Mr. Nice Guy (1997)
Director: Sammo Hung
Starring: Jackie Chan, Richard Norton, Karen McLymont, Miki Lee
Primary genre: Action
Secondary genre: Comedy
Mr. Nice Guy is another average Jackie Chan flick from the 90s that has been essentially forgotten. While Jackie was a household name with his supercharged martial arts sequences and charming humor segments during the 80s, it seems that now in his forties, he has elected to slow down his action outputs.
“What am I paying you idiots for? He almost got me that time!”
Despite featuring a central conflict against Hong Kong veteran and martial artist, Richard Norton (whom Jackie fought in the manga adaptation of City Hunter (1993)), Mr. Nice Guy is as basic as they come. Jackie plays, well, Jackie, and the only novelty of the movie is that it was the first Chan film shot entirely in English (no more dubbing). Using Melbourne as a backdrop for drug trafficking shenanigans, Chan is again surrounded by a trio of gorgeous women and OTT thugs taking part in anemic chase sequences and a handful of stunts of which the only new thing is Chan’s 40+ age.
Nothing here is truly inventive and the low-key fight sequences in particular are disappointing to watch. Famous director and Chan’s older “brother”, Sammo Hung (who also cameos as an unfortunate cyclist) takes over the creative reins, but unlike his strong outputs in Wheels on Meals (1984) and the Lucky Stars trilogy (1983-1985), he does not bring much excitement to the action staging. Perhaps the most entertaining thing is a carriage chase in the streets of Melbourne, a city rarely showcased on the big screen, yet, the days when Chan and co. displayed cat-like reflexes and moves are gone. Chan goes around and climbs bulldozers, jumps off bridges, and fights several goons in a construction zone, yet none of them stay with you after the end credits roll in the same way Police Story’s (1985) shopping mall melee was imprinted in your mind. Even his U.S. outputs (e.g., Shanghai Knights (2003)) pack more punch than everything put together here. Also wasting Norton’s talents is a big mistake forcing fans to dig up their superior face-off in the aforementioned City Hunter.
The 80s Jackie Chan era saw the story being based around the action. Now the action is centered around Chan’s character, skills, and his lifestyle which, of course, is admired by everyone (hot women, mentors, friends). Although it is not a bad film in the traditional sense, it feels like a byproduct of the legendary star and something that a b-lister could make. Considering all the talent involved, you’d think this Hung-directed motion picture would have rocked your socks off. As such, Mr. Nice Guy is relegated to the Jackie Chan dust pile of flicks, only infrequently being dug up to remember the director’s hilarious cameo and a handful of stunts amidst an almost two-hour running time.
More like Mr. Boring
+No dubbing!
+Some stunts are cool
-Nothing you have not seen before
-Story is laughable
-Hung does not bring anything on the table
-Distracting Chan playing himself
-Pace is a drag