Leofwine_draca Another stunner from Jackie Chan, and one of his biggest hits as a star and director. PROJECT A follows the winning '80s formula for Chan, namely a fast-moving plot concerning numerous heroic characters and villains all with their individual connections, plenty of loose humour ranging from slapstick jokes to juvenile comedy, a light-heartedness of touch making it impossible not to enjoy, tons of cool martial arts action, mad stunts, and winning performances. In fact, the only difference really is the setting, namely 1900s Hong Kong as opposed to a modern day thriller. Nonetheless the setting doesn't really have much impact on the movie which is much the same as any other fight flick starring the three brothers.The bad guys this time around are a bunch of typical movie-looking pirates led by a tough tattooed guy who proves near on impossible to beat come the climax. No surprise then that he's played by Hong Kong regular Dick Wei in what's his toughest and most impressive performance. Yet much of the film takes place on land as Chan attempts to outwit and trap a criminal gang who are conspiring to give the pirates a cache of one hundred rifles in turn for their protection. Many comic misadventures follow as Chan loses his job as a coast guard, is forced to become a dreaded policeman, then quits and finally manages to catch the bad guys single-handedly. The film displays Chan at the peak of his considerable powers, evident in the numerous fight sequences which are as always impeccably staged, complete with fine editing and a reliance on super-human manoeuvres and imaginative hits and use of props.The major chase in this film is pretty novel, seeing as it takes place on push-bikes rather than the more typical motorbikes/cars or boats. There are plenty of stunts and bone-breaking displays of human athleticism to keep the action flowing merrily along, including one fantastic battle within the machinery of a town's clock and the ensuing stunt fall from the clock tower, in which Chan gets to pay tribute to one of his heroes, silent film star Harold Lloyd. The ending offers lots of major explosions, highly amusing situations (the hilarious "password" scene is a killer), false identities, and some elaborate, long-running martial arts fights showing a bunch of seasoned performers doing their finest work. Solid supporting roles are given to Yuen Biao as hard-boiled cop Captain Chi (slightly underused however) and especially Sammo Hung, excelling as a thief with a heart of gold who gets caught up in the action. The only thing missing is a substantial female lead. Otherwise, PROJECT A is a classic, one of the best action comedies of all time and a piece of very entertaining entertainment.

Radomir Ivanov A combination of action and fun in a fast-paced film is a real joy to the eye. The masterful display of choreography and martial arts is impressive and outstanding. The stunts are so many and very challenging to perform but they are executed in a most precise and stylish way.The chemistry between the main actors is clearly visible in their dialogue delivery and their presence on screen is easily felt. The film has it own atmosphere and characters amaze with their wit. The story is catchy and interesting to follow.The film is very enjoyable and holds your attention from the very start.

Sean Newgent It seems that for the most part, Jackie Chan movies are the most entertaining with a historical setting and especially when Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao along. This film, following a man named Dragon's exploits as he tracks down and defeats a group of pirates who have been screwing with the Hong Kong Coast Guard and are smuggling weapons, is one of the best offerings of Chan's early career.Much like the majority of his films, this one is full of good comedy and slapstick. Compounding that with some impressive and plentiful action as well as a decent story (for a Chan film at least) and you have a winner. Sammo Hung and Jackie work together quite well (duh, they're basically twins) and the fight scenes including them both are a joy. The other fight scenes are exceptionally choreographed and some of the stunts are death defying.As a Jackie Chan film, this is a good offering. Fun, action-packed, and as entertaining as they come, Project A is a great way to blow a movie night.

Thomas Hardcastle Okay, let's judge this film overall, and not just by the fighting, which is obviously the best thing about this film.The sets are very good, and you can tell that this was a big-budget film for the time. You get the feel of being in colonial turn-of-the-century Hong Kong. The costumes add to this feel too, not to mention the fact that a lot of the buildings used actually ARE Hong Kong landmarks from all those years ago. On top of this, there's the fact that the film ages less because it is a period piece. Police Story might as well be called, "Eighties Story." Acting - well, although I watched this movie in Chinese with English subtitles, and with English dubbing, I cannot find anything wrong with the acting. It's all done pretty well, with the obvious quirks that make Hong Kong movie acting what it is: strained facial expressions, a lot of pointing, and a lot of laughing that is laughable itself.Sound - not very good, but when you consider that all the sound had to be re-dubbed, it makes sense, and allow for more leniency.The plot is not wafer-thin, as has happened in earlier Chan movies, but this isn't Pi. To be honest, it's about as complicated as a Jackie Chan movie is ever going to get, and if the only reason for watching a kung-fu movie is plot, you're an idiot, anyway.Right, then - action - and boy oh boy, this film is full of incredible action. I have over sixty Jackie Chan films in my collection, so I know what I'm talking about when analysing his films. Project A ranks among the best of his films, when looking at the action. There are so many fights staged, and so many pay-offs. You get to see Jackie, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biu fighting each other, and the bad guys in such a fast, furious, and creative way that this is an action movie you'll never forget. Dick Wei is muscular and mean as the head of the pirates, and is a formidable foe, who forces the three brothers to come together to dispose of him.As usual, the stunts would not have been allowed in Britain or America, but hey, this is Kong Kong, so let's blow these guys up, and watch them flip and fly across the set for our own satisfaction.Overall, this is a top notch film, with wonderfully edited fights, excellent creativity, and superb Chanesque humour along the way. It's a showpiece of the efforts of the three special ones of Hong Kong cinema in the eighties, and any fan of Hong Kong cinema should only miss this at their peril.