The movie itself is pretty low-budget, but you rarely notice due to Jackie's insane fighting choreography and death-defying stunts. His altruistic nature leads him to face off against ruthless biker gangs and mobsters. Our hero fights back out of a misguided sense of nobility which exposes a gritty New York of yore. Jackie plays a Hong Kong cop (though his status as a cop isn't mentioned in all versions) on vacation for his uncle's wedding in New York when the grocery store his uncle just sold falls victim to a protection racket from a local biker gang. What better way to pay our respects to the movie legend than by revisiting his high points, while also acknowledging the major misses? Seems only fitting because, as anyone who has seen a Jackie Chan fight sequence knows, he isn't immune to taking a few hits. It has been exciting to ride shotgun with the star through all the ups and downs.
The failures rarely seem to phase the kung fu expert - he merely surges on to the next project. But even when the final product is a few kicks short of a hit, Jackie is still endlessly lovable. Not only can he fight off hordes of ninjas with a broomstick, but he can do it while making us giggle with delight.ĭespite sporting an epic cinematic resume, Jackie Chan does have a few duds on his record. His appeal hasn't waned much over the years, due to a healthy combo of action prowess and comedic talent. (He is estimated to be worth around $400 million.) The notoriety comes as no surprise, considering that Chan has appeared in nearly 150 films across half a century and performs most of his stunts himself. The Hong Kong native birthed the comedic martial arts genre and is now one of the highest-paid actors in the world. The action comedy genre is a competitive landscape, but there is one man who reigns supreme among the combat jesters of the entertainment world.