New Police Story/新警察故事 (2004) - Chan revives franchise for condescending cash grab

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+ 3rd Worst Movie of the Year

Star Jackie Chan looks determined holding a handgun on this mostly greyish poster for Benny Chan's New Police Story

One of Hong Kong Police's top investigators spirals down in drinking following the deaths of 9 subordinates in an attack by a gang of rich-kid rebels, who love X-games, using English phrases as well as masks, bombs and robberies.

New Police Story is written by Alan Yen (Thunder Cop/Xin die xue shuang xiong (1996)) and directed by Benny Chan (A Moment of Romance/Tin joek jau ching (1990)). It is a reboot of the Police Story franchise, which at the time were 4 hit action movies from 1985-96.
Jackie Chan (Supercop 2/Chiu kup gai wak (1993)) returns to lead again, and he is sympathetic as few major stars. The fighting scenes are well choreographed, and they are the film's biggest asset.
Apart from them, New Police Story is a package of wall-to-wall unreality and ridiculous mumbo-jumbo. Its messy story shortly suggests that the villain was abused by his police chief father, and it also devotes a good amount of time on Chan's unfunny, peacocking partner, who turns out to be full of lies, as well as Chan's character's relationship with his girlfriend. - The latter is explored in scenes that break new ground in being ridiculously, pathetically sentimental.
New Police Story is obviously more of a business calculation than a movie all the way through, replete with several very undisguised product placements and elements to appeal to every major demographic. But what makes it unbearable above all else is the talking down to the audience, who New Police Story's idiot filmmakers must surely have taken to be idiots, - which is a serious transgression.

 

Related post:

 

2004 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

Watch a 4-minute clip from the film here, in which Chan and his partner escape from jail

Cost: Reportedly 10 mil. $
Box office: In excess of 15.03 mil. $
= Some uncertainty but appears a big flop (returned at least 1.5 times its cost)
[New Police Story premiered 23 September (Thailand) and runs 124 minutes. Shooting took place in Hong Kong. The film did most of its business in Asia: In China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. It was the 4th highest-grossing domestic release of the year in Hong Kong and was released straight-to-DVD in North America. It was nominated for 8 Hong Kong Film awards. Chan returned in the franchise's next film, Police Story 2013 (2013), a much bigger hit. Benny Chan returned with Divergence/Saam cha hau (2005). Jackie Chan returned first in The Myth/San wa (2005). 23,004 IMDb users have given New Police Story a 7.0/10 average rating.]

What do you think of New Police Story?

The Cannonball Run (1981) - Needham's major buck race bonanza

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Excitement and star parade on the high-spirited poster for Hal Needham's The Cannonball Run

QUICK REVIEW:

A row of charismatic groups in different cars each wants to win the outlawed Cannonball Run that races across the States.

This silly, nearly plotless crazy comedy/car movie was able to gather a surprising cast, which causes some laughs and entertainment value and in the process salvages the boundlessly pointless film from sinking as dead weight.
Roger Moore (A View to a Kill (1985)), worn out Dean Martin (Rio Bravo (1959)) and Sammy Davis Jr. (Ocean's 11 (1960)), Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights (1997)) and Dom Deluise (Blazing Saddles (1974)) along with Farrah Fawcett (Logan's Run (1976)) and Jackie Chan (The Legend of Drunken Master (1994)) help to make Cannonball Run, - despite its obvious idiocy, - an enjoyable lowbrow comedy.
It is directed by stunt man legend/director Hal Needham (Cannonball Run II (1984)), produced by the Hong Kong-based Golden Harvest company, and it's based on an actual outlawed race, which was held twice in the 70s.

Related review:

Hal Needham: The Villain/Cactus Jack (1979) or, The Wackadoodle West!

Watch the trailer here

Cost: 16-18 mil. $
Box office: 89.8 mil. $ (USA and Germany only)
= Huge hit
[Despite bad reviews, audiences loved this film: It made 72.1 mil. $ in the US and 17.6 mil. $ in Germany alone. It was the 6th biggest box office hit in America that year.]

What do you think of The Cannonball Run?