The Accidental Spy (2001)

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Jackie Chan's "The Accidental Spy," Johnnie To & Wai Ka-fai's "Wu Yen" and Herman Yau's "Master Q 2001."

- The Accidental Spy
The film was released early this year around about mid to late Jan, I believe. It's Jackie's yearly Chinese New Year movie and includes the usual foreign locales (Turkey & Korea,) the pretty girls (Vivian Hsu and a Korean actress) and the big stunts. However, what makes The Accidental Spy different from his last couple of movies is surprise, surprise... the script. This may actually be Jackie's most coherent HK film in recent years but ironically, the action isn't as good as his previous films.

Basically, it's the usual ordinary man falling into extraordinary circumstances type role for Jackie. He's a salesman in a sports equipment store (the first half of the movie includes cameo appearances by Cheung Tat Ming & Alfred Cheung) who finds out his father is a very successful Korean spy. Somehow he finds himself involved in the spy trade and trying to get some virus/cure thing from someone.

Not much of a plot but mostly nicely put together and certainly more plot then in Rumble in the Bronx etc. Eric Tsang's character is actually the most annoying of the lot because he is used so inappropriately. Vivian Hsu, in contrast, is used quite nicely and it's nice to see that her role is more than the usual flower vase roles that populate Jackie's movies. In fact, what I liked the most about TAS is what happens to her character, very unusual in a Jackie movie. Unfortunately, the Korean actress doesn't have much to do.

The music includes the requisite song from Jackie. But what I liked most about the soundtrack is the use of a well know and much loved Chinese folk song, "Red Bean Song" (Hong Dou Ci.) Whoever sang it sang it really well too. I'm tempted to say Vivian Hsu sang it because she's a very accomplished singer but I really can't say.

The ending is, thankfully, not a huge "huh?" like in Rumble. Although there is the requisite big chase scene and climatic end stunt, at least it doesn't feel like they stuck it in there cuz they didn't know what to do with the ending.

However, aside from all the good things, I'm also sad to report that Jackie does seem to be slowing down. The large stunt at the end, didn't seem so large. There big setup in the beginning looked dangerous but not as crazy as some of his other stuff. The only setup I actually liked was the one where Jackie fights and runs through the streets of Turkey clad mostly in nothing.

CONTed a little later.... "Wu Yen"