Project A: Reviews

Reviews:
Project A
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by Far East Films
www.fareastfilms.com

Dragon Ma (Chan) is the bravest and perhaps most unruly member of the Coast Guard during turn of the century Hong Kong. Indeed, during a farewell drink before his unit's departure to stop pirate king San Pao, Ma and his fellow men are involved in a fight with their great rivals in the police force. However, the real enemies remain the pirates and whoever is supplying them with guns. After their ships are once again destroyed, the Coast Guards are forced to amalgamate with the police force they had only recently battled. This brings Ma face to face with his rival Tsui (Biao) and they soon realise that the only way to stop the pirates' allies is to work as a team. Completing the threesome is Ma's shady friend (Hung) who operates outside of the law and therefore proves to be a invaluable. What follows is their crusade on land and sea to stop the pirate king San Pao.

The Hong Kong Critics Guild recently counted among the 100 best Hong Kong films ever and there's little argument against that decision. Jackie Chan opened up a completely new avenue in Hong Kong cinema with this 1983 classic. Using the conventions of the 30's Hollywood swashbucklers mixed with his insane stunts and sublime fight action, Chan produced one of his best ever films. The film has a big budget feel that really shows how well it had been produced and certainly directed. Sammo and Yuen are integral parts of the film with their vastly differing characters; Sammo especially relishes his role as a petty crook, a trait he often utilised after. However, Jackie remains the star of the show; whether he's hanging handcuffed from a clocktower or taking on a gang of heavies with a bicycle he blazes across the screen. Certainly one of the most important films in Hong Kong's cinematic development and a real classic.

by Hong Kong Legends

ALTERNATE SYNOPSIS:
An explosive fusion of unparalleled martial artistry, death-defying stunts, and infectious physical comedy!

Jackie illuminates the screen as a turn-of-the-century coast guard, hot on the trail of a ruthless band of cutthroat pirates intent on spreading a trail of blood and mayhem across the South China seas.

Featuring some of the most amazing fight and stunt sequences ever shot for film, Jackie Chan single-handedly defined a new level of action-comedy which has become a benchmark standard for other filmmakers to follow.

by HK Film
www.hkfilm.net

Chan plays Dragon Ma, a tough member of the Hong Kong Coast Guard who is put in charge of "Project A," an ambitious plan to arrest a group of pirates led by Dick Wei. As the movie progresses, Chan teams with a by-the-book cop (Yuen) and a shifty thief (Hung) to stop the pirates.

This is without a doubt one of Chan's best movies. There's plenty of action and comedy, the plot is original (at least for a Chan movie) and thankfully, there's no ditzy female sidekick weighing Chan down. Project A starts off a bit slow, concentrating mostly on Chan and his group training under Yuen, but once it takes off, Project A is wall-to-wall action. I could go into some lengthy reasons why you should see this movie, but I won't. If you're a Jackie Chan fan and haven't seen this film by now, then you're really missing out.

by Alex In Wonderland
www.alex-in-wonderland.com

Jackie Chan is an officer in the Hong Kong Coast Guard and he teams up with a police captain (Yuen Biao) and a con-man (Sammo Hung) to battle a group of pirates lead by an awesome Dick Wei. Excellent fighting and wonderful characters make this one of Jackie's best films.

Project A stands as a milestone in the career of Jackie Chan and in the history of Hong Kong cinema in general. Not only was it the first of Chan's highly successful team-ups with Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung, but it also firmly established his style of blending comedy with incredible fight-scenes and heart-stopping stunts in one film. What's more, it also broke away from the typical martial arts period-pieces with it's setting, and it did so successfully. It starts a bit slowly, but once it gets going you'll be treated a bewildering array of kung-fu fights and stunt work that will leave you dazed and satiated - for the time being.

In terms of martial arts...
One of Jackie's "caper" films, featuring the "Three Amigos" (Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao) who are all opera-trained acrobats with (form) training in many styles. The martial arts in this film are comparable to the following films, which all feature the "Three Amigos" in some capacity: My Lucky Stars, Dragons Forever, Winners and Sinners, and Wheels on Meals.
MARTIAL ARTS RATING 4/5

Project A is a no-holds-barred action-comedy full of amusing moments, amazing acrobatics, and incredible fight choreography with enough of a plot-line to keep things consistently interesting. The series of large-scale, chaotic, martial arts brawls are inventive and fast-paced, where everything from the flying furniture to the chandeliers become a part of the action. There's also a memorable bicycle chase in the winding, narrow streets where Chan expertly wields his bicycle as a weapon. Chan's near-fatal fall from a clock tower in one of the death-defying stunts in the film (a stunt made as an homage to the silent-era comedian Harold Lloyd) is heart-stopping. Though this is obviously a starring vehicle for Chan and he shows all the skill and energy that are his trademark, co-stars Biao and Hung's skills are just as impressive and bring a significant contribution to the success of the film. Lighthearted, fun, and a joy to watch, Project A is definitely one of the best (if not the best) Jackie Chan films and one of the pinnacles of modern Hong Kong filmmaking.

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