L'Expert de Hong Kong

I first saw Jackie Chan in the Hollywood film'Rush Hour2'which was pretty interesting.But my uncle,who is a movie critic,told me that a true Jackie Chan fan must see the hit film 'Drunken Master'. Over the years I saw many Jackie Chan films,both Hollywood,Chinese,and even a Korean movie but none could compare itself to the legendary 'Drunken Master'series. To be honest, I was very disappointed by Jackie's recent Hollywood films,including 'The Medallion'and 'Around the World in 80days'.None of his Hollywood films could compete with 'Drunken Master'. 'Rob B Hood'opened in theaters in my native land Korea the same day as in Hong Kong. Because it was edited into 110minutes from the original 134minute version,there were many scenes that just non understandable,but on the whole,if you watch this film,Jackie Chan is back to his original Chinese roots. The jokes and action are like the ones in 'Drunken Master'. Of course,recently Jackie Chan made a statement that he wouldn't act any more action films, but I hope to see him in many more films like Rob B Hood. Cheers to the one man in Asia whom even Hollywood superstars look up to.

Jackie Chan is undoubtedly one of the few Asian stars whose name alone can open a movie, probably worldwide now. With his latest offering for the Chinese National Day holiday in Rob- B-Hood, he has again done back to basics, together with one of his collaborators of late Benny Chan (New Police Story, Who Am I), with his mantra of "no sex no violence", but just pure action.

In his recent movies, while staying true to his brand of action together with his band of merry men from the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, there is no denial of his attempt to infuse a little more drama into his role so as to showcase his acting chops. While his acting in slow moments might not appeal to fans of his action, it looks like dramatic moments are here to stay. However, if you'd notice there's a progression in his willingness to move away from one- man-army type of roles, to sharing the limelight with his fellow co-stars.

Here, his screen time is almost equally shared with co-lead Louis Koo, with the both of them playing unsavoury characters - thieves with vices, with Chan as Thongs, a hardcore gambler with family issues, and Koo as Octopus, a married womanizer and fast car lover. They turn to their current profession of thievery to sustain their lifestyle, and the brains behind the duo's brawn is Landlord, played by veteran Michael Hui, a man whose wife is devastated by the loss of their only child.

See the plenty of moments for some serious drama yet? It is perhaps these moments where an exploration into the character's background slowed down the pace of what could've been a rip-roaring ride from start to end. Clocking in at 135 minutes, the movie felt that it could've been shortened as certain scenes were just too trying. The action scenes too were few and far between, though each scene is still carefully choreographed and felt that it lasted longer than the usual.

The comedic element came in full swing with the introduction of the baby, which probably is the movie's trump card in luring the crowds (my friend and I didn't think he was that adorable actually). It's nothing new as the antics of soiled diapers, refusal to stop crying, and various moments of what baby would do, have already been touched upon in movies like 3 Men and a Baby, or even Raising Arizona. However, having one actor play daddy, and the other play mommy, does call for some genuine laughs sometimes.

Louis Koo has been playing the bad guy role to aplomb with his Election movies, and here, it's a nice change to see him tackle both comedy and action. I truly welcomed Michael Hui's return to the big screen, as one of my favourite comedies as a kid, was his Chicken and Duck Talk. Here though, there aren't many moments where he exhibited his classic bossy demeanour full of wit and sarcasm, probably hampered by the script.

The supporting casts consists of actors past and present in roles that either brought back some good memories, or are milked just for laughs. Yuen Biao was the other supporting role that compelled me to watch this movie, as he seemed to have faded from starring in movies for some time now. He doesn't have much to do here, save for some limited screen action. Actresses like Charlene Choi, Teresa Carpio and Gao Yuanyuan add balance to the testosterone on screen, but probably the best cameo appearance belongs to the duo of Nicholas Tse and Daniel Wu (totally different from what you see now in The Banquet)!

As always, stay at your seats while the end credits roll, for the usual out-takes included. My only gripe would still be to have this shown in Cantonese, somehow the dubbing of the out- takes sounded really too artificial.

I did not enjoy the previous effort of a Benny Chan directed Jackie Chan film in "New Police Story" that I was definitely worried about a "Three Men and a Baby" inspired effort. The result was mixed, but going in with low expectations I was pleasantly surprised. "Rob-B-Hood" (US release name is a bizarre name change to "Robin-B-Hood" though in this movie there is no stealing from the rich to give to the poor; neither title is very good) is the third film in the collaboration between Benny Chan and Jackie Chan and Benny's first attempt at a comedic action film. While this film was successful in Asia it was not theatrically released in North America and most of Europe.

Jackie Chan and Louis Koo Tin-Lok star as mediocre bad guys Thongs and Octopus. Jackie Chan tired of stereotypical nice guy roles wanted to play a criminal, though his character Thongs is a burglar and compulsive gambler, the "good guy" nature of his character comes through quite clearly and his performance does not veer far from most of Jackie's previous personae. This role is a good step in broadening his experience as an actor. Octopus is a married womanizer who works with Thongs. He married very young to Pak Yin (the terminally cute Charlene Choi) and is doing his best to woo wealthy young women while avoiding his wife. Thongs and Octopus both work under the guidance of the Landlord (Michael Hui) a conservative criminal who hoards his theft while the other two spend their "earnings".

The Landlord has had his loot stolen by another criminal (he suspects everyone after this) so he allows himself to get contracted to a nefarious case to kidnap a baby for seven million dollars and give the infant to the possible grandfather to test if the baby is his sons (the son is dead and currently frozen in a very expensive decorated freezer). Thongs and Octopus both need the money so they acquiesce and help the Landlord with the felony. Of course, Thongs and Octopus, through a partially botched kidnapping attempt, are forced to take care of the cute defecating infant until they can reestablish getting the kid to who hired them. And, of course, they get attached to the baby (I cannot believe the baby got nominated for Hong Kong Film Award's Best New Performer category).

Some of the negatives of this film include the ill-defined female characters (it seems they would have been better characterization in the original three-hour workprint, but that meant a whole lot more exposition); especially Gao Yuan-Yuan's Melody character who I had trouble figuring out what her relationship with Thongs was the first time I watched this. Some of the baby poop jokes were overdone as well as some of the infant's scenes in general (reportedly the child was an infant terrible on the set; delaying shooting and helping push the film over budget). There is only so much you can do with a babbling, spitting, crying child with flatulence. Yuen Biao's Inspector Steve Mok character is definitely underused (as well as Michael Hui), though at least he gets more than a cameo in this film. And then there is the horrible overuse of Pepsi advertising including one scene where Jackie slides down a pole revealing the largest Pepsi graffiti I have ever seen.

I did end up liking this film though. There is a certain congenial innocence with the lead characters that works well in this comedic action hybrid. In most Jackie Chan movies there are little stunts that sometimes seem as throwaways but are quite dangerous and are done with Keatonesque ease. In this movie Jackie slides down a staircase column and props himself up with ease at the end. If he fell on the wrong side he could have been seriously injured, but since it is so effortlessly it seems so simple. Jackie Chan has used more wires in his stunts and it definitely shows in this film, but I do not fault him for it, since his body cannot handle the punishment like it used to. The stunt where he jumps from air conditioner to air conditioner to the bottom of the street is impressive (even if a wire was used) and his and Louis Koo's stunts in the amusement park owned by the grandfather (location was Ocean Park) were quite good. In fact Jackie was said to be impressed of Koo who was willing to do many of his own stunts in the movie.

There could have been more fighting in this movie but there is a good scene in the apartment of Jackie between Jackie, Yuen Biao, Ken Lo and more. It is inspired by a similar scene in Project A (this is also mentioned in the Benny Chan commentary), but still pleasant. While there are many faults in this film and I think that many action purists will not like this film, I found much that was enjoyable from the comedy to the action and stunts. Now please Jackie no more movies with babies.

I first wanted to say its not nearly as bad as some of the other idiots who reviewed this film said it was. This movie does have some scenes that miss the mark and weren't really needed, but all in all I was satisfied. After watching New Police Story I needed to see Jackie in a film that's more fun, and Rob-B-Hood certainly delivers! Even though this movie's main element isn'the fighting there are some really nice fight sequences, the best of which is towards the end (as always!). The entire finale takes place in an amusement park over rides, ATVs, and speeding roller coasters! I felt that some of the danger the baby was put in was unnecessary but definitely gave Jackie chances to use death defying stunts. If you can get over the fact that the obviously fake baby is visible from time to time you will enjoy this. TWO THUMBS UP!

I also thought I should add that this film ended up outgrossing X-Men: the Last Stand AND Mission Impossible III at the 2006 Chinese box office!

"Robin-B-Hood" is one of the better recent Jackie Chan movies I have seen. Why? Well, obviously because of the trademark Jackie Chan action sequences, but also because of the story in the movie.

Jackie Chan (playing Fong Ka Ho) and Louis Koo (playing Octopus) are two professional burglars that live extravagant lives that require a lot of spending money, and get hired for job that promises million of Hong Kong dollars, though Michael Hui (playing Landlord) fails to inform his burglar associates that the job is to kidnap a baby. Fong Ka Ho and Octopus get attached to the baby, and then things start to escalate to a wild thrill-ride.

Jackie Chan puts on a great performance in this movie, as expected, and he is doing all of his trademark action and stunts, lots of action and comedy here. And he is well accompanied by Louis Koo who also puts on a good performance. I am a huge fan of Asian cinema and used to live in Hong Kong so I am no strangers to the Hong Kong cinema, and I must say that Charlene Choi (playing Pak Yin), despite her small role, actually put on one of her best performances ever. It is nice to see that she is finally growing into a good actor and is over that sugar-coated silly comedy that she made when she was younger.

The story in the movie have several aspects and depths and all work out quite nicely coming together full circle at the end. "Robin-B-Hood", despite the somewhat stupid title, is a really great action and family movie. Very suitable for fans of Jackie Chan or people in for an evening with the family. And I must underline that "Robin-B-Hood" is a MUST for all Jackie Chan fans. Sure he is getting older, but the man is still performing amazing stunts and spreading his good humor.

I was thoroughly entertained from the start of the movie until the very end. And I purchased the 2-disc Ultimate Edition from Amazon, and will definitely be giving the extra materials on disc 2 a go later on today.