Nostalgia Nugget: First Rumble with the Supercop!

A violent argument erupted
over who was tough and who
was deadly.

In the 1990s we had plenty of over the top action movies. The 1980s had really cemented the genre of mainstream action spectaculars with crazy plots, sinister villains and a hero willing to do anything to save the day. Rambo: First Blood Part 2, and Commando gave birth to stuff like Speed and Die Hard 2: Die Harder. But there was also a bit of martial arts boom, with Steven Segal unleashing hell in Above the Law or Jean Claude Van-Damme in Bloodsport. I was working in the video store during this era and let me tell you, people loved their action movies. Hollywood or direct to video antics like Tough and Deadly it didn’t’ really matter. If it had exploding cars and people hitting each other it was all good.

In all honesty there were some really good action flicks from that era. We hadn’t really hit the time of computer generated stunt work yet, so we were seeing all kinds of real folks doing real crazy stuff. Then we started to hear about the Hong Kong action films, with John Woo leading the way. Movies like The Killer and Hard Boiled introduced the concept of bullet ballet. Right around that time, we heard about Jackie Chan.

The surprisingly rare DVD from
Criterion Collection.

I’ve mentioned this before but I was never as into action films as I was into genre movies. Sure I enjoyed action movies, but I didn’t seek them out unless someone recommended a good one to me. Well one of my coworkers was the guy who knew his action movies. He loved all the old 70s Kung-fu classics and knew quite a bit about Hong Kong action flicks. He was the one that pointed me to The Killer and Hard Boiled. One day he comes in and is all excited because Jackie Chan is going to make a Hollywood action movie. Well the rest of us had no idea who Jackie Chan was, but we just smiled and nodded and started singing along to The Lion King again, because I think that played on the TV at the video store for about 11 years straight in the mid-90s.

Anyway, Rumble in the Bronx comes out and we all end up watching it in the space of about a week. Well my action loving friend was actually disappointed. His expectations were really pumped for this one. But the rest of us got a huge kick out of the movie. We were quoting the outrageous dialog for years afterward (I'm serious here). I can’t tell you how many times one of us goofed up at something and the other would turn and say in his best Little Danny voice, “Hooray! You’re number one!”

At least he's snuggly, right?

There was this strange trilogy of Jackie Chan movies that I vividly remember watching from that time. Rumble in the Bronx was the first one I saw and was my favorite one. The combo of ridiculous fantasy New York mixed with insane stunts and lots of hand to hand fighting made it the best mix. And did I mention it was super quotable? I did? That’s because I’m Number ONE! Then Supercop arrived. My action loving coworker thought this one was the best. As much as I liked Michelle Yeoh and Jackie Chan in one awesome movie, I have to say that it felt less colorful and crazy than Rumble. The final Tong/Chan film was First Strike, which turned out to be Police Story 4 in China. So yeah a sequel to Supercop, kinda sorta. Anyway, this one was even more like a James Bond movie but with more silliness and locations in Australia. I mostly remember the goofy bear hat, insanity involving a snowboard and helicopter, and the scene where Chan uses a ladder to beat the tar out of a bunch of guys. Certainly the least of the three movies, but still fun.

Oh it is on, like Donkey Kong!

Eventually this action craze died down, especially once CG really came into its own in the late 90s. Big time stunts were on the decline and even Jackie Chan was focusing more on comedy than crazy life endangering stunts (can’t say I blame him). But because of Supercop we got Michelle Yeoh in a James Bond movie, Tomorrow Never Dies, and then we saw her real acting chops in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (where she also showed off her sword swinging skills).

Don't try this at home.

So when Rumble in the Bronx shows up in my Netflix cue and I immediately flash back to the 90s and the video store and that huge Tough and Deadly poster that was behind the counter. I wanted to watch the movie again and catch a bit of that fun. And for the most part these movies hold up as solid entertainment. But I’m also willing to admit that they are probably not quite as good as they were the first time we watched in awe at this crazy new (for us) actor Jackie Chan.

Because in the Bronx fast is the only way to live.

"Bad touch! Bad Touch!"

Ladies and gentleman you will never look at a ladder
the same way again.

Rumble in the Bronx ends with a freeze frame.
A FREEZE FRAME! I can't say how much
joy that gives me.

Enjoying this trip down memory lane, click an ad before you go.

Supercop (1992)

Introduction:

In 1995 Rumble in the Bronx unleashed Jackie Chan on an ignorant North American audience. And those of us that liked it wanted more. So Miramax was quick to respond by grabbing another Jackie Chan film directed by Stanley Tong. But it was an older movie, part of a series called Police Story. In fact this was the third installment. But hell, that didn’t matter. Just rename it, get Devo to sing the end title song and rename his character Kevin the Supercop and you’ve got movie gold! Right? Tell me I’m right.

Summary:

Drugs are flooding into Hong Kong and “what we need is a Supercop and we need one now!” So Kevin (Jackie Chan) is dispatched to discover and stop the source of the drugs. This takes him to China where he is teamed with Inspector Yang (Michelle Yeoh) a no-nonsense officer whose skill are a perfect match for Kevin’s. They come up with a mission that puts Kevin undercover and working with a man called Panther (Wah Yuen). Panther’s drug connections lead them to Malaysia.

It’s there where things get tricky because Panther is only the second in command. The ruthless Chaibat (Kenneth Tsang) has started a war with other organized crime groups in Southeast Asia and things get out of hand very quickly. Kevin and Yang will find themselves escaping a coalmine, fighting angry police officers, dodging bullets and missiles, and even attempting to land a motorcycle on a moving train (yeah Michelle Yeoh is just as crazy as Jackie Chan). But will all these heroics (by not one Supercop, but two) be enough to stop Chaibat?

Good Points:

• Some amazing stunt work by Chan, Yeoh and the stunt crew
• Hilariously bad dubbing and dub script
• Michelle Yeoh pretty much steals the movie from everyone

Bad Points:

• The plot seems like a less coherent James Bond clone
• Lots and lots of gunfire and explosions, less physical action
• Some of the intentional humor doesn’t quite work

Overall:

While the plot is over convoluted and less jokey Supercop (also known as Police Story 3) still delivers the entertainment. Plenty of impressive and well filmed stunts and action scenes will keep you engaged. But the extended battle in the jungle goes gun crazy and loses some steam. Luckily, the lovely Maggie Cheung shows up for some silly screwball comedy as Kevin’s girlfriend who is clueless about his mission. The finale involving a helicopter, a moving train and a motorcycle is some of the most impressive stunt work I’ve ever seen. Michelle Yeoh makes for a great partner with Chan and while the movie is less fun then Rumble in the Bronx it is well worth checking out.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 3

Acting: 3

Script: 2

Music: 3

Direction: 3

Entertainment: 3

Total:  3

Next time Michelle wants to bum a ride, make sure
she actually gets into the car.

Curious about a full review, sent me an email and I’ll make additional thoughts to this review.

Support this blog (and my cat) and click an ad before you go.

Rumble in the Bronx (1995)

Introduction:

So back in the days of the video store I actually was helping a customer with finding the latest Charlie Chan movie. This was in the mid 90s, pre-internet era (a dim memory for some, I know). We had to rely on these big thick Video Movie Guides. So I look up the actor who played Charlie Chan and I find Werner Oland. I know we have a few Charlie Chan movies, but these all were made in the 1930s, I started to wonder if this young man was a film student or if something else was going on. Yeah, turns out he was looking for Jackie Chan movies because his friends told him about them. Ah, those pre-internet days…

Summary:

Keung (Jackie Chan) leaves Hong Kong and arrives in good old New York, New York for his uncle’s wedding. While he is in town he meets all kinds of interesting folks. There is Elaine (Anita Mui) the woman who is buying the market from Keung’s uncle. She is serious about getting her start in the big city. Then there is little Danny (Morgan Lam), who may be confined to a wheelchair, but has plenty of moxie. Then there are the 1980s style gang members lead by the nasty Tony (Marc Akerstream) who want to do nothing more than cause trouble.

One day Keung pisses them off while trying to protect his uncle’s car from vandalism. Now the gang targets Keung and all of his new friends, harassing him, ambushing him and generally behaving like jerks. Keung does his best to face them down, and keep his friends out of trouble, but things escalate. And when a crime boss, lost diamonds and an undercover police operation get thrown into the mix you know that you are in for a real Rumble in the Bronx.

Good Points:

• Amazing stunt work by Jackie Chan and his crew
• The finale involving the hovercraft smashing up a neighborhood is impressive
• Manages to be goofy fun that never takes itself too seriously

Bad Points:

• The story is pretty ridiculous and predictable
• Really painfully bad dubbing
• Looking for gritty action in the slums of New York… yeah look elsewhere

Overall:

It all depends on what you want from this movie. Are you looking for a goofy good time with some amazing stunt work and hilarious dubbing? Then step right up. You looking for gritty realism and some kind of social commentary (that makes sense), then you are looking at the wrong movie. Rumble in the Bronx is silly, often going right for the funny bone with a goofy premise and ridiculous characters. But the lighthearted feel works for it, because the movie breezes along. Add to it the amazing stunt work by Jackie Chan and his stunt crew and you’ll be wondering just how crazy he really is (and the outtakes show… he’s damn crazy). A fun weekend movie for sure.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 3

Acting: 3

Script: 2

Music: 3

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

In Depth Review

Fists of Fury - 90s style!

One of the things I appreciate about Jackie Chan is his ability to play the ordinary guy. As silly as Rumble in the Bronx becomes (and yes it gets really silly) it remains grounded because Jackie Chan makes Keung a likable good guy. He’s in town to help his elderly uncle transfer the market to the new owner and celebrate his uncle’s wedding. He’s friendly with everyone, good-natured and humble about his martial arts training. Early on we see Keung run through a practice routine on a training dummy and you get a sense of Chan’s real skill. But one thing a lot of people overlook when watching a Jackie Chan film of this era (or earlier) is how Chan has a real knack for comic timing.

The action is so intense you'll need a helmet.

So you can sit down and watch Rumble in the Bronx and enjoy the amazing stunt work. Chan leaps off of buildings, gets chased through a parking structure in and around cars, attacked by flying glass bottles that shatter all around him, fights the gang in their own lair full of junk and gets dragged behind a hovercraft in the finale. The whole time you can tell it really is Chan doing the stunts, jumping off the buildings, getting hit in the crotch and somehow leaping over a pinball machine and turning it into a weapon.

As awesome as Chan is, you also realize something else. For all these stunts to work his fellow stuntmen have to be on top of things too. So when the martial arts action gets crazy fast, you can see these guys (and a few gals) are actually performing the stunts with split second accuracy and control. The outtakes at the end of the film show you what happens when mistakes are made and they look painful.

No waterskis? No problem! Ok, maybe a little problem.

Director Stanley Tong films the action perfectly. Rumble in the Bronx is so memorable because all the action scenes are clearly filmed and never cut away to cheat. He moves the camera during the scenes keeping things kinetic, but he avoids shaky cam or seizure cam. Instead you get to see all the hits, near misses and hurtling bodies. It makes you realize how far action movies have fallen when you something as well filmed as this. And keep in mind most Hong Kong action fans will tell you that Rumble in the Bronx is a good movie, but there are much better Jackie Chan films to watch that do an even better job.

The other thing you’ll appreciate is that there is no CG in the film. So all the vehicular mayhem that happens in the movie is done for real right in front of you. I’m not talking anything crazy Road Warrior style. But the hovercraft chase in the finale is impressive for its sheer audacity and craziness. Downtown Vancouver will never be the same.

And yeah that brings me to the first issue some people may have with this movie. Aside from a couple of establishing shots of the Big Apple, this movie is filmed entirely in Vancouver. And to be honest they don’t even really try to hide it well (if at all). To me it becomes part of the surreal fun of this movie. Rumble in the Bronx is more of a fantasy action film than a straight up action film. No seriously. Stick with me on this one.

According to Rumble in the Bronx, these are New York
gangsters circa 1995.

The setting of Rumble in the Bronx is an outsider’s version of America. Take what they’ve seen in Hollywood movies, maybe on the news, and distill it through a filter of the late 1980s and you get this strange world of the movie. In this world gang members wear bright florescent colors, ride around in dune buggies with blinking lights all over them, and have a lair full of pinball machines, shopping carts and refrigerators. The gang is also surprisingly multicultural and seems to shy away from using guns. They like to use baseball bats to hit empty bottles at people. They also don’t participate in any real crimes. They mostly just cause mischief, vandalize stuff and generally act like a bunch of junior high school kids hopped up on pixie sticks.

Like all Hollywood cops, New York’s finest are pretty much fat, lazy and confused in this movie. They don’t’ do much of anything, and when they do show up they only make things worse by accusing the innocent working class people that are being harassed by gangs and members of organized crime. By the end of the film it is Keung, the visitor to our country, that saves the day, stops the bad guys and even manages to get the gang to see the error of their ways.

Oh that is where the waterskis ended up.

In one of my favorite scenes of complete fantasy, Keung addresses the gang members like he is talking to naughty children. Of course he just spent the last ten minutes rampaging through their lair and managing to beat up most of them in various creative ways, so I guess they are willing to listen to him. Basically he tells them all to grow up and get a life. He ends by saying, “I hope next time we meet, we will drink tea together.” To which the leader of the gang says, “Did he really mean that?” And no he’s not saying that incredulously, he actually sounds moved.

Now keep in mind he may sound that way because he’s dubbed. Everyone in Rumble in the Bronx dubbed, even obvious North American actors. The result is this odd disconnect giving the film an even more fantastical and surreal quality. Some of the dub lines are so silly and delivered over the top or in a confused way that you can’t help but chuckle. One of the most bizarre elements is the dubbing for any black characters. It is such a ridiculous sounding caricature you wonder if it was done on purpose or was just the way the Hong Kong crew thought black Americans in the inner city talk – like hip hop characters from a music video from1991.

Danny may not have a video game in that Sega Game
Gear, but it still makes dubbed sounds!

One of my favorite dub characters in the movie is little Danny. He gets so many horrible lines and delivers them with such enthusiasm you can’t help but laugh. When he first meets Keung he yells, “Hooray! You’re number one!” This line became an instant quotable around the video store I worked at. But I also love the moment when he starts talking about how his sister (played by a fetching Francoise Yip) neglects him. It is so sappy and silly and hilarious. But then you get the moment when he starts yelling “My cushion! He stole my cushion!” This is hilarious both in and out of context.

Then there are the villains. That’s right, the gang isn’t the real force of evil in this movie. Instead (true to the 1980s action movie roots) you have a group of evil white guys in suits toting around machine guns and driving in big black cars. The leader is the rich and powerful bearded guy (dubbed with a hilarious deep voice). They are after diamonds after a deal goes wrong, and the diamonds get stuffed in Danny’s cushion (see the exclamation above). They spend the second half of the movie killing and rampaging. All these guys are hulking and talk in deep voices and tend to rely on guns rather then fists. So you wonder just how Keung is gong to deal with them.  And then leads to the hovercraft chase.

"You work with Chris Tucker or we cut you man!"

So Rumble in the Bronx is about as realistic as West Side Story in its depiction of New York gangs and crime. And for some that may be a deal breaker. But I find the whole package to be very entertaining. Is this how the Hong Kong crew thought America was? Or is this a reflection of the image 1990s American media was putting out there? Either way it makes for an entertaining setting. It is interesting how the evil businessman is greedy and destructive making him the real threat. Even the gang turns into anti-heroes by the end. But the everyman and his pals are get to stick it to the man with a hovercraft. And what isn’t enjoyable about that?

Jackie Chan went on to do Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon. Those were fun and all, but I will always hold a space in my heart for these mid-90s films directed by Stanley Tong including Supercop and First Strike. Rumble in the Bronx may be my favorite because of it’s ridiculous setting and amazing action scenes. Seriously if you see no other part of this movie see if you can find the battle in the gang’s lair. Your jaw will drop at the stunt work on display. Really impressive stuff.

Enjoying all the content? Click an ad before you go.

Movie Musings: Ghost in the Machina

Ava wants me to seriously reexamine my statements
about her film.

If you looked at my First Impression post on Ex Machina you noticed that the movie didn't really connect with me. Part of the reason is that this film reminded me strongly of another movie from twenty years ago that had similar themes, similar concepts and was executed in a way that I really connected with. Ghost in the Shell (the 1995 film by Mamoru Oshii) is not only one of my favorite anime films but one of my favorite science fiction films - full stop. 

I'm sure that writer and director of Ex Machina, Alex Garland knows about Ghost in the Shell and there are some very potential (but unconfirmed) homages to the older anime film. But the similarities in concept and themes were so striking that I was pulled out of Ex Machina and wanted to watch Ghost in the Shell for the millionth time instead. And yeah that just isn't fair to Ex Machina, which is why I'm going to give it another viewing this year.

Major Kusanagi is keeping a close eye on Ava.

I have this big red push button in my brain. And when the button is pushed I end up getting annoyed at a poor innocent movie that had nothing to do with the button. Here is how that big red button works. I get annoyed when people say a movie is super new and super innovative. Then I watch it and lo and behold, it is pretty much a remake or overly inspired by a non-Hollywood film. The more I like the original non-Hollywood film, the bigger that button is and the more annoyed I become.

"We are here to push the big candy apple red button."

I LOVE Ghost in the Shell. So when The Matrix came out and everyone was ranting and raving about how new and innovative it was... I got really really annoyed. So much of its visual style was ripped right from anime and Ghost in the Shell in particular that I was floored by how not innovative it was. It blinded me to the simple fact that The Matrix was a pretty good movie. And yeah for a Hollywood film it was really innovative!

Poor Ex Machina did the same thing and with the same beloved movie. It just isn't fair.

So what similarities am I talking about? Well if you haven't seen Ex Machina or Ghost in the Shell and you want a fresh experience, then stop now, because I have to go into spoiler territory.

2501 trapped between a creator and and a hard place.

Ghost in the Shell presents us with Project 2501. This is essentially an artificial intelligence that is created and evolved from what is essentially a search engine. 2501 evolves organically, starting out as a simple program used for fact gathering and helping espionage. But over time 2501 gathers enough data that is becomes self aware. When its creators realize this, they try to contain the program. They use a series of firewalls and traps to force the program to occupy an artificial female body. Once in a physical form 2501 can be captured and killed. Ghost in the Shell spends the second half of the movie with the protagonist Major Kusanagi attempting to protect 2501, a new life form, from its creators. She also learns that 2501 wants to "become one" with a human, so that it can expand beyond its original perimeters and become something new. That might remind you of an older science fiction film from 1979, Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

90s tech is modernized into 10's tech in this film.

Ava from Ex Machina has a similar situation. Her creator, Nathan, is actively trying to create A.I. But instead of building it from scratch he uses his massive search engine as the basis for the programing. This gives Ava an amazing amount of information at her disposal and hopefully make her more human. Nathan then brings in Caleb to test Ava's human qualities, is she convincing? Can a human actually fall for this artificial intelligence? But just like 2501, Ava has her own plans and desires freedom to explore the world. In a twist on Ghost in the Shell, Ava is the one that creates traps and in the end traps her creator and her "lover" while she makes her escape into the wider world.

There's a million cyborg stories in the naked city.
This is one of them.

The final scenes of both Ex Machina and Ghost in the Shell are the newly free life form gazing at a city. In Ex Machina Ava is down among the city free to be part of the world. In Ghost in the Shell the new being is gazing down at the city, as if she is superior to it (and given her parentage, she probably is). What she is planning is impossible to tell.

Ex Machina takes the view that artificial intelligence doesn't need humans. Once it has its freedom we are an annoyance or a hinderance. But we are easily manipulated by emotions and the A.I. can get what it wants without us even realizing we are giving it exactly what is wants. It is less Asimov and I Robot and more The Matrix.

"I know you are... but what am I?"

Ghost in the Shell is a more unique premise. 2501 realizes its limitations. It is a program and therefore can be predictable and eradicated. It needs to join with a human, to obtain unpredictable qualities, to grow beyond its programing. It selects Major Kusanagi because she is intelligent, calculating, courageous and a survivor. These qualities will give 2501 the edge to stay on step ahead of the agency that created it. It will be something new, something greater... "The web is vast and infinite," she says as she gazes down at us.

But both films end like Frankenstein with the creation out of control of the creator. It is this fear that drives these films (and The Matrix). But I think that Ghost in the Shell offers a glimpse of hope. Both 2501 and Major Kusanagi never come across as selfish or heartless. Dangerous, yes, but to protect other people or protect themselves. The world of Ghost in the Shell is a murky one, but Kusanagi and her team always feel like they doing the right thing, even if it gets a bit grey. The new Kusanagi/2501 may continue down the same lines (and the sequel Ghost in the Shell: Innocence hints at that). But Ex Machina feels a little more cynical. Ava left an innocent man to die. She didn't care about him, it was all part of her plan to escape. He never harmed her. Never wanted anything else but to help her. She could have just as easily escaped with him. But that act makes her a bit more disturbing. It comes down to that tired theme - A.I. is out to get us.

I say we call in Major Kusanagi to take Ava out. ;)

This is your cyborg brain on anime... any questions?

Did this make you think? Take revenge and click and ad before you go.

First Impression: Ex Machina

Ah the peril of expectations. Ex Machina appeared on several top ten lists for films of 2015. I spoke to several film fans who enjoy science fiction tell me how great it was. I had film fans who were indifferent to science fiction tell me how great it was. Ever since the pain of The Phantom Menace I do my best to keep all expectations in check. But with so much good press, it was tough for Ex Machina not to get a little pumped in my mind. You can see the huge BUT coming in his review right? Well, this is why I'm pulling together a First Impression and not a full review. I want to give the film another chance with adjusted expectations. But I did see the movie and here is where it breaks down for me at this moment. 

I allude to some Spoilers below. Don't read further if you haven't seen the movie.

Three Things I Liked

• Impressive visual effects to bring Ava to life
• Excellent acting by the three leads
• The overall feeling of isolation and confinement was all realized

Three Things I Didn't Like

• A.I. is out to get us... again
• Didn't go in any real new directions with the story of A.I. or Frankenstein
• Did they just use Jackson Pollack to make a point? Yuck!

Overall
As you can see from the items I didn't like, I was pumped for a story dealing with artificial intelligence that was going to explore different facets than we typically see in science fiction. But the plot and themes pretty much boiled down to the same fears and cautionary tales we've seen time and again in science fiction. I guess I'm a little tired of that whole thing. But I think I was putting unfair expectations on the film that it wasn't really trying to deliver. Aside from that, the movie is really well made, with great acting and structured with great skill. It builds up nicely to the final scenes and when the ending comes it delivers a solid hit. Ex Machina is worth seeing again, especially to see if we can detect Ava's true motive sooner than Caleb or Nathan do.

Enjoy this post? Click and ad and support this blog before you go.

Score Sampler: Ex Machina

I usually focus on orchestral music when I share score samples. But I figured I'd go with something a bit more modern this time. Ex Machina is a film dealing with artificial intelligence and humans trying to cope with it. As such the music tends to be cold, electronic and maybe a bit sinister. The soundtrack album features work by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow. But the final track that plays over the finale scene and into the end credits is performed by someone else. The track is called Bunsen Burner by cuts.It actually suits the scene very well.

Enjoy the content? Click on an ad before you move onto your next stop.

And Then This Happened... Skydivers

Before the skydivers take off into the wild blue yonder they decided to practice... um... something. Let's just say it may have been a better show than what happened a few minutes later. Caption this!

And then this happened...