This is a film that I believe was released some years later, after Jackie achieved some degree of fame. There was a box set released that actually lists him as the STAR of this movie(Narrator – “He wasn’t”). As far as Chan’s involvement, this movie mostly follows the formula set by Hapkido, where he is only part of a bunch of group fights. The only problem here, is that this movie doesn’t have anyone nearly as engaging as Mao Ying or Sammo Hung in it. This thing is largely unengaging, but is notable because it’s the first time Jackie gets to show a tiny bit of his comedic timing, and gets a bit more facetime in this one, instead of just being a face in the crowd.
This movie at least veers away from the super common period pieces of the time, and is in a more contemporary setting, but make no mistake, it’s an early 70’s martial arts flick.
Fight 1- Large brawl inside of a restaurant. To be honest, this thing is stilted and boring. Typical “2 guys beat up a dozen” formula, but it’s notable to this project because Jackie gets to actually deliver some offense, WHILE HIS FACE IS SHOWING. It’s almost like they actually wanted you to see him! He gets kicked so hard he slides 8 feet across the floor, and his face hits the wall, and you get to see one of those classic Jackie Chan facials here for maybe the first time. Fight goes on forever. It sucks. (Rating 2/10).
Fight 2 – This one is actually a lot of fun. A bit of a workplace disagreement leads to a 6-on-1 fight, as it usually happens in real life. This felt like a fight that Jackie may have had some hand in choreographing, and if not, one of his “brothers” did. They use the setting around them in clever ways, and it’s fun and engaging. It’s a mostly one sided fight, but actually felt like a bit of a struggle. Jackie again gets face time and a chance to show some of his legendary facial expressions before he gets tossed into a lake. He wears a pretty sick yellow poncho deal too. (Rating 5/10).
Fight 3 – More in line with the first scene in this flick. Uninspired construction site brawl. Jackie is a face in the crowd. The only notable thing here is that the 20 dudes that just got their butts kicked actually manage to kill the guy that beat their ass. (Rating 1.5/10)
Fight 4 – Jackie shows up in a car with a bunch of other guys in an already ongoing fight. Jackie gets to drive and be the first guy to get cold cocked. This fight is so absurd I can’t help but kinda like it. For starters, it’s honestly close to 20 minutes from start to finish. The choreography is actually decent like the second fight in this movie, as it features the same protagonist. It legitimately becomes a 25-on-1 fight at one point, and I just howled with laughter. One of his mates shows up to help even the odds. Jackie changes shirts at one point in this fight so he could play a different guy that gets killed, I guess. The end result is a bit more competitive since the main bad guy gets involved here. (Rating 4.5/10)
Final verdict: While “Hapkido” was more watchable movie, with better stars, this one gets a slightly higher rating of “Watch it if you’re interested”. This movie has Jackie laying the first bricks of what would be his foundation for the rest of his career. His distinct style of “selling” is on display here, as well as his comedic facials. The second and 4th fights are worth watching.
Project Jackie 