On December 5th, Jackie Chan was officially given 2 Guinness World Records. The first was for most stunts performed by a living actor, and the second was most credits in one movie.
Even though I’m happy for Jackie, I need you to take a REALLY close look at the certificate on the left. In the credits section, he is referred to as the “Asian Hawk.” I know that we all knew this was true, but Jackie never really confirmed it. Now, we can finally say that Chinese Zodiac is officially the 3rd film in the Armour of God franchise.
I’m glad I got that off of my shoulders, now I can sit back and count down the days until the film releases. Congratulations Jackie!
Source: SuperChan’s Jackie Chan Blog
UPDATE!
A video for Jackie’s accomplishments!
Yes, it’s German, but it’s the best I could find…
Background Info
Following the success of Police Story, Jackie decided to create a film that payed homage to the Indiana Jones films. It gave Jackie the opportunity to travel to a few exotic locations, allowing for some new scenery for fans. While the original director, Eric Tsang, had Jackie cut his hair, it led to superstitions as Jackie sustained on of his deadliest injuries. In fact, he now has a hole in his head from the accident. Was the risk worth it, or should this armour have been left alone?
Story/Characters
I’m not quite sure what you’d expect from a 1980’s Chan film, as most of this is simply there to get to the action sequences. Jackie is still Jackie, seriously, they call him Jackie in the movie. Alan Tam is great comedic relief, even if he is a bit much at times. Even the bad guys are just members of an extreme cult, making sure you’re aware of the fact that they are bad. Just don’t expect a lot of depth from these characters.
There is a little mythology to the armour that everyone is looking for, but not enough to really get people interested. Except for a small love triangle, there isn’t any real depth to the story either. I think we all know what type of guy Jackie is, so the tension never really builds up the way it could have. However, there are some pretty good comedic elements tied into the story, one of which involves people being in rooms they shouldn’t be in. In the end, the story was simply there to get the action rolling, and it succeeds in that sense.
Action/Choreography
This is Jackie in his prime and it definitely shows. The choreography is fast and satisfying. Looking back, it’s crazy to see how Jackie used to be. He is the master of his environment and it’s awesome to see him use everything to his advantage. While I hoped for more fights earlier on, the end of the film is pretty much one long fight scene. Plus, there’s something to be said about Jackie fighting Diana Ross look-alikes.
I’m feeling generous, so here is the fight with Jackie against 4 Amazon women.
Own it, Watch it, or Skip it?
Before I say anything, I’m sure I have some nostalgia goggles on whenever I watch this film. Newer viewers may not like this movie as much, but it’s still a great popcorn flick. The action is solid and the comedy is good. There aren’t that many stunts, but that could be due to Jackie’s brush with death. That being said, it’s great to re-watch this classic in order to get ready for Chinese Zodiac. For me, this is a must have.
Own it
For those that want to hear about Jackie’s accident, check out this interview. He’ll talk about it around the 5:10 mark.
And since he mentions the outtakes, here they are as well:
As a sidenote, the US is stupid and labeled Armour of God as Operation Condor 2. Operation Condor is the sequel to Armour of God, which is why Jackie is younger in it. If you want my opinion, skip the US version and find a HK Remastered version. It’s worth the difference.
Operation Condor 2: The Armour of God (US DVD)
ARMOUR OF GOD Digitally Re-Mastered DVD (Region 3) (NTSC) Jackie Chan
I’m not even going to say anything until you get to see the trailer for yourself:
Now, who’s excited? This trailer has been making the rounds online, and it’s looking REALLY REALLY good. I know I’m not the only Chan fan out there, and people are getting really hyped.
Okay, not that I’ve calmed down a bit, let’s talk a little more about what we know. The trailer came out today, exactly 365 days before the official release. Yes, if you didn’t catch that, you won’t be seeing this movie til the end of next year. However, don’t get mad, because like I said in my wish list, that gives Jackie plenty of time to perfect the action and film as a whole.
Also, a contract has been signed with IMAX for the movie. That’s right, this will be the first Jackie Chan movie you can see on an IMAX screen. I’m gonnabe so mad if the movie doesn’t come statside or the word ends before I get to see it. I’m just sayin…
(Update!) I just embedded the HD version for you guys. Also, I found a quote from Jackie about the action in the film:
“This time I fight from the beginning to the end, and with opponents from a variety of countries. It’s great!”
Let’s start the week off with a nice, light tone, shall we? (more…)
Jackie Chan’s Chinese Zodiac film has a lot to live up to, and now that pressure has increased. (more…)
During his promotion of Little Big Soldier, Jackie shared with the press his motivation for returning to the Armour of God series. The film is a landmark for Chan, being his 100th film as the lead. (more…)
