The Protector

It’s not that bad.

It’s just not Jackie Chan, and of course that’s the problem.

Back in the 80s when the movie came out, I’m sure there was a big campaign to promote The biggest action star out of China since Bruce Lee starring in his first American film.

Possibly something around the lines of “come see the amazing Jackie Chan, the action star who does all his own stunts”. It was a great idea, but they did not implement it on the level that they should have.

For those who knew at the time what Chan was capable of, The Protector was a big disappointment. For those of us unfamiliar with Chan we did not understand what the fuss was all about?

The Protector would have been the perfect film for an old Jackie Chan to do right now, as the stunts would be very impressive for the 63 year old to say he still got the moves.

Chan plays Billy, A New York Cop who goes to Hong Kong to rescue a women from a crime lord. Does the vague plot sound familiar? It should, It was almost like this plot was cut up and repaced together to make it usable for Rush Hour, The movie that did bring Jackie Chan to the forefront of America.

Chan could have used Chris Tucker’s energetic loudness, but instead he has the comedic timing of Danny Aiello, which is not bad, it just seems a very odd paring.

Although Aiello was definitely not the problem with this movie, in fact he was a delight. So funny and charming with what he has been given. He does not look like an action hero, but he definitely was doing New York cop perfectly, and it works for the movie, especially when he goes to Hong Kong with Jackie Chan, who I so felt he had chemistry with on screen. The only problem I had with the film was the showcasing of the contradiction between Asian action cinema and American action cinema. While Jackie Chan used his fist most of the movie, Aiello kept taking out bigger badder guns to solve his problem. I understand cause he has no chance with kung fu masters (Although Chan was really the only one in this film), but was too obvious for my taste.

But overall, the Protector’s biggest problem is turning Jackie Chan down to a four instead of his eleven. The fights and stunts they gave him was mere child’s play. No where near his level of the game at that point.

There is a silver lining. I herd that his time making the Protector was so negative on him that it force him to make Police Story, one of Chan’s masterpieces and his biggest franchise.