Fibe Ma – Cut To The Chase

Directed By: Samo Hung

Written By: Fibe Ma and Edward Tang

Cinematography: Raymond Lam

Editor: Peter Cheung and Chi-Wai Yau

Cast: Jackie Chan, Richard Norton, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, Miki Le, Karen McLymont, Vince Poleto, Barry Otto, Sammo Hung, Peter Houghton, David No

A Chinese chef accidentally gets involved with a news reporter who filmed a drug bust that went awry, and is now being chased by gangs who are trying to get the videotape.

Jackie Chan usually defends himself in fights. That leads to death-defying stunts and he seems so acrobat. As he is, the initial attacker is never malicious or aggressive.

Why he comes across so bad when he does. He seems up or had enough of it and he’s not using so much as truly fighting for a reason. Still the reluctant hero.

This is also why usually his films are more noteworthy for their action sequences than the plot as the story is the connective tissue that holds it all together and leads us to these scenes. There isn’t truly any just the cosmetics that help everything else cook.

This film is set up in Australia, and not starring most of his usual costars. Except for Richard Norton playing the villain.

Thankfully, this is not another body-action comedy. This film also isn’t as sanitized as his usual more English language films, which sometimes end up being more for families and kids. There is more action with comedic scenes sprinkled throughout. But still, it’s an action film throwing through one just wishes the film could’ve been better overall.

That piece of work, though not as fun, loving, or inspiring as his non-English language films. The film becomes over-the-top ridiculous especially with it’s at least giving him a challenge. The henchman outfits are definitely 1990’s garb.

Directed by fellow kung fu legend, Sammo Hung. Who is more known for comedy and directing and acting with fight scenes and kung fu sprinkled it.

It gets a little racy, but nothing too offensive. That is an ending that offers pure destruction.

This ends up being a noteworthy film of his overture.

Grade: B-

Directed By: Stanley Tong

Written By: Edward Tang and Fibe Ma

Cinematography: Jingle Ma

Editor: Peter Cheung

Cast: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Francoise Yip, Bill Tung, Marc Akerstream, Garvin Cross, Morgan Lam, Alien Sit

A young man visiting and helping his uncle in New York City finds himself forced to fight a street gang and the mob with his martial arts skills.

This is the first movie I saw Jackie Chan starring in. Though I remember him in the CANNONBALL RUN movies. This was another temp for him to break in Hollywood after the previous film mentioned, and THE PROTECTOR with Danny Aiello.

Only this time he had more momentum as Quentin Tarantino had hyped him up and his films after a lifetime achievement award at the MTV awards when they were at the height of cool. Showing clips of all his films and detailing his injuries from doing all his acrobatic stunts.

Had a younger generation mesmerized and salivating over his work. Having him be a well-known foreign secret this was the first released film after.

The trailer showcased more action scenes than the stunts and didn’t include any of the more comedic elements.

The film is pretty run-of-the-mill only here. Most of his enemies are Caucasian. The film does show him struggling with the English dialogue so still eternally a nice guy and helping out a kid and his older sister, who had first set him up, and provides the film with some eye candy, but not a romantic one.

This has what is typical in his film’s build-up of him being impressive and early scenes, yet being defeated, then the finale and over-the-top action fighting extravaganza, where he is like Hulk Hogan in his prime beaten now feels no pain in his nonstop as now he is truly angry and fed up

The film feels more like something from the 1980s and Chan is a little too old to be quite believable as the character and his circumstances.

Luckily, this is less comedic and family-friendly than his films would eventually become in America, so this film does retain some edge.

Though the pharmacy supposed to take place in the Bronx is obviously filmed in Canada and is not as exciting as the title.

Grade: C+

Tag: Fibe Ma

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