Even though it is not one of Jackie Chan’s most renowned films,
Project A
contains what is undoubtedly one of the best fight sequences of the actor’s entire career. Released in 1983,
Project A
was among multiple movies from Hong Kong that
Jackie Chan collaborated with Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung.
Collectively referred to as the Three Dragons, this group of martial arts actors often collaborated from the late 1970s through the 1990s, frequently appearing alongside one another, typically including at least one of Hung or Yuen.
Some of Jackie Chan’s top martial arts films include:
.
Released in 1983,
Project A
The movie marked the second time all three actors appeared together as main characters. Directed and penned by Jackie Chan himself, this Golden Harvest production took place during the 19th century in Hong Kong. In it, Chan starred as Dragon Ma, an officer tasked with stopping pirates in his area. When Dragon joins forces with Sammo Hung’s character Fats and Yuen Biao’s portrayal of Hong Tin-tsu, their adventures become a blend of comedy and action through various martial art scenes.
The Restaurant Fight Scene In Project A Is One Of Jackie Chan’s Best
Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao shine in Project A.
One particular conflict that arises from Dragon’s efforts to defeat the pirates stands out as one of Jackie Chan’s greatest contributions to the martial arts movie genre. Interestingly, it wasn’t even the movie’s big finale or a particularly climactic moment, but an event that occurred early on in the story. In the movie, Dragon and Tin-tsu try to make an arrest at an extravagant restaurant frequented by pirates and gangsters, setting up
a full-scale fight that leads them throughout the entire club.
This sequence provides both Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao with an opportunity to showcase their extensive range of kung fu skills. Featuring extended continuous shots, which become all the more remarkable due to the large ensemble cast involved, this segment exudes a palpable authenticity that underscores the tremendous dedication and labor invested in crafting the intricate fight scenes.
Despite being preoccupied with fighting off criminals, Dragon Ma has Yuen Biao’s character simultaneously engaging with an equal number of adversaries in the backdrop.
A big factor in what makes the restaurant battle is the number of moving parts. Unlike great one-on-one Jackie Chan fights like the showdowns with
Benny “The Jet” Urquidez
Wheels on Meals
and
Dragons Forever,
This particular scene includes more than a dozen combatants within the same setting. Although battles involving minor characters are certainly frequent in this genre.
classic Chinese martial arts films
,
Project A’s
The restaurant fight scene stands out for how well it orchestrates all these elements to convey an immensely chaotic showdown. While Dragon Ma engages in combat against various henchmen, Yuen Biao’s character can be spotted in the backdrop, handling his own set of adversaries.
Project A Packs Several Great Jackie Chan Stunts Into A Single Scene
Jackie Chan Pulled A Multitude Of Dangerous Stunts While Filming Project A’s Restaurant Battle
The restaurant battle only gets better as it goes on, as the second half drastically increases the intensity through the many perilous situations it throws at Jackie Chan.
It’s here where the actor really takes over, transforming it from a team-up with Tin-tsu into an excellent showcase of Chan’s abilities and fearless approach to stuntwork
. In a single scene, Jackie Chan swings on a chandelier, barely dodges a blow from a vase that shatters on impact, nearly gets crushed by a sliding desk, and executes a spectacular leaping kick off a wall.
Project A
also includes what is widely considered one of Jackie Chan’s greatest stunts of all time, albeit in a separate scene. The stunt in question involves
Jackie Chan hanging from a clock tower
.
At another point in the fight scene, Jackie gets kicked into the air, causing him to land on a railing before sliding all the way down. It’s moments like this one that make Jackie Chan movies so enjoyable; the real danger that Jackie Chan puts himself in enhances the surrealness of the action. Ultimately, such incredible stunts are the bedrock of Jackie Chan’s brand as a martial arts star, with this one scene in
Project A
offering more than a handful of them within a span of five minutes.