Will it happen???? Martial arts fans!!!

[Kam]

So is been announced and in pre-production... jackie and jet in a movie together!!

i saw it on imdb (which, until production actually starts isnt' the most reliable source) but have seen it now on other sites claiming that production will start in april on this movie about the chinese legend of the monkey king.

but given jet's proclamation of fearless being his last kungfu movie... are they going to make a movie together and NOT have a fight scene????? anyone hear anything else about this?

[SlumpBuster]

Couldn't be. I thought Jackie was precisely the sort of thing Jet was concerned about when he proclaimed no more kung-fu movies.

But such proclamations are always short lived when someone realizes it also means the gravy train comes to an end. "Jet Li in "Fried Green Tomatoes""-- I think not. Jet had been getting more serious about Buddhism and that is why he wanted to stop. But, when you're that big, you're a bussiness unto yourself and alot of people are counting on you. It can be hard just to pull the plug and very easy to fall into the "just one more" trap.

[icarus]

Maybe Jet Li is pulling a Micheal Jordan retirement, not fully able to commit yet to a full on relaxed life with the millions he made kicking peoples asses for our amusment.

[Woochifer]

This wouldn't be the first rumor I've heard about the two of them appearing together in a film. Jackie has said on past occasions that he would love to branch out and do other types of movies like straight comedy or even drama. He knows that his shelf life as an action hero is running short, but he's got his hands into so many ventures in Asia (including a singing career), he can pretty much sell anything.

For whatever reason, I thought that Jet was saying that Fearless would be his last martial arts period piece. I never got the impression that his retirement would preclude him from doing contemporary action pics.

If they do work together, I hope the project's not some ill-conceived star vehicle (which are every bit as prevalent in Hong Kong as in Hollywood) like Island of Fire (aka The Prisoner), which was a huge waste of talent. Jackie and Jet's on-screen personas couldn't be more different, so it will be interesting to see if they can pull off anything together.

I guess we'll know soon enough!

[Worf101]

Not exactly Norris vs. Bruce Lee... but what the hell I'll take it. Sheesh, not even Jabbar vs. Lee... but I'll stand in the cold to see it. If for nothing else than to see Jet Li knock that smirking little piss ant Chan into the next century. Sorry, I've been watching Chan since "The Big Brawl" and I can't take anyone seriously that doesn't take himself seriously. Yeah, Drunken Master and Rush Hour but pheh.... too light in the ass for me to care about.

Da Worfster

[Smokey]

If for nothing else than to see Jet Li knock that smirking little piss ant Chan into the next century.

Yikes, did you drink your coffee before posting this morning :D

I think Jackie Chan deserve more credit than what is give here. He was the one who raised the bar on “non-oriental” action movies, and put tough guys like Steven Segal or Jean-Claude Van Damme out of business. If he didn’t mix comedy with his movies, I don’t believe he be as successful as he is today.

Jet Li is a serious actor and he probably kick Chan’s ass in a match. But Chan is more popular due to his style and humor he inject into his movies.

[Dusty Chalk]

It'll be a buddy movie -- they're not going to fight each other. Either that or they'll find some "honorable" way out, such as in Jet Li's Fearless.

[recoveryone]

Did any of you guys see Black Mask? its an older Jet movie. The story line would fit for Chan and Jet to play in. Just do it better and up to date and it would be #1 at the box office..

[Worf101]

Did any of you guys see Black Mask? its an older Jet movie. The story line would fit for Chan and Jet to play in. Just do it better and up to date and it would be #1 at the box office..
I actually paid money to see that film in the theatres. As M.A. films went, it was above average. I was just nostalgic for the whole Brue Lee Cato thing I guess. I could see it working. Hell, why not go "whole hog" and have Li as the Green Hornet and Chan as Cato. Now that would be groundbreaking.

Da Worfster

[SlumpBuster]

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but I figured people reading this thread would be interested. But I watched The Protector this weekend, "presented" by Quentin Tarantino. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427954/

With a tag line like "A young fighter must go to Australia to retrieve his stolen elephant" it can sound goofy. But I really liked this movie and can recommend it.

I honestly had not been a martial arts fan until Hero, by way of Kill Bill. And the only reason I even rented Hero was because it was presented by Tarantino.

Too many bad ninja movies in the 80's turned me off to kung-fu movies. The weird thing is I was always into real martial arts, even competition from junior high to college.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Just go rent The Protector.

[Woochifer]

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but I figured people reading this thread would be interested. But I watched The Protector this weekend, "presented" by Quentin Tarantino. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427954/

With a tag line like "A young fighter must go to Australia to retrieve his stolen elephant" it can sound goofy. But I really liked this movie and can recommend it.

I honestly had not been a martial arts fan until Hero, by way of Kill Bill. And the only reason I even rented Hero was because it was presented by Tarantino.

Too many bad ninja movies in the 80's turned me off to kung-fu movies. The weird thing is I was always into real martial arts, even competition from junior high to college.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Just go rent The Protector.

Just want to make it clear that you're referencing the Tony Jaa film (which I've heard a lot of good things about) and NOT the disastrous 1985 Jackie Chan film with the same name that paired him with Danny Aiello!

That horrific piece of crap put Jackie at the mercy of yet another clueless American director who thought he knew more about fight choreography and directing than Jackie did (Jackie had already directed five movies before turning 30). The experience was so embarassing that once the American crew packed up and left town, Jackie put together his own crew and reshot a lot of the action scenes for a version that only got released in Asia. The results were still awful enough to sour Jackie on working with an American director for the next 13 years. (Even his much ballyhooed 1995 return to American movie theaters, Rumble In The Bronx, was nothing more than a reedited version of a film that had already come out in Asia months earlier)

But, in the end, a disaster like The Protector wound up being a blessing in disguise, because it refocused Jackie on being The Man in Asia, rather than compromising his artistic talents in pursuit of Hollywood stardom. Plus, it gave him the idea of moving the HK martial arts genre into more of modern action pic setting, starting with the groundbreaking Police Story (newly released on DVD in the original language and the original cut, which IMO is a must see).

The period that followed was an incredible artistic outburst, with some of the most best films ever in the martial arts genre. If Jackie had stayed in Hollywood, movies like Police Story, Armour of God, Project A Part 2, Police Story 2, Operation Condor, Drunken Master 2, and Supercop might never have been made. Had he stayed in Hollywood, he very well might have remained relegated to playing second fiddle to B-list stars, and working at the whim of directors who have no clue what kind of greatness they have at their disposal.

[Woochifer]

Not exactly Norris vs. Bruce Lee... but what the hell I'll take it. Sheesh, not even Jabbar vs. Lee... but I'll stand in the cold to see it. If for nothing else than to see Jet Li knock that smirking little piss ant Chan into the next century. Sorry, I've been watching Chan since "The Big Brawl" and I can't take anyone seriously that doesn't take himself seriously. Yeah, Drunken Master and Rush Hour but pheh.... too light in the ass for me to care about.

Da Worfster

Of course that would depend on whether or not Jet gets to wear wires while Jackie's doing all his "without a net" stunts! :D

If you're taking Jackie seriously, you're taking it wrong! His approach is not intended to be serious (though the risks he takes with his stuntwork are DEADLY serious), well most of the time at least. Jackie's straight up fight scene with Benny "The Jet" Urquidez from Wheels on Meals I think would compare very favorably against any of Jet Li's non-wired work.

Any number of pretenders have tried to approach the badassness that is Bruce Lee to no avail. Jackie's a superstar because he figured out that the public wasn't looking for another Bruce Lee.

[SlumpBuster]

Just want to make it clear that you're referencing the Tony Jaa film (which I've heard a lot of good things about) and NOT the disastrous 1985 Jackie Chan film with the same name that paired him with Danny Aiello!

Absolutely. Now mind you, I watched it while drinking my weekend margaritas, so my recommendation may be tainted. Also I'm a kung-fu newbie. But those cats were rocking some fight scenes like I've never seen. There was something that was just different about them. I think a good portion were full contact. That may or may not be it. I never made it to special features to find out.

Also, I watched the international version, so I don't know how that compares to the American cut. I know one version, don't know which, was exclusive to Blockbuster.


My wife supposedly hates kung-fu movies and doesn't watch them with me. Or so she thinks. She loves Kill Bill and Jet Li. So for someone who hates kung-fu movie, she is right there within 15 minutes of the movie starting. At least for the good ones. And she was there for most of The Protector. So thats a good indication.

[Kam]

Absolutely. Now mind you, I watched it while drinking my weekend margaritas, so my recommendation may be tainted. Also I'm a kung-fu newbie. But those cats were rocking some fight scenes like I've never seen. There was something that was just different about them. I think a good portion were full contact. That may or may not be it. I never made it to special features to find out.

Also, I watched the international version, so I don't know how that compares to the American cut. I know one version, don't know which, was exclusive to Blockbuster.


My wife supposedly hates kung-fu movies and doesn't watch them with me. Or so she thinks. She loves Kill Bill and Jet Li. So for someone who hates kung-fu movie, she is right there within 15 minutes of the movie starting. At least for the good ones. And she was there for most of The Protector. So thats a good indication.

I saw this and Tony's first movie, Ong Bak (the thai warrior). And Tony Jaa is a rather unbelievable stud. He hasn't developed the onscreen charm that Jackie has or just he fierce magnetism that Bruce just had, but as far as physicality goes, he just might be the best yet. The things he does, minus, wires, minus nets, minus everything, are just unbelievable.

It's actually a misconception that jackie doesn't use wires, jackie uses wires EXTENSIVELY in all his fight scenes, he just uses them in different ways. The old-school "flying" wirework (ala crouching tiger) was something jackie never bought in to, so like the innovator he is, he used wires in different ways then everyone else was. Rather than make people fly or hover longer in air than humanly possible, he made them crash to earth harder than humanly possible. People were rigged so that when they had their legs knocked under them, or were pushed down, they were simultaneously yanked down with wires as well. that's why a lot of his action scenes appear sped up, because the people really are moving faster than humanly possible.

but... back to tony jaa! he can just flat out kickbutt. he, like jackie and jet, does his own choreography with his own team, and the moves are intense! the only drawback, which i think jackie is still the master of, is the multiple person fight scenes. There's a scene in the Protector where Tony fights about 30 some badguys, most of them 1 at a time, a few 2-1. and it felt like the old school Bruce fights, where the other 28 guys waited for their two comrades to get their butt kicked before jumping in. I think jackie is still the bar to reach for the multiple on 1 fight scenes.

The protector has quite a lot of heart in it for a kickass action movie and is a HUGE step up in story from Ong Bak, which i couldnt care that much for outside of the incredible fight scenes. He runs on people's shoulders!! ON their shoulders!! I hope he develops his onscreen personna more than he does his martial arts anymore, because that is what will really propel him. i think he brings a combo of bruce/jet to his choreography, he can't touch what jackie does, because no one can. but tony jaa's choreography has bruce's sheer ferocity to it, with even more style that jet added.

i'll stop my fanboy gushing now. :)