By the mid 1990s, Chan had amassed a substantial cult following in the US, thanks to the growing availability of his earlier films in the home video market, and finally achieved mainstream Hollywood success with Rumble in the Bronx (1995) and Rush Hour (1998). In his later years, Chan has moved away from kung fu comedies toward more dramatic roles, including the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid.
Look, nobody watches classic Jackie Chan movies for the plot, complex characterizations, or the dubbing (which is often hilariously bad). We’re here to gasp in admiration at the spectacular fight choreography and jaw-dropping stunts, peppered with a generous helping of slapstick humor. His gift for turning ordinary objects into makeshift weapons is part of his unique style, which I like to call Found Object Foo. Who could forget the hilarious chopsticks duel and “emotional kung-fu” (eg, fighting while crying or laughing to unmask an opponent’s weaknesses) in 1979’s The Fearless Hyena? Chan even inspired the entire parkour movement.
Chan has broken multiple fingers, toes, and ribs over the course of his long career, not to mention both cheekbones, hips, sternum, neck, and ankle. He has a permanent hole in his skull from one near-fatal injury. And he did it all for our entertainment. The least we can do is honor him on his 71st birthday. You’ll find our top 10 Jackie Chan films listed below in chronological order, spanning 30 years.
Jackie Chan as Wong Fei-hung in Drunken Master.
Credit:
Seasonal Film Corp
In Drunken Master, Chan portrays a fictional version of legendary Chinese martial artist/folk hero Wong Fei-Hung, who undergoes strict, punishing training under the tutelage of another legend, Beggar So (Yuen Liu-Tin), aka the Drunken Master because he practices a martial art called “Drunken Boxing.” Fei-Hung chafes at the training initially, but after a humiliating defeat in a fight against the villain, Yim Tit-sam (Hwang Jang-lee, a specialist in Taekwondo), he devotes himself to learning the martial art.
