| Reviews & Columns |
|
Reviews DVD TV on DVD Blu-ray 4K UHD International DVDs In Theaters Reviews by Studio Video Games Features Collector Series DVDs Easter Egg Database Interviews DVD Talk Radio Feature Articles Columns Anime Talk DVD Savant Horror DVDs The M.O.D. Squad Art House HD Talk Silent DVD
|
 DVD Talk Forum |
|
|
| Resources |
|
DVD Price Search Customer Service #'s RCE Info Links |
|
Columns
  
 
|
|
|
Jackie Chan The Prisoner
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
Looking for your Jackie Chan fix? Is it a slow weeknight and you feel the need for a little Charlie Chaplin on speed? Well, I'm afraid The Prisoner won't be your cup of tea.
Although The Prisoner is billed on the cover as being "Jackie Chan is The Prisoner"; Chan only has a small role in this 2001 re-release of the 1990 film Island on Fire. In fact, he doesn't come in until about twenty-five minutes into the film. He then has a couple of cool fights in a pool hall and in a prison, after killing someone in the pool hall, but the comic, martial arts wizard that we all know Jackie Chan to be never appears. Rather, this film is an action/drama about a police officer, played by Tony Leung, who puts himself in lockup in order to uncover a crime that he doesn't know much about. The only thing he does know is that his friend was killed and his dying wish might have been for Leung to solve the mystery of the prison. Okay, so follow this closely; Sammo Hung, from Martial Law, is also a prisoner but he wants to get out to be with his son. But, there are two bad guys who go around bullying everybody and they want to kill Jackie Chan. The warden likes to see the inmates fight against each other and he'd like to kill a few people of his own. Meanwhile, no one knows Leung is in prison and he has no idea, nor does he take any steps to find out, who is behind the prison mystery. Confused? So was I and I was watching the film!
Once I approached the end of the film some ideas fell into place and I had a better idea of where the story was supposed to be going. But it takes a long time to make heads or tales out of the loosely wound plot and in-between the twines are a lot of dull moments punctuated by pretty good fight scenes. The production values are high in this movie with big sets, lots of explosions and a gratuitous scene with a pretty girl in a wet shirt. So one must assume that the Production Company spent so much money on the production that they had nothing left with which to pay a good writer. But that's okay, someone's child did a fine job for an 8th grader!
The DVD itself comes with commentary from Phillip Rhee who is a martial artist but has nothing to do with the film. There are biographies and a little animation on the menu screen but it's certainly nothing I was dying to see. All in all, The Prisoner is a ten-year-old, mediocre film that tries, and must, capitalize on Jackie Chan's name in order to draw an audience. If you're a die-hard Jackie Chan fan, give it a glance but if not, skip it!
Although The Prisoner is billed on the cover as being "Jackie Chan is The Prisoner"; Chan only has a small role in this 2001 re-release of the 1990 film Island on Fire. In fact, he doesn't come in until about twenty-five minutes into the film. He then has a couple of cool fights in a pool hall and in a prison, after killing someone in the pool hall, but the comic, martial arts wizard that we all know Jackie Chan to be never appears. Rather, this film is an action/drama about a police officer, played by Tony Leung, who puts himself in lockup in order to uncover a crime that he doesn't know much about. The only thing he does know is that his friend was killed and his dying wish might have been for Leung to solve the mystery of the prison. Okay, so follow this closely; Sammo Hung, from Martial Law, is also a prisoner but he wants to get out to be with his son. But, there are two bad guys who go around bullying everybody and they want to kill Jackie Chan. The warden likes to see the inmates fight against each other and he'd like to kill a few people of his own. Meanwhile, no one knows Leung is in prison and he has no idea, nor does he take any steps to find out, who is behind the prison mystery. Confused? So was I and I was watching the film!
Once I approached the end of the film some ideas fell into place and I had a better idea of where the story was supposed to be going. But it takes a long time to make heads or tales out of the loosely wound plot and in-between the twines are a lot of dull moments punctuated by pretty good fight scenes. The production values are high in this movie with big sets, lots of explosions and a gratuitous scene with a pretty girl in a wet shirt. So one must assume that the Production Company spent so much money on the production that they had nothing left with which to pay a good writer. But that's okay, someone's child did a fine job for an 8th grader!
The DVD itself comes with commentary from Phillip Rhee who is a martial artist but has nothing to do with the film. There are biographies and a little animation on the menu screen but it's certainly nothing I was dying to see. All in all, The Prisoner is a ten-year-old, mediocre film that tries, and must, capitalize on Jackie Chan's name in order to draw an audience. If you're a die-hard Jackie Chan fan, give it a glance but if not, skip it!
|
| Popular Reviews |
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Release List | Reviews | Shop | Newsletter | Forum | DVD Giveaways | Blu-Ray | Advertise |
|
Copyright 2024 DVDTalk.com All Rights Reserved. Legal Info, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use,
Manage Preferences,
Your Privacy Choices 
| |||||||