As a lifelong Jackie Chan fan, I’ve seen him take down bad guys, leap off buildings, and even dance with Michael Jackson. But let me tell you, Panda Plan takes the cake! This movie is Jackie at his finest, a perfect blend of action, comedy, and a dash of heartwarming nostalgia.
Jackie Chan, renowned globally for his iconic action moves, takes on the role of Jackie Chan in “Panda Plan,” the latest action-comedy starring this global superstar. He built a reputation with death-defying stunts in Project A and Police Story, gained widespread recognition in Hollywood through Rumble in the Bronx and Rush Hour, and at 70 years old, he’s still delivering the same level of kick-ass performances as he did decades ago. In his new movie, he portrays himself, tasked with safeguarding a baby panda he has adopted from mercenaries intent on capturing it.
Jackie Chan’s Panda Plan is his most impressive film in quite some time. Despite the enjoyment derived from watching him perform his signature moves, it’s no surprise that movies like Vanguard, Hidden Strike, and Viy 2: Journey to China didn’t stand out as much in his filmography. This movie excels in terms of action sequences, humor, and showcasing a superior Jackie Chan. One intriguing aspect is when actors portray themselves on screen, such as Bruce Willis in Ocean’s Twelve, Bill Murray in Zombieland, or Keanu Reeves in Always Be My Maybe. This allows them to explore their celebrity status in a more playful manner.
In an impressive display reminiscent of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent featuring Nicolas Cage, Jackie skillfully portrays a scenario where he’s compelled into a perilous undertaking. The opening sequence, brimming with intricate choreography, is later revealed to be a staged action scene for the film Jackie is producing. He questions the plausibility of a single individual battling numerous enemies, a feat he claims to have performed frequently throughout his career. Moreover, he expresses a long-held aspiration to star in a romantic movie, something he previously lamented Hollywood would never allow him to do on late-night television with Conan O’Brien.
In the initial stages of Jackie taking on the role of adopting a panda, this movie serves up its first unexpected element: comedy. Typically, the humor in Jackie’s films stems from his physical comedy during action scenes. However, what makes this film unique is that not only does it include that, but the dialogue is also consistently humorous. This results in a side-splittingly funny movie where Jackie gets to embody his status as a global superstar. One of the most amusing recurring jokes in the film involves the villains being fans of Jackie Chan, which adds an extra layer of humor when they engage in combat with him.
In this rephrased version: The villains break into the structure, setting up a situation reminiscent of Die Hard. Throughout the movie, there are numerous bad guys armed with guns, many captives, and a protagonist battling his way through them from within. Jackie’s previous works have included a Die Hard-inspired film like Police Story 2013, but this time it excels. Unlike its predecessor, this film doesn’t try to be serious at all and instead knows how to entertain, especially with the eccentric, exaggerated character portrayed by Wei Xiang.
Discussing the over-the-top nature of the villains’ acting, it must be said that it can be quite campy, yet watching Jackie go up against these antagonists is truly enjoyable. He isn’t just a “Supercop” in this story; he’s an actor who has mastered martial arts. One intriguing aspect of Panda Plan lies in the fact that one of the villains seems to predict Jackie’s moves during fight scenes because he’s familiar with Jackie’s films. I wish the film had capitalized more on this concept by either paying homage to iconic moments from Jackie’s movies or satirizing some projects Jackie isn’t particularly fond of. The stunt Jackie performs, similar to the ladder fight in Police Story 4: First Strike, is a nod to that classic scene, but the humor derived from these concepts could have been more pronounced.
In Panda Plan’s first hour, the story unfolds seamlessly as it largely takes place in real-time, immersing viewers in a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between characters evading and confronting villains when needed. Director Zhang Luan skillfully choreographs these action sequences with vigor and clarity. Remarkably, despite his age, Jackie Chan continues to execute many of the stunts himself, demonstrating exceptional fighting skills for someone in his stage of life. It’s a testament to 2024 that we’re still enjoying Jackie Chan action movies, a fact we should all be grateful for.
As a dedicated fan, I must admit that Panda Plan’s standout challenge lies in its portrayal of pandas. Every creature in this film is computer-generated, and it’s hard to ignore the artificial feel. It’s not that Chinese cinema hasn’t dabbled with CGI animals before, but the photorealistic touch seems elusive, as evidenced by both the CGI lion in Vanguard and the pandas here.
The movie appears to wrap up nicely after about an hour, taking its time afterwards to develop characters and lead us towards the climactic action sequence. This structure may be suitable for the plot, but it somewhat diminishes the intense pace established in the initial hour. Some details in the finale seem to be missing, which could have added clarity. Nevertheless, this film is worth watching for Jackie Chan’s innovative weaponry and breathtaking stunts, even though it might not match his performances in Drunken Master (a must-watch). Despite falling short of those standards, Panda Plan still offers a touching addition to Jackie’s collection, showcasing the martial arts skills we adore.
SCORE: 7/10
According to the review guidelines on ComingSoon, a rating of 7 means “Good.” It’s an enjoyable piece of entertainment that’s certainly worth giving a look, although its appeal might not stretch across all audiences.
Disclosure: ComingSoon received a screener for our Panda Plan review.
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2024-10-18 01:12