Jackie Chan Follows the Path Most ‘Taken’ with ‘Police Story: Lockdown’

GameStop, Inc.

police-story-1

While Bruce Lee was a phenomenon out of Hong Kong, he never had a full chance to realize his potential in the bigger and not always better Hollywood machine. That’s why I consider Jackie Chan the biggest crossover star to emerge from Hong Kong cinema. Though Chow Yun-Fat and Jet Li had their moments of crossover fame, neither could endure with the longevity of Chan. It shouldn’t be shocking as Chan is in essence a silent movie star in the age of the blockbuster. His earliest films were told in mostly visual language, and Chan wasn’t afraid to combine big-time stunts and visual humor like the silent stars of old – there’s no greater example than in Project A, where Chan orchestrates homages to Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd in the same thrilling sequence. Though he experienced plenty of successes stateside, Chan has returned to his native Hong Kong of late. His latest Hong Kong film getting ready to make its way stateside is Police Story: Lockdown, which tragically sees the action legend trying to catch up with times by making an uglier, grimmer type of action film.

Police Story: Lockdown, or as it was originally called Police Story 2013, is another attempted reboot of the series following Police Story 2004 (hmm, I’m noticing a trend). Through the shaky camera, familial conflict, and entirely humorless façade, Lockdown is nothing more than a lousy Taken imitator. The story is pretty much incomprehensible as it’s happening, but here’s the gist of it: Zhong Wen (Chan), a rough and tumble police officer, is meeting his estranged daughter Miao (Tian Jing) at bar. At the bar, named Bar Wu, Miao informs Zhong that she is currently in a relationship with the bar’s owner Wu Jiang (Ye Liu). Suddenly, Zhong is knocked unconscious and the bar’s customers are being held hostage. With a few henchmen by his side, Wu is holding everyone, including Zhong and Miao, hostage and asking the authorities to bring a prisoner to the bar. Time passes and little makes sense as the villain’s motives are entirely unclear. The only thing that is clear is that Zhong must kick some ass or let innocents die.

There’s no way around it, this is a grim film. Not only is the film completely devoid of humor until the end credits and Chan’s signature blooper reel, the visual style of the film takes on the look of Oliver Megaton, which is like modeling your artistic style on the graffiti on the inside of port-a-potties. Writer-director Sheng Ding undermines himself at every available angle. I’d argue that there is a compelling story within Lockdown, but Ding has found the worst possible way to tell it, creating as many blanks as possible and waiting as long as possible to fill in the blanks with little satisfaction. It can be very easy to overlook the story flaws in a Jackie Chan movie when the action takes your breath away. That doesn’t happen here. The action unfolds in a frantic, bewildering manner that can’t be sure just who is fighting and if they’re actually anywhere at all. It’s really quite tragic watching Jackie Chan trade in a timeless style for something ephemeral and visually illiterate.

Police Story: Lockdown is the one thing that a Jackie Chan movie can’t be – no fun. It’s a tragic film because it features a trailblazer trying to play catch up. It takes an hour and twenty minutes of mid-level Die Hard and Taken imitation before it crams in a movie’s worth of twists. Like the frenzied editing style, it renders the whole film a mush of nonsense told with a grimly serious, scarred face. I’ll always respect and admire the cinema of Jackie Chan. I’d just rather he follows the path of Chaplin in his late career than trying to scrape by like so many aging action stars. Could you imagine Jackie Chan’s Monsieur Verdoux or Limelight? Neither can I, and that’s why I want to see it. Because I’ve seen Jackie Chan’s Taken, and it’s not good.

Police Story: Lockdown opens in select theaters and is available on VOD June 5th. For more information go here.

Anytime Costumes

Leave a Reply

FanboyNation
Animation/Anime Interviews Animation/Anime News Animation/Anime Reviews Film/TV Interviews Film/TV News Film/TV Review
‘Wednesday’ Comes to Blu-ray on Tuesday from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

‘Wednesday‘ Comes to Blu-ray on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, from Warner...

Toy Lei Talks About Playing Auntie Victoria in ‘The Brothers Sun’ – Interview Rewind

Asian-American actress Toy Lei stars as Auntie Victoria in the new...

Marcus Massey Talks ‘Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2’ – Interview

Marcus Massey Shares his Wisdom as Owl in ‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and...

Event News Event Reviews
‘MJ the Musical’ Chronicles the Life of the ‘King of Pop’ Running at Segerstrom – Review

‘MJ the Musical‘ is the Ultimate Stage Adaptation, Chronicling the life...

Aiden Sinclair and Michael Rangel Talks ’57 Ghosts’ Aboard the Queen Mary Séance

Aiden Sinclair and Apparitionist, Michael Rangel Discuss their new Theatrical Séance...

Luke and Madison Rhoades Open ‘Slashers Axe Throwing’ – Interview

Luke and Madison Rhoades Open Orange County’s first ever horror themed...

Automotives Football MMA, Kick Boxing & Boxing Professional Wrestling
Olympic Runner Colleen Quigley ‘On The Road to Paris’

Team USA Olympic Runner, Colleen Quigley is On The Road to...

Paralympian Swimmer Ahalya Lettenberger On The Road to Paris

Team USA Paralympian Swimmer, Ahalya Lettenberger is On The Road to...

Ultimate Women of Wrestling Comes to the Globe Theatre – Interview

Ultimate Women of Wrestling Comes to the Globe Theatre on Sunday,...

Adult Continuity Comics on the Can Cultural Junk Drawer Future Comic Rock Stars Is That Racist? Revisiting the Reviled THAT'S NOT ROTTEN! The B-Reel The Cantina Scene This Week in Crowdfunding What the HELL Did I just...?
Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse – SID SPEAKS!

"We Demons! Let's go CRUNK on this punk-ass world!"

Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse: Escalation

When you said "Destroy" Kurt grabbed his mini-gun an AK-47 and...

Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse, the continuing saga!

If cautious means being careful when I break a foot off...

Music Interviews Music News Music Reviews
Joe Kwaczala Talks About His new Comedy Album ‘Funny Songs & Sketches’ – Interview

Joe Kwaczala Talks About His new Comedy Album ‘Funny Songs &...

Songwriter and Poet, Tamara Mechael Talks About Her Career in the Arts

First Generation Assyrian-Chaldean, Songwriter and Poet, Tamara Mechael Talks About Her...

Louden Swain Headlining Los Angeles Show at The Echo

Press Release – Louden Swain are headlining Los Angeles show at...

Enabled Gaming Gaming News Gaming Reviews
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Gameplay Trailer

The first Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer was revealed during...

Wonder Woman Game
Wonder Woman Game Announced By DC and WB Games

Wonder Woman game will feature the iconic hero in a 3rd...

MultiVersus
MultiVersus brings Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny, and More

MultiVersus is bringing Shaggy, Harley Quinn, Jake, Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny,...

Comic Creator Interviews Comic/Graphic Novel News Comic/Graphic Novel Reviews Manga News Manga Reviews Novel/Novella Author Interviews Novel/Novella News Novel/Novella Reviews
Gary Morgenstein Talks ‘A Dugout to Peace’ the Final Installment of his Trilogy

Gary Morgenstein Talks About ‘A Dugout to Peace‘ the final installment...

Chris Clews Is ‘Raised on the 80s’ and Shares Those Life Lessons

Chris Clews was ‘Raised on the 80s‘ and Shares Those Life...

Roye Okupe Brings Authentic African Representation to HBO Max and Cartoon Network

Nigerian-American, Roye Okupe brings authentic African representation to HBO Max and...

Apparel/Personal Maintenance News Apparel/Personal Maintenance Reviews Entertainment Product News Entertainment Product Reviews Food/Beverage Reviews Hardware News Hardware Reviews Mystery Box News Mystery Box Reviews
Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand Demo

The new ‘Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand‘ is ready to ship...

Chef Jen Peters and Matthew Clayton Bring us the ‘Good Flour’

Canadian Super Chef Jen Peters and Matthew Clayton Bring us the...

Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide
Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

The Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide is now available to help...

Gaming Uncensored Toon-In-Talk
Episode 38: Hamid Rahmanian

Join Whitney Grace as she speaks with artist Hamid Rahmanian, who...

No Preview
Toon-In Talk Episode 37: Niki Smith

Whitney Grace interviews graphic novel writer and artist Niki Smith about...

Toon-In Talk Episode 36: Rob Paulsen

Rob Paulsen takes some time from his busy voice acting schedule...