New Police Story

Stars: Jackie Chan, Nicholas Tse, Daniel Wu, Coco Chiang, John Sham, Charlene Choi

Director: Benny Chan

Jackie Chan has made five Hong Kong films in between Around the World in 80 Days and the currently-filming Rush Hour 3. None has been released in the UK, and a look at this one will probably explain it.

Ridiculous dialogue, laughable characterisations and bogus philosophy sit uneasily against a tragedy-based story which begins when a score or so cops, nine of them under Jackie's command, are mown down by five ultra-bright rich kids into computer games, who lure their prey into a labyrinth of traps and dead-ends. Jackie becomes (but is not very convincing as) an inconsolable drunk.

Aided by a young female cop (played at hysteria level by Charlene Choi), he's partnered up with an enthusiastic rookie (Tse), who soon turns out to be not a cop at all.

In the end, the youthful bad guys are bested with only a little less ease than that with which they despatched the cops in the first place.

While you despair of the approach and the high-flown dialogue, there's still no doubt that, if it's non-stop action and stunts you want, Chan is still your man. Highlight of the immensely entertaining stuff on show here is a runaway bus that demolishes half of Hong Kong. No, you just can't keep a good Chan down: he even sings the theme song

David Quinlan

Hong Kong 2004. UK Distributor: Contender. Fujicolor.
124 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 1, Drugs 0, Swearing 1.

Review date: 09 Oct 2006