Mr. Nice Guy (1998)
Director: Sammo Hung Cast: Jackie Chan, Richard Norton, Miki Lee, Karen McLymont, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, Vince Poletto Screenplay: Fibe Ma, Edward Tang Producers: Leonard Ho Runtime: 94 min. US Distribution: New Line Cinema Rated PG-13: action violence, minor sensuality and drug use
By Nathaniel R. Atcheson (nate@pyramid.net)
I'll sleep soundly under the assumption that most people reading this review won't be too upset if I fail to criticize Mr. Nice Guy because of it's hackneyed, overdone story, or because of the lack of convincing acting, or because the entire film is a shameless excuse to show Jackie Chan do a lot of really nifty stunts.
Besides, to criticize the film on these points would be meaningless, because I imagine the makers of Mr. Nice Guy knew exactly what they were doing. I haven't seen a lot of Jackie Chan flicks, but it's clear to just about everyone that his films are goofy on purpose. A deep story and complex characters would probably take away from the entertaining and often hilarious action spectacle that Chan never fails to deliver.
But, since this is a review, I have to summarize the plot, despite its unimportance. Chan plays Jackie (I'm sure it's a coincidence that his character has the same first name), a cop-turned-chef. One day, he runs into a woman named Diana (Gabrielle Fitzpatrick), who is being chased by a bunch of guys that Jackie needs to beat up really fast.
Soon, Diana's struggle becomes clear: she is in possession of a video tape that will incriminate local drug dealer Giancarlo (Richard Norton), so they want it back. When Diana gets Jackie tangled in the situation, he finds himself constantly beating the hell out of multitudes of Aryans in sharp black suits. It probably won't win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay next year, but the story serves the purpose film nicely.
Jackie Chan films are lots of fun, and that's because of Chan himself. He has such an energetic and likable screen presence that he not only demands attention, but he makes us laugh. It's such a rare combination talents that he has: he's so physically skilled, and yet in such good humor about himself and his films. And he's not a bad actor: most martial artists are either deadpan and boring (Steven Segal), or just not very talented (Jean Claude Van Damme). Chan's martial arts displays in his films never fail to amaze me.
But even Chan could be defeated by an unoriginal and boring script and execution. Thankfully, director Sammo Hung (who has a very funny cameo in the film as a nosy biker) has created a group of action sequences that are thrilling and visually impressive. The best in the film takes place in a factory (or so it's called), which is composed of a lot of concrete corridors and many blue doors. And the finale, involving a dump truck and a big house, is a lot of fun.
The performances fit the mood of the film. Norton does a good job hamming it up as the Bad Guy, always sneering and uttering his words in some strange accent. And Jackie's group of helpers, including his adorable girlfriend Miki (Miki Lee), are a colorful bunch. I can't imagine that fans of Chan will be disappointed in this film. I've never been a huge fan of his, but the pleasant mood and sheer entertainment value of Mr. Nice Guy has ensured that I will make it a point to see all his films in the future.
*** out of **** (7/10, B)
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Nathaniel R. Atcheson
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