New Police Story

Jackie Chan’s New Police Story (2004), is really a favorite of mine. It’s dark and dramatic, really scary at times, and it adds a new depth to the Police Story movies. In a way this seems to me as a tribute to all the action comedy Police Story flicks – but with a twist of some serious, and extremely well performed, drama.

Top police man Jackie is dealing with a ruthless gang of bank robbers, and he is confident to catch them. But something goes wrong – and how wrong it goes… Jackie is lured into a setup, that kills all his fellow officers and leaves him a broken man. It takes a long time and much effort for him to finally get on his feet again – but when he does… Well, what can I say? Anyone who gets in his way has good reason to fear!

I simply love this movie. Being the world’s greatest action hero doesn’t stop Jackie from making a convincing portrait of a man who has lost faith in himself. He radiates a pain that comes from within, and what a superb drama he performs! It’s dark, gritty and dirty and it goes straight to your heart. In this movie cops can – and will – die. And Jackie is no longer sure he can catch the bad guys…

The movie is beautifully filmed, with magnificent roof top views that really adds to the excitement. You can’t help wondering when Jackie is going to perform a stunt on one of those roof tops – and of course eventually you get what you want, as you always do in Jackie’s movies!

The ending is, of course, spectacular as always. But New Police Story is memorable not only as a great action movie but also – and perhaps even more so – as a well played thriller drama, showing just how much Jackie has grown as an actor over the years. This movie proves that we don’t have to worry about what he’s gonna do when he decides to stop abusing his own body for the sake of entertainment!