Police Story: A Guerra das Drogas

Version: Universal / Hong Kong Legends R4 DVD release. Cantonese / English subtitles

Once upon a time, five years ago, the world was obsessed with 'The Matrix', and I was perhaps one of the few fifteen year olds left who still believed that 'Terminator' was better than 'Matrix'. I was but a simple teenage boy, looking for a good action movie, and then there was a shining light on a TV station I had never really watched, a little station known as SBS. One night I noticed in the TV guide that a movie starring Jackie Chan - 'Police Story' would be on later. Being fifteen, and having only seen 'Rumble in the Bronx' and 'Rush Hour', I said... "WOW AWESOME" and sat down to watch it, and continually shouted "WOW AWESOME" as the movie progressed. Two weeks later, after SBS had shown the 'Police Story' trilogy, I knew I had found my new favourite actor.

Jackie plays Chan Ka Kui, a Hong Kong cop who busts a major drug-lord, Chu (Yuen Chor). Chu's secretary, Selina Fong (Brigitte Lin), is being held by the police as a witness against Chu, and Chan is assigned to protect her. Things go bad - reaaaal bad - when Chu's case is dismissed and he decides he wants Fong and Chan dead.

'Police Story' is one of the greatest action movies ever, and certainly one of my favourite Jackie Chan films. It starts off strong, and ends with one of the most incredible action sequences ever filmed. Everything in between is great. However, some of the funny parts may seem a little tasteless to more than a few people...

As a story, this is still one of Jackie's better efforts. For an action movie, the story is pretty good, and Jackie is a much better actor in this than he is in the acting & plot intensive 'New Police Story'. This isn't 'Miracles', but maybe that's a good thing.

'Police Story' is one of Jackie's finest works. It got me hooked on Jackie Chan movies, and should provide a nice start for any potential Jackie fans. The bad news for anyone who sees this first is that Jackie Chan movies don't come much better - 10/10

Jackie Chan was Born to be a Star, or perhaps more Down to Earth, He made Himself a Star with Hard Work, Dedication, and Determination.

This Hong-Kong Feature became an International Hit with its Death-Defying Daring-Do. Incredible Practical Stunts that most in the Industry would say are Impractical as Jackie Performed and Audiences were Amazed.

As Likeable as any Action Hero, He Delivered a Half-Action, Half-Comedy Extravaganza on a Limited Budget with Unlimited Appeal.

Predictably the Extensive Comedy-Slap-Stick bits are an Acquired Taste, especially Considering the Cross-Cultural Limitations.

Overall, Arguably the Best of Jackie Chan can be Seen here and the Glory is Captured on New Transfers that are as Pristine as it gets in the World of Home HD Video.

One of the Highlights of the 1980's and Action Fans (and their dates) Responded with Overwhelming Praise as He Launched a Stellar Career that Survives to this Day.

Few have Embraced the Love of Craft more than this Dynamo as it is Evident in Every Jackie Chan Movie and His Fans Eat it Up.

This is a high-energy and awesome cop flick starring Jackie Chan, who plays Hong Kong Detective Kevin Chan. He is framed for murdering a fellow cop by a drug lord and, while having to clear his name, Kevin goes on a mission to capture the druggie while, at the same time, keeping his girlfriend.

Chan displays some of his best martial arts action in this film, with incredible stunt work, daredevil jumps and butt-kicking action. It's good old-fashion fighting skills with no wires and CGI.

The plot is pretty simple, nothing too suspenseful, but it's fast-paced with a mixture of humor and drama. And, the acting is pretty good - fun stuff and dialog coming from Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung, Brigitte Lin. Cheung displays the tenderness in her character while Lin displays more of a feisty personality. And, Bill Tung as the Chief is a lovable and hilarious character.

Highly recommended action film!

Grade A

Probably Jackie Chan's best film in the 1980s, and the one that put him on the map. The scale of this self-directed police drama is evident from the opening and closing scenes, during which a squatters' village and shopping mall are demolished. There are, clearly, differences between the original Chinese and dubbed English versions, with many of the jokes failing to make their way into the latter. The latter is also hampered by stars who sound nothing like their Chinese originals. In fact, the only thing the dubbing has corrected is the court trial—at the time, trials in colonial Hong Kong were conducted in English, while the original has this scene in Cantonese!

Nonetheless, Chan's fighting style and the martial arts choreography inject humour where possible, so non-Cantonese audiences don't miss much. It's not, after all, the dialogue that makes a Chan flick, but the action and the painful out-takes. The story is easy to follow: Chan plays an incorruptible Hong Kong detective pursuing a gangland godfather (Cho Yeun), and assigned to protect a star witness (Brigitte Lin). The action is superb from beginning to end, and there's not much time to breathe in between. It'll never get you thinking, but what an entertaining, and well strung-together, film. Arguably, this is one of the best martial arts films out there.

Jackie Chan stars as tough police inspector Chan Ka Kui, who is determined to bring Hong Kong drug lord Chu Tao (Yuen Chor) to justice, but who finds himself having to clear his own name when he is framed for the murder of a corrupt cop. Helping Chan to put things right is Chu Tao's secretary Selina (Brigitte Lin), but her presence doesn't sit well with the inspector's jealous girlfriend May (Maggie Cheung).

Police Story is widely regarded as being amongst Jackie Chan's best films, but while it undeniably showcases some of the star's most incredible fighting and stunt-work—opening in spectacular fashion with the destruction of a hillside shanty town during a car chase, and closing with a jaw-dropping shopping mall showdown in which no pane of glass remains un- smashed—the simplistic plot and frequent Chaplin-esque comedy routines prevent it from being one of my favourites. Chan is renowned for his trademark blend of kung-fu and comedy, but in this case it seems out of place amidst the organised crime, murder and shooting.

6.5/10, rounded up to 7 for the eye-watering moment three men fly through the top window of a double-decker bus and hit the ground in a most painful manner.