Invisible Target Review
Background Info
Benny Chan decided to team up Jaycee Chan with two veterans in the film industry: Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue. Benny went one step further and cast Wu Jing and Andy On in the roles of villains, ensuring that the action would be solid all the way around. While Jaycee still had a lot to prove, would he be able to step out of his father’s shadow and show the world what he was capable of?
Story/Characters
The story of Invisible Target revolves around three main police officers, each of them with their own history and emotional baggage. While this may sound like it would confuse the plot, it is handled fairly well that the motives of each character are clear. While more could have been done with the story overall, it provided enough background info and plotpoints to get the action going. Invisible target manages to give a decent story that has a destination while ensuring that the action doesn’t suffer from it.
The characters are pretty well done in Invisible Target. While they can be split into very distinct personalities, like by-the-books officer and constantly depressed lover, it’s the interaction between everyone that helps flesh out the characters. Like with most movies, the villains get the short end of the stick, which is a shame. Wu Jing is a great bad guy, and I would have loved for him to be more than a just badass. I also had a soft spot for Wai King Ho’s grandma, as she seemed to help lighten the mood often.
Action/Choreography
This movie was created with action in mind from the very beginning, and it shows. There are some pretty crazy stunts and the fights are pretty solid. That being said, Tse and Yue are the heavy hitters here, with Chan just supporting them. The fights can be a little showy at times, but the final confrontation was very well done. I can understand that Jaycee couldn’t have done much given his character, it would have been nice to see him fight more. Either way, the fights are shot well and there are enough stunts to keep most action fans happy, even though the special effects feel out of place sometimes.
Own it, Watch it, or Skip it?
Invisible Target tries to achieve a lot of goals, and gets pretty close to accomplishing most of them. The movie probably won’t be the one Jaycee will be remembered for, but the overall cast is very strong and helps carry the film. While there are a few things holding this movie back from being a must have, Invisible Target has enough going for it to warrant a view. If you want to see something that has a good plot and solid action, Invisible Target hits the mark.
Watch it
Invisible Target DVD (US Version)
Invisible Target Blu Ray (US Version)
