Donnie Yen put on weight or what? His face looked pretty fat compared to how he looked in Blade 2. I liked his fight scene with Jackie, though I wish it had gone on a bit longer and didn't end the way it did. Kaboom!

The fencing at the end ws cool, though I began thinking the villian was retarded because he had Jackie beat a million times and kept giving him "one more chance".

Overall, though, a very fun movie.

[Despair]

Man, did Donnie Yen put on weight or what? His face looked pretty fat compared to how he looked in Blade 2. I liked his fight scene with Jackie, though I wish it had gone on a bit longer and didn't end the way it did. Kaboom!

Still it was a nice fight, and as I said before, its a biggest Donnie part in US film yet. And Cool Kaboom

The fencing at the end ws cool, though I began thinking the villian was retarded because he had Jackie beat a million times and kept giving him "one more chance".

But isnt it a problem with most of movie villians. Since if they would have killed the hero when they had the chance, then the movie would be over, so thats why they shown as idiots wasting their time, so the hero can devise the plan to kill them

[Dolemite]

Originally posted by Despair
But isnt it a problem with most of movie villians. Since if they would have killed the hero when they had the chance, then the movie would be over, so thats why they shown as idiots wasting their time, so the hero can devise the plan to kill them

Of course it's a problem with most movie villian, but for once I'd love to see the hero ask for "one more chance" and the villian just says, "okay" and then runs him through with a sword a split second later. I wouldn't want that to happen to Jackie Chan, however! Everyone loves Jackie...

[Despair]

Originally posted by Dolemite
Of course it's a problem with most movie villian, but for once I'd love to see the hero ask for "one more chance" and the villian just says, "okay" and then runs him through with a sword a split second later. I wouldn't want that to happen to Jackie Chan, however! Everyone loves Jackie...

I would give anything to see that happen.

I like Jackie too, but I wouldnt spare him. I do getting kinda tired of his slapstick fights. I want see a serieous Jackie film, like Heart of Dragon or Crime Story.

[Dolemite]

Originally posted by Despair
I do getting kinda tired of his slapstick fights.

I can understand that. It seems that every Jackie Chan movie lately they're just trying to come up with wacky ways to use the environment in his fight scenes because it's a Jackie Chan movie and, dog gone it, that's what he does. I wouldn't mind seeing Jackie break from the norm and do something more either.

[ssbomberman]

Originally posted by Despair
I would give anything to see that happen.

I like Jackie too, but I wouldnt spare him. I do getting kinda tired of his slapstick fights. I want see a serieous Jackie film, like Heart of Dragon or Crime Story.

I do agree--I rewatched Armour of God last night and realized how much his fighting has changed--but hes just not young enough to do this stuff again...I would like to see him do some more choreography for films, but have some younger HK actors do the fights.

I think at this point, fights like the ones in Shanghai are the best we're gonna get, so I just be content and watch his old stuff to remember the good old days.

Donnie Yen is getting older (plus I think his outfits we're reallt tight around the neck)--they all are. The bulk of HK stars that we've been watching for years are now mostly in their 40s and 50s...what we need is a new generation of HK action stars, but I'm afraid they are just dying out...

[Despair]

Thats a sad truth. Most of the new HK stars are more of singer/model variety, who unlike Jackie, Jet or the rest, have no martial arts training whatsoever, and have to rely on wire work and extensive stunt doubles and cgi enhancing.

It can be done good, if choreographer, director and stars put a good effort into it, like it was shown in So Close, or it can come out more half assed, like it was in Naked Weapon.

Shanghai Knights did had a great fights, I cant complain about those, it the rest of the things, like its lenght, and some unnecessary characters and situations that bug me.