Jackie Chan puts on a rare snarly front as a framed police officer out to clear his name in this terrific spectacle of death-defying stunts and goofy comedy, still regarded as one of his finest achievements.

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Jackie Chan has made so many films (i.e. risked his life and limb so many times for our entertainment) that it is impossible to pick a favourite.  But Police Story comes close.  It is one of my go-to flicks if I need a quick JC fix; it is also one of his finest achievements, as a star, writer-director and stunt coordinator. 

Surely one of the most essential Hong Kong action movies of the ‘80s, Police Story sees Chan play Ka Kui, a police officer tasked to protect a witness (Brigitte Lin) only to be framed for murder. 

Out to clear his name as everything unceremoniously turns against him, Ka Kui, as resourceful and determined as ever, unleashes his brand of high-octane kung fu on those who truly deserve the many punches and kicks—and lots of head-on-glass smashing—that would come their way. 

The film has a number of unforgettable action set-pieces, which some have likened to musical numbers as Chan ‘dances’ away in his own inimitable style. 

The climactic sequence set in a shopping mall, a masterclass in film editing in itself, has got to be some of the rawest action work accomplished by Chan and his stunt team.  It also sees Chan putting on a rare snarly front as his seething anger at injustice reeks its ugly head. 

Apart from the death-defying stunts and the terrific spectacle on show, Chan’s goofy side is also evident in several scenes of comedy, including a scene involving telephones.  All in all, Police Story is quintessential Jackie Chan at his absolute prime. 

Grade: A

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