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Starring
:
Jackie
Chan
Daniel
Wu
Nicholas
Tse
Charlie
Yeung
Charlene
Choi
Dave
Wong
Yu
Rong Guang
Coco
Chiang
Terence
Yin
Hayama
Go
Action
:
Sing
Ga Ban
Producer
:
Jackie
Chan
Willie
Chan
Director
:
Benny
Chan
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NEW
POLICE STORY (2004)
A.K.A.
- Jackie Chan's New Police Story; Police Story 5
Reviewed
by Tony Ryan
For
Chan's true fans, this has got to be one of his most eagerly
awaited films since 'Drunken
Master 2' a decade ago. Much has happened since then,
including his disappointing outings in Hollywood, not to
mention his clearly deteriorating physical condition (he is
over 50 now!). As a result, I have learnt to reign in my
expectations a little, as I know we will never see another
film to rival the original 'Police
Story' or the aforementioned 'Drunken Master 2'.
Consequently, I went into this film hoping, but not expecting,
something to make up for recent disappointments. Thankfully,
this is what I got.
Although
this film has Police Story in the title, it is never
meant to fit into the original saga's timeline. It truly is a
"New" Police Story in that it is a
reinvention of the Hong Kong Cop Hero movie and not a
remake or sequel. I am quite glad for this, as although I
would dearly love to see the character of Chan Ka Kui return
to the screen, I know deep down that nothing could live up to
the original 2 movies so why set yourself up for a fall?
What
we get instead is a modern day Hong Kong movie together with
the bright OTT characters, short fight sequences and CGI aided
special effects that are synonymous with the industry these
days. Added to this is something that has been lacking from
some of the bigger budget HK output recently – namely a bit
of emotion.
Chan
plays Inspector Wing, a senior officer in the HK Police, and
is famous for his success. Unfortunately, a group of bank
robbers bring his impressive track record to a spectacular
end, culminating in the deaths of many fellow officers. As a
result, Wing blames himself and turns to alcohol, pushing away
all those close to him. Almost a year after this disaster, a
police transferee, Frank (Nicholas Tse), arrives on the scene
without warning and forces his way into Wing’s life, pushing
him back into action to get those responsible.
It's
great to see Chan take on a serious role once again, and at
times this movie reminded me of earlier classics 'Crime
Story' and 'Police
Story 2'. Comedy moments are brief, but one in particular
where Wing and Frank try to escape from the police station
undetected had me laugh out loud. Otherwise, Chan plays it
straight, and some of the scenes are genuinely emotional and
raw.
In
terms of action, there is not a great deal of hand-to-hand
combat. What little on offer is neatly choreographed and
expertly executed, as one would expect. There is some use of
wires, but this is not a new thing, and contrary to popular
belief Chan has used them for years to enhance kicks and
impact reactions. Thankfully, there is little noticeable
doubling proving that Jackie can indeed still bust a move. The
rest of the action sequences are typical gunplay and
pyrotechnic sequences, which cannot be avoided if you’re
making a modern day actioner. All in all, the action is good,
but if that's all you want to watch the film for then you may
end up disappointed.
The
point of any review is essentially to let the reader know if a
film is worth watching and if it would appeal to them. On
these counts I would say that the film is undeniably well made
and polished. The performances from all parties are excellent,
and Jackie has reinstalled a little faith in me that he is
still capable of making a good action movie. Therefore, I
recommend to it to all of JC's fans as well as those who like
a well-made action film. To those who want to see another
Police Story to rival the original, then I suggest you stop
waiting, be realistic, and just enjoy the films he is
making... like this one.
Rating:
 
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