The Protector (1985)

How sad is this?

Beautiful, moving film.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

After constantly reading and hearing nothing but negative opinions about the American produced, but also filmed in Hong Kong Jackie Chan vehicle 'The Protector'. It didn't sway me from checking it out. I'm no Jackie Chan fan, but honestly it was director James Glickenhaus' name which fed my interest. Best known for the 80s exploitative vigilante flick 'The Exterminator (1980)' and some entertaining action joints 'The Soldier (1982)' and 'Shakedown (1985). 'The Protector' does have the same vibe of his early efforts; gritty, brutal, rough and seamy. And I would call it lesser work. However the main talking point will always be how Glickenhaus used Jackie Chan. Yes, Chan is wasted in a role that would've been better suited for someone else (Norris comes to mind, as it has more in common with his stuff), as his martial arts abilities and amusing characteristics are never truly capitalized on. I'm so use to seeing him with that *wink, wink* attitude (Project A) and piling on those extravagantly energy-packed stunt work (Police Story). It's a different kettle, and very atypical. Here he looks uncomfortable throughout with that hardboiled edge. Just listen to his sober delivery of the dialogues. That endearing personality is kept in check. This performance seemed to ask more on dramatic acting, than his psychical and lively talent. He's pairing up with Danny Aiello (a loutish cop) couldn't be anymore disjointed and unbelievable. The chemistry never felt right, but with these problems I still was mesmerized. The rest of the performances (Bill Wallace, Roy Chiao) were indifferent. Look out for a short appearance by Mike Starr. While it didn't have the on-going rush I was expecting, Chan gets some furious and hard-hitting action sequences (like the opening slow-motion bloody shoot-out, tricky boat chase (one by water and the other by foot) and a marvellous sky-high balancing act). The film doesn't start off too badly, but when it hits Honk Kong. The copy and paste formula with its many predictable outcomes (involving the seedy crime underworld and the buddy style of two rogue cops) seems to plod along rather coldly. At least there's something enticing about the moody Hong Kong scenery, and ace cinematographer Mark Irwin's crisp moving camera-work is expansively fleshed-out. Effectively detailing the backdrop. Glickenhaus' direction is scratchy, but he knows how to set-up street style locations and infuse sleaze (especially the opportunities that arose to squeeze in nudity). It cops a lot shtick, but without the expectations it's a passable odd of sorts.

There should have been more fast, furious action in the final fight scene between Jackie Chan and Bill "Superfoot" Wallace. Mr. Wallace should have been able to show why he was called Superfoot in the martial art world because he was able to fake with one foot and then deliver a striking blow with the other foot.It was kind of weird the Hong Kong cops came in like a mob instead of acting like professional police officers with their guns drawn and moving in a precise manner like American cops in the movies do. I still like the movie because Jackie Chan was still able to do fast fight scenes in the massage parlor.

THE PROTECTOR. You hear the name. You think, "ah, it's a crappy Hong Kong movie." Guess what - it's not Hong Kong. And yes, it is crappy. This amazingly stupid Jackie Chan film, ruined by us, yes us, the Americans (I'm boiling with anger, ooh, I think I'll jump out that window!), has Chan as a New York cop hunting down a gang, avenging the death of his buddy. Sounds cool...but it's not. Don't waste your money renting it. To prove he could make a better cop film, Chan made the amazing POLICE STORY (1985).

This movie was the reason why Jackie didn't do a movie in the US for about 13 years (This is what Jackie said in an interview for the German DVD-release of "WHO AM I"). He was so deeply disappointed with this movie, that he reshot a lot of the scenes when he returned to Hong Kong.And now for my experience:I have seen nearly all Jackie Chan movies, and I wanted to see this one too. So I rented this one, although a friend told me that I would puke afterwards. And my friend was right.If you see it, you can also understand why Jackie didn't make movies in the US for such a long time.... Believe me!