Terremoto nel Bronx

Well here we go once again with the undisputed king of action comedy. The one and only Jackie Chan. While this is nowhere near Chan's best movie we can be grateful for the fact that this is the film that finally gave Chan his much deserved break in the USA. This is the story on Chan's character Keung who comes to the Bronx for his uncle's wedding and ends up caught up in a series of events that involve biker gangs, and diamond robbers. But really none of this matters this is just an excuse for Jackie to show of his amazing action skills (in the fight scenes which he also choreographed), and this he does to his usual amazing standards. There seems to be more edits in the fight scenes that is normal for Jackie but I suspect this might be down to one of two things. One making the film more palatable for a western audience. Or two that Jackie broke his ankle in the filming of this movie. Still tell me the last time you saw a western movie star leap from a roof on to the fire escape of the next building!!! Truly amazing stuff. On the down side the western characters and acting are very wooden but hey just enjoy Chan and hopefully then go seek out his Hong Kong movies.

Jackie Chan's fight scenes and stunts: 9 stars.

The incredibly corny dialogue and cheesy humor: 5 stars.

The mind boggles at Chan's abilities and charisma; he's in a class of his own and an international treasure. The mind also boggles at a film whose silly humor seems aimed at ten-year-olds also containing a grisly murder by wood chipper. Fun with hovercrafts, with Anita Mui's appearance an added bonus. As always, the behind the scenes stuff included at the end is half the fun, and Jackie Chan lays his body on the line for our viewing pleasure. Watch this one for him, not all the silliness.

"Rumble in the Bronx," released in 1995 (though a 1996 release in the US), isn't just a movie; it's arguably the pivotal moment for Jackie Chan's mainstream breakthrough in North America. It represents a complete thought in the sense that it successfully translated the unique charm and exhilarating action of Hong Kong cinema for a global audience, proving that Chan's blend of martial arts, physical comedy, and death-defying stunts had universal appeal.

The film's plot, while flimsy and often serving as little more than a vehicle for the action, follows Keung (Jackie Chan), a Hong Kong cop visiting his uncle in the Bronx, New York. When his uncle's supermarket becomes the target of various street gangs and later a larger criminal syndicate involved in a diamond heist, Keung is inevitably drawn into the fray. He finds himself battling thugs, forming unlikely alliances, and delivering justice in his inimitable style.

What made "Rumble in the Bronx" a sensation was its unyielding commitment to practical stunts and Jackie Chan's signature blend of comedy. Unlike the heavily wire-worked or CGI-laden action films that would become prevalent, every jump, every fall, every improbable use of everyday objects as weapons or tools in a fight felt real because it was real. The infamous outtakes reel at the end of the film, showcasing Chan's numerous injuries, cemented his legendary status as a performer who literally put his body on the line for entertainment. This was a direct, visceral experience for audiences, a stark contrast to the often generic action heroes of Hollywood.

The film's setting, ostensibly the Bronx, added to its quirky appeal. While famously shot in Vancouver, Canada (leading to numerous humorous continuity errors like mountains in the background of "New York City"), this geographical disconnect became part of its charm for many viewers. It highlighted the "fish out of water" aspect of Chan's character and the cultural translation efforts, albeit sometimes clumsy, that made the film feel distinct. The English dubbing, often criticized, also contributed to its unique, almost B-movie cult status for some.

Critics, including the influential Roger Ebert, lauded "Rumble in the Bronx" not for its narrative depth or acting prowess, but for the sheer spectacle of Jackie Chan's physical genius. Ebert famously stated that "Any attempt to defend this movie on rational grounds is futile. The whole point is Jackie Chan - and, like Astaire and Rogers, he does what he does better than anybody." This encapsulates the film's complete thought: it was a showcase for an unparalleled talent, an action maestro whose creativity in choreography and willingness to take risks transcended conventional cinematic expectations.

Commercially, "Rumble in the Bronx" was a resounding success. With a budget of approximately $7.5 million, it grossed over $32 million in the domestic US box office, a remarkable achievement for a foreign-produced film at the time. This financial success was a clear signal to Hollywood that Jackie Chan was a marketable star in North America, directly paving the way for his later Hollywood productions like "Rush Hour." Beyond the numbers, the film left an indelible cultural mark. It introduced a generation of Western audiences to the Hong Kong action aesthetic, characterized by fast-paced editing, inventive stunt work, and a more playful approach to violence. "Rumble in the Bronx" solidified Jackie Chan's persona as the endearing, slightly clumsy underdog who always finds a way to win, often with a smile. It was a complete, vibrant, and utterly entertaining package that changed the landscape of action cinema and firmly established a global icon.

Rumble in The Bronx plays out a lot like a b-movie. If you take away the incredible stunts, chases, and fight scenes, you are left with parts of a film that are so bad they're good. I mean that in the best way possible.

The movie sports a very inclusive, and colorful biker gang, mixed with the rich white gangsters that consist of only very tall white guys with ponytails. Then awkward weirdly dubbed side characters (at least on the New Line dub) a lot of moments involving stealing a cushion from a boy in a wheelchair, bared assed bad guys, and numerous shots of Jackie Chan's man camel toe...maneltoe?Jackie Chaneltoe? I think I am putting too much thought into a name for it. I laughed out loud when Jackie goes to meet his new GF Nancy at the strip dance bar she works at, where she dances in her underwear, and how it plays out like nothing is any different then the time they rode a tandem bike with a wheelchair hook up for Danny the aforementioned boy in the wheelchair.

That being said, the fight scenes are still as good as you can imagine. They were the reason why this movie worked for North American audiences. The plot doesn't matter, the fights are amazing, and the hovercraft chase scene is too fun not to enjoy. It's easy to forget all the weirdness that encompasses the rest of the film, the flimsy plot, and the odd way everyone dresses...I mean I lived through the mid-nineties, it didn't look like that. I wish it did though.

Still, this movie is fun. After the re-watch, I have decided that Rumble in The Bronx is a fun mix of bad movie charm with insanely good action stunts, and fights. If that's up your alley and you haven't seen this, then you're in for a treat.

Jackie Chan is, without a doubt, one of the greatest action stars of our time - but that is not all he does, by far. He is the only actor I can think of who has so seamlessly blended heartstopping action with rolling-on-the-floor comedy. However, having seen some of his later work, I must say that in certain respects this movie did not live up to the expectations I had set for Jackie Chan.

While the action sequences were excellent, they were a bit sparse, and there was too much plot between them. Normally that wouldn't be something to complain about too much, but in this case the plot was almost nonexistent. I've decided that the movie was basically an excuse for two big scenes: the kung-fu battle with the gang, and the hovercraft scene.

There were several scenes in the movie which had me laughing out loud - the kind of clever humor and subtlety that has become Jackie Chan's trademark. But during a great portion of the movie, I was scratching my head wondering where that refreshing humor had gone. Some scenes were just too serious for a Jackie Chan movie.

All that said, I really did enjoy the movie, and would give it 6 stars out of 10. The action sequences did have me on the edge of my seat, and the funny parts did have me laughing. I won't say that it was Jackie Chan's best work, but it was certainly enough to get him onto the American radar, and I'm very glad that that's where he is now. So I would recommend seeing this movie, but if someone were seeing their first Jackie Chan movie, I would recommend something else, possibly starting with a newer, non-dubbed American film first.