Singing the praises of Jackie Chan

Burn Hollywood burn
“Rumble in the Bronx” was the picture that finally broke Jackie through to U.S. audiences. He was allowed on U.S. talk shows. He was profiled in magazines and newspapers. All of the articles I’d pitched two years earlier were now being written — by idiots — because they were tied to something being sold. It was both exhilarating and infuriating.

“Rumble” exhibited both Jackie’s best (incredible fights, stunts and comedy) and worst (meandering plotline, street-bike villains, “I hope next time we meet, we will be drinking tea”), and it was dubbed in English; but it went to number one at the box office during a stagnant week in February 1996 and the floodgates opened. Dubbed and chopped-up versions of his movies appeared in quick succession. Miramax positively butchered “Armour of God II: Operation Condor,” cutting the film’s funniest scenes. “What have they done to my movie?” Jackie supposedly said.

Hollywood may have embraced him, but it was a semi-insulting embrace. They didn’t try to turn him into something he wasn’t, as they had in the early ’80s — Japanese race-car driver in “Cannonball Run”; Clint Eastwood clone in “The Protector” — but they always stuck him with someone else for insurance: a funny black guy in one series (“Rush Hour”), a funny white guy in another (the “Shanghai” movies). These movies have the advantage of being OK, but they’re basically the same: Chinese girl is kidnapped; Jackie has to track her down despite the distractions of his American partner. Meanwhile, Jackie’s fights within them are slow and without imagination compared to his Hong Kong stuff. Compromise always tastes slightly sour.

Now we have to put up with Keanu Reeves and Ben Affleck as martial arts masters, striking a pose and flicking their fingers forward in a “C’mon, let’s see what you’ve got” gesture. We have to put up with Jet Li as a villain instead of a hero. We have to put up with Chris Tucker. Imagine Clint Eastwood having to adopt a Chinese first name, and play villains and second-bananas to B-list Hong Kong stars who make fun of his bad American accent and American ways. Bu hao yisi.

Hong Kong weeks at the Varsity died and I lost track of Jackie. His movies came and went and I didn’t notice. Friends I couldn’t drag to a Jackie Chan movie years earlier suddenly came up to me all enthusiastic about finally seeing one: “Rush Hour 2,” “The Medallion,” “The Tuxedo.” I’d smile. What do you say?

Dragons forever
You say this: Jackie is in his 50s now and the best of his action movies are behind him. But they’re not behind us. They’re still out there if you want them: “Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow,” “Drunken Master,” “The Young Master,” “Project A,” “Wheels on Meals,” “Police Story,” “Armour of God,” “Dragons Forever,” Miracles,” “Armour of God II,” “Police Story III: Supercop,” “Drunken Master II.” Watch them in Cantonese. See Jackie as Jackie. Watch a movie star who would literally do anything for us.

­Erik Lundegaard played “bad foreigner #12” in the Taiwanese kung fu comedy “Almighty Athletes.” He can be reached at: .

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