Side Order of Ninjas

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Project A (1983)


Cast:

Jackie Chan is Dragon Ma
Sammo Hung


What the box says:

International martial arts mega-star Jackie Chan (Rush Hour, Twin Dragons, Rumble in the Bronx) directs and performs all his own death-defying stunts in a hard-hitting and humerous action adventure that's been called one of his very best. Chan rocks the high seas as Dragon Ma, a determined coast guard officer on patrol in the late 19th century Hong Kong. As he battles with a ruthless syndicate in a seemingly never-ending struggle for control of the waters, you'll be blown away as Jackie literally throws himself into some of the most amazing movie stuntwork ever captured on film! Also starring popular Sammo Hung (TV's Martial Law), this must-see adrenaline pumping adventure delivers all the intense thrills and witty fun that Jackie Chan fans demand!


Plot:

Pirate flag…

A meeting concerning the budget is being held. The police want the money taken from the Navy. No matter what the box said about the Coast Guard, they always mention the Navy. The Navy and the police are fighting each other tooth-and-nail. Jackie is sent to deliver a message to the head of the police. He promptly chews out Jackie for the message. Talk about taking it out on the messenger.

In a bar, the police are badmouthing the Navy. Jackie tries to keep the Navy men from starting anything. Well, a cop trips Jackie who spills his beer on a cop. The fight is now on. It’s a good old fashioned barroom brawl. Well, except for the gymnastics and throwing stuff. Strangely, cops who weren’t in the bar manage to arrest all of the Navy personnel.

The Navy is readying for their mission. Somehow, their ships are on fire. They try to put out the fire.

The bad guys are chortling and laughing about the destroyed Navy ships. One of them owns a nightclub, the VIP Room, has to get police rifles from his source inside the police department.

Admiral has a plan to catch the pirates. The police chief has gotten the authority to transfer the Navy personnel into the police department. Needless to say, the Admiral is torn up about it.

Jackie is reporting to police inspector he fought in the bar. Inspector Chi is to train the Navy men to become cops. There is a little ruckus. The training continues with a hand grenade demonstration.

Jackie and Chi are to arrest Chan Ho is hiding in the VIP Room. They are under orders not to disturb the members of the club. Many government officials are members. Jackie and Chi are looking around the club. Jackie finds Chan Ho is trying to escape.

A fight breaks out between Jackie and the club’s bouncers.

The cops show up. They claim Jackie is disobeying orders and want him to apologize for the damages. Jackie quits instead. Jackie unloads on the bouncers and catches up with Chan Ho. They fight. Jackie hauls Chan Ho to the cops and leaves.

Later on, Jackie finds Fats, Sammo Hung. Sammo is a crook who has gone straight. Since they are old friends, Jackie learns that someone in the police force is getting weapons for the pirates. Sammo agrees to help Jackie.

It is night in the shipyards. A group of guys have a load of rifles. Two masked men fight them. The police chief is there thrown overboard. Sammo gets the guns to sell. They hide them in a marked log on the river. We learn the police chief is buying rifles for the police.

Sammo has a buyer for the rifles. Jackie sees Sammo making a deal with the bad guys. The next day, the bad guys are with Sammo going to get the rifles when all the logs are marked. Well, Sammo gets into a fight with the bad guys. The Admiral runs them off. Sammo gets away. Jackie contacted the Admiral where to get the rifles.

Sammo is running. Jackie is talking with Wendy, the daughter of the Admiral. Goons are chasing Sammo. Jackie and Wendy run. A short fight ensues. The goons have guns on them.

Jackie and Sammo are agreed to unleash some kung fu upon these guys. They are being chased by the goons. Jackie and Wendy are being chased by a gang of synchronized bicyclists. They manage to escape for a few minutes. Jackie has a dummy dressed like Wendy on his back. He is fighting the goons. Jackie runs into the police chief who arrests Jackie. Jackie escapes on a bicycle. We get extreme bicycle-fu.

Jackie finds Sammo. They argue and going to fight each other until some goons show up. Jackie, Sammo, and Wendy are surrounded. Jackie gets arrested by the chief this time Sammo escapes as the chief chases him. Jackie is handcuffed to a flagpole.

The goons need to find out where Jackie has the rifles. He’s beaten by the goons. Well, Jackie is handcuffed around a flagpole accounts for himself pretty well in the situation. Jackie shimmies up the flagpole and escapes to a clock tower. He starts trying to get the hand cuffs off.

Jackie has to fight a bald-bearded guy. I dub him Beardo. Beardo wants the rifles. Jackie is on the clock face. A guy is about to shoot Jackie. The cops shoot him. And in one of the cooler stunts Jackie falls off the clock tower and has his fall broken by several canopies.

A ship spots several Chinese junks. Could these junks be pirates? They swarm the English ship. Carrying women off, etc... The typical pirate behavior is demonstrated. The last man caught happens to be an English rear-admiral.

Jackie is sneaking around and learns about the capture of the rear-admiral. Jackie gets into the room next to the meeting through the chimney. The head English naval officer is going to let the nightclub owner get the rear-admiral back. Jackie tries to escape when the English officer spots him. Jackie volunteers to rescue the rear-admiral

Jackie gives the English guy a speech about having cajones or the lack thereof. This motivates the English officer to let Jackie attempt a rescue. And the Admiral has a Navy again.

Wendy runs into the gangster, Chow. They talk in his carriage. Well, talking does use a tongue. Another carriage pulls up beside Chow’s carriage and kidnaps him. Jackie and the rest of the Navy are doing good Navy guys and bad Navy guy on Chow. They get the location of the pirates.

Jackie goes to the meeting as Chow. They take him to the pirate headquarters. Sammo is aboard the ship with Jackie and still wants the rifles. They reach the island.

Jackie is on the island and meets the head of the pirates, Sam Lo. Sam refuses to discuss the hostages or the rear-admiral.

The Navy guys are swimming ashore, commando style. Jackie is sneaking around the base. Sammo gets away with his treasure. Jackie finds the Navy guys. Jack and a Navy guy go looking for Chi who Jackie just knocked out. Sammo gets his goods aboard a ship.

Jackie and Chi free the hostages. The pirates are groggin’ and revelin’, etc… Jackie is talking with Sam. An impromptu arm wrestling contest is held to distract the pirates from realizing the hostages are escaping.

Sammo tries to warn the Navy guys. Beardo, whose name is Jun Kow, is coming. Sammo, Chi, and some others go back to save Jackie.

Jackie talks fast enough that Jun Kow can’t tell the pirates who Jackie really is. Jackie plays the insulted gangster to the hilt and is about to leave.

Sammo runs up. Navy shows up and blows up the pirate ships. The pirates decide now is the time to attack.

Big fight is finally starting. Jackie is fighting Sam. Sammo is using grenades, lots of explosions. Sam has a sword and is fighting Jackie and Chi. Sammo gets in on the fight, too. Get some sweet cooperation.

They wrap Sam in a rug and put a grenade in there too. Exploding pirate.

Jackie, Sammo, Chi, and the other Navy guys are trying to sail to Hong Kong. But, none of them know how to sail or even the way.



What I say:

What can be said about Jackie Chan? Well, a lot. But, I'd rather just stick to really cool guy. I haven't seen much more than the Ameriacn movies. While they don't really compare to something like Project A . I still have soft spot in my heart for Rumble in the Bronx. But that's neither here nor there.

I'd almost think of Jackie Chan sort of like the Asian Bruce Campbell. Every Bruce Campbell movie has Bruce play the same role. Well, Jackie seems to do the same thing. Look John Wayne did it for more than 30 years. And no one complains that the Duke did it.

This movie is awfully short on plot. But, who complains about plot with Jackie Chan doing cool stuff? I was more vague in this review about the action than normal. I don't want to do a blow by blow description of a fight. But, I'd rather not ruin the action for others to watch it. The bicycle scene is incredible. The clock face sequence rates up there too. This movie was from the time when Jackie was just at his prime.

The comedy is for the most part isn't that funny. I only hope that the humor was lost in the English dubbed version. But, Jackie and Sammo can carry a lot. I won't proclaim this the greatest Jackie Chan movie. Too many others remain to be seen. But, it is pretty enjoyable for its faults.



3 NINJAS

Quotable Dialogue

"It was an unexpected hurricane!"
"Tae-bo get the check!"
"Talk or die!"
"The sexy one is mine..."
"We can't let anything happen to the rear-admiral!"


Morals of the Story

Log rolling is an important skill in Asia.
Jousting on a bicycle should be a sport.
If the carriage is a rockin', don't bother knockin'...
Pirates love arm-wrestling...