The Story: Chen Wah Kou (Jackie Chan) is an innocent country bumpkin who moves to the big city to seek his fortune. His dreams are quickly squelched. This rube realizes that his expectations fall short next to the harsh reality- he is conned out of his savings and he cannot find work. After spending the last of his money on a rose from an impoverished flower peddler, he soon finds his fortune takes a turn for the better. After a gangland scuffle and shoot-out in the streets, he aids the dying crimelord of the Black Dragon gang, and the dying boss anoints Kou as his successor. Aided by the gangs main advisor, the kind Uncle Hai (veteran Wu Ma), Kou is molded into the gangs new leader. Kou is a superstitious, good-hearted, and bears the weight of taking control of the gang, dealing with Tiger (Ko Chuen-Hsiang) , a rival mob bass, as well as the snooping policeman, Inspector Ho (Richard Ng), and an unscrupulous gang member, Fei (Lo Lieh), who is out to take his place. He attempts to legitmize the gang by opening a nightclub. The nightclub is a success due to the addition of a singer, (Anita Mui), but Kou also attributes the fortune to the lucky roses he now picks up from the flower peddler on a daily basis. When he finds that the flower peddler's daughter is set to arrive, and she fears her daughter will be embarrassed by her poverty, maybe even lose a prospective husband, Kou mounts a plan to pass her off as a rich socialite and throw a gala ball at the club with high societies best in attendance. Trouble is, he has to try to pass off local gangsters as the socialites, and on the eve of the event, Tiger and Fei make their move to take him out.

The Film: The semantics regarding credits on Drunken Master 2 and Operation Condor aside, Miracles is the last film that Jackie Chan directed solo, and despite his previous large period undertakings like Project A, it was the most detailed film he had approached and a true labor of love. After Miracles, Jackie got caught up working with new HK directors like Wong Jing, Tsui Hark, Gordon Chan, Kirk Wong, doing his string of Stanley Tong crowd pleasers, and then focusing on his move to the US market. And, despite his success, I've always thought it was a real shame he hasn't really directed another film. Originally Jackie always said that was what his post acting career would be, but he hasn't slowed down, and hasn't made mention of directing another film in awhile. So, for now, Miracles is the last example of Jackie's personal vision, and truly what catapulted him to fame, his eye and sense of what can capture and audiences attention and imagination.

Admitedly, the more ravenous HK action./Jackie fans may find Miracles to be disappointing because it is light in the action and stunts department, instead playing up the saccharine sweet comedy and lavish period details. Really there are only four action scenes, two brief ones at the beginning, and then the big finale which has two typical Jackie, jaw dropping, frantic, energy filled action scenes back-to-back. The perilous rope factory finale, with Jackie going toe-toe with Billy Chow, is one of my favorite Jackie fights. He has done far more elaborate and riskier fights, but the rope factory fight so well timed and coordinated, it is a staggeringly great scene. But, really the action is a minor point, the film focuses on the elements of 1930's and 40's American films that Jackie fell in love with- its all there, the little guy blessed with fortune plotline, screwball comedy, tommy-gun toting gangsters, men in dapper suits and hats, vintage designs, and a full scale musical number. Visually, Jackie's palette has never been better. The films has some great sets and fine camerawork, showing that there is much more to him than just an action director and stunt artist. The main cast and various cameos is a virtual who's who of HK cinema, past and present. From Lo Lieh (Five Fingers of Death), to Amy Yip (Sex and Zen), Anita Mui (Heroic Trio, Rouge), Wu Ma (Dead and the Deadly, Chinese Ghost Story), Richard Ng (Millionaires Express, Private Eyes), Mars (Police Story), Yuen Biao (Dragons Forever, Righting Wrongs), and far too many more to name.

The DVD: Hong Kong Legends, Region 2, PAL. HKL offer the uncut International print of the film, which features some extended and additional scenes of comedy. While the scenes only help pad out the inaction of the film, it is nice to see this deleted material.

Picture- Ananmorphic Letterbox, 2.35:1 Anamorphic. Once again, HKL's restorative efforts ensure a pristine dirt free transfer. Colors are well balanced and vivid, contrast and sharpness are very good, with some minor 'shimmer effect' on the brighter, detailed lines of some suits and sets. HKL has a problem with making their prints a bit too dark, I assume, a bit of overcompensation in the contrast department which can dilute the detials a bit too much.

Sound- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, original Cantonese. An HKL remix that gets the job done. HK audio is often very troublesome, and HKL keeps it simple with most of the audio centered with dialogue, music and fx, mixed well. It seems to have more bass then the previous tinny HK mixes. Also features a 5.1 Surround English dub, which seemed,... well, fine, if you like English dubs. Still, alongside the remix, I would have liked the inclusion of a more straight up remastering of the original track.

Extras- A medium amount of extras compared to the typical HKL release.--- 36 Chapters--- UK Promo and Original Theatrical Trailers.--- HKL Coming Attractions, cover art, some tv spots, or trailers for such titles as Snake in the Eagles Shadow, The Big Boss, Armor of God, Iron Monkey and more.--- Animated Jackie Chan Text Bio--- Photo Gallery--- Jackie Chan Interview (10 mins). Features Jackie in the editing bay, talking mainly about his technique, the difference between his action directing and US, his thoughts on editing and such. Its a real shame the interview is so short, it seems that with either the general subject about directing or the actual film itself, there could be so much more to the interview. I guess Jackie was busy that day and they were pressed for time.--- Commentary by HK film expert, insider, and Jackie friend/collaborator Bey Logan. Logan's commentary mainly sticks to noting the films various noteworthy faces (like I said, there are many), often having to interrupt himself so he can point it the HK actors making cameos. Likewise Logan will get distracted by location changes ("This is Shaw Bros... This is Golden Harvest... This is Macao."), but overall it is a pleasing, detailed track. Not the best Logan has done, but still very knowledgeable and capable, well worth a listen.

Conclusion- So, it may not be Jackie's most action packed film, but it is his most technically proficient and heart warming if you are open to the style. Even a hard hearted film viewer like me (who hates Frank Capra and such) found that it won me over. The DVD is fantastic, good extras, great presentation, recommend for Jackie fans. NOTE: Columbia/Tristar has a Region One edition, apparently the same extended cut, with an isolated music score, trailer, and text Jackie bio as the only extra, but the image and sound quality is (from all accounts I have read) not on the same level as HKL's restorative efforts.