SHANGHAI KNIGHTS review

SHANGHAI KNIGHTS is Jackie Chan’s Best AMERICAN made feature film to date. It is easily his most imaginative and fun. The movie is visually so much more dynamic than the rather staid looks of the RUSH HOUR films. The visual palette on display in this film is far more lush and conducive to Jackie particular talents.

Jackie’s fight scenes are wonderful, but not as over-whelming as his earlier Hong Kong work. Gone are the long shots which featured his Astaire/Kelly like flowing fighting. Of course he’s aged nearly a full decade since his best work (DRUNKEN MASTER 2) and sustaining that sort of energy and focus and reflexes at this age, well, it is easily forgiven due to the sheer imagination of the work he’s doing in this film.

To watch his vignette with the “keystone kops” in the revolving glass doors near the opening… I love it. I still wish that it was being shot all full length and all in one shot, but that’s because the editing takes away from the majesty of what Jackie is doing in the scenes, HOWEVER, having said that… What is there… well, it is bliss.

The best sequence has to do with Umbrellas, and here… well, with his ode to Gene Kelly, Jackie had me smiling gigantically… The sequence was eliciting applause from the audience and music choice and how it came into play. Just a joy. A pure unadulterated joy. As I watched this film, all I could think is how much I’m looking forward to Jackie Chan taking on AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS.

These period films, they’re far better suited to Jackie than the modern day films or even futuristic stuff. Jackie’s motions, comedy and dynamics are timeless feeling, and when placed in the yesteryears of the world, everything seems perfect and magical. As soon as semi-automatic weapons come into play, it just feels less Jackie to me. Jackie in the market place with hundreds of potential objects to use as weapons, things on wheels, hooks, ropes and items to varied to list here… well, it just means that he’s in his environment.

Also, teaming him up with Owen Wilson… whoever came up with that idea… They deserve whatever rewards they’ve reaped from the pairing. What Jackie does physically with his environment, Owen does verbally, and in England the jabs and the displays are just far better targets than the Old West was. I love them as a team.

Now, you are probably most curious about the Jackie Chan vs Donnie Yen battle. At no point in the battle did I believe Jackie Chan could win. Donnie’s movements are that much faster, that much more exact and that means to me that Donnie Yen could kick Jackie Chan’s ass twice a day and three times on Sunday. Yeah yeah, I know, it’s all choreographed, but I’m dying to see Donnie Yen and Jet Li again (Coming in HERO) but this battle between him and Jackie Chan… It is pretty wonderful, but as fun as it is, the Gene Kelly Martial Arts number in the marketplace… it is the magic.

There isn’t a whole lot to say about SHANGHAI KNIGHTS, it’s silly, goofy and completely fun. The famous historic people cameos tend to make you thing you’re in an episode of the YOUNG INDIANA JONES series, but I didn’t mind. I felt it was all done in the proper sense of hilarity. Especially Arty. I loved the use of Arty.

If you don’t live in a city that is playing MAY this weekend, then you should definitely check this film out. It is pure fun. Like I said… the film doesn’t prompt much to talk about, but it is a ton of fun.