Jackie Chan: A maestro of comedy-action

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It is safe to say that no one does action-comedy better than Jackie Chan. The action scenes and stunt sequences in his films all have a particular flow to them. His Hong Kong films, especially, have some of the most creative scenes I have ever come across – the likes of which are seldom seen in Hollywood action films, even in Chan’s western appearances.

Jackie Chan, as an action director and stunt coordinator, tends to draw inspiration from both Hollywood and his roots and blends them to create his own style. The stunts are carefully choreographed and the script keeps evolving to serve the action while keeping the plot coherent. He goes through hundreds of takes before settling on the perfect shot. In an interview with Film at Lincoln Center, he described how he lacked creative freedom when filming movies like Rush Hour. When you compare similar action sequences from Rush Hour to something like Police Story, you can see the glaring differences.

Whereas Chan’s films channel a certain degree of grit and authenticity, Hollywood fight scenes are devoid of the same tenacity. The constant use of jump cuts and ceaseless camera movement just doesn’t pack the same punch. Jackie Chan instead opts for wider shots, including both the hit and the impact in the same frame. He also prefers static camera shots with clear lighting directions, and all these choices put together set the stage for a high adrenaline action sequence.