I remember picking up Project A on DVD some years ago and not being that impressed, but I know exactly why. To the shame of everyone involved (and I’m not even sure how to get around this now), the Miramax release replaced the film’s score with awful, generic synth music; and, as if that wasn’t enough, they replaced the titles with something a child would have done in Movie Maker in 1999 (also, the voice acting doesn’t seem as good).
Yuck!
Thankfully, Exhumed Films provided The Mahoning Drive-In Theater with an original English dub print, with the score and titles all intact.
Yes!
If you’re a Chan fan at all, you’re probably familiar with the big stunt from this movie, where Jackie hangs and then falls from the clock tower (a tribute to Harold Lloyd in Safety Last!), but rest assured, there’s more to enjoy than just that.
The film as a whole isn’t quite on the level of, say, Police Story, but not for lack of trying. There are some terrific fight scenes (especially with larger groups), and plenty of other fun signature Chan gags to keep your eyes on the screen (there’s one slapstick bit on a bicycle that legitimately made me laugh out loud).
Not that this film is a one man show, because it’s the first major collaboration between Jackie and Sammo Hung. They’d know each other for decades at this point, but it was the first time they were stars/directors together. Add in Yuen Biao to the mix (first of a handful of projects for this trio) and you’ve got a lethal triple pack of martial arts masters in one movie.
And, unlike many a martial arts film, the story is actually kind of interesting. I mean, the Coast Guard vs. Police rivalry is fun, but there’s a criminal apprehension scene later in the movie that’s quite clever.
It’s also worth mentioning that there are a few larger scale set-pieces that I’m not accustomed to seeing from Jackie (at least pre-Police Story).
Perhaps the most amazing thing to me though is that despite the period setting (more than a bit ambiguous in its timeframe, like Archer), Project A feels less dated than a number of other Chan movies I’ve seen.
Is Project A the best kung fu film ever? No.
Is it the best Jackie Chan movie ever? Maybe not.
Is it worth seeing? Absolutely.
Rating: ★★★½ (out of five)