TriStar Pictures presents a Golden Harvest / Leonard K. C. Ho Production Jackie Chan WHO AM I? Michelle Ferre Mira Yamamoto Ron Smerczak Ed Nelson Tom Pompert Yannick Mbali Washington Xisolo Music by Nathan Wang Cinematography by Hang-Sang Poon Edited by Peter Cheung & Yau Chi Wai Executive Producer: Leonard Ho Produced by Barbie Tung Screenplay by Jackie Chan Susan Chan Lee Reynolds Directed by Benny Chan & Jackie Chan
Review by R.L. Strong
Since Jackie Chan broke onto the U.S. film scene with 1996's "Rumble in the Bronx", we've been subjected to a rather mixed bag of films starring the famed go for broke action star. The main problem with the majority of Jackie's films is that (as many other critics have noted), his films don't have a very strong plot line. But first and foremost, Jackie has always been the reason to see these films. With the upcoming release of "Who Am I?", we are witness to a vital change in Jackie's screen trade. This time we have a plot.
The plot of the film starts off with the discovery of a strange isotope from a meteorite found in a deep cave in some un-named location. The isotope is checked and discovered to have unlimited energy potential. As the isotope is being transported through South Africa, the scientist are ambushed by an elite team of commandos (one of which is Jackie). Stealing the computer information which could lead to harnessing this energy, the commandoes helicopter crashing into the brush.
Jackie awakens slowly over an undisclosed period of time. He has been nursed back to health by an African tribe. As Jackie regains full consciousness, he is asked by the tribesman who he is and where he comes from. Jackie, suffering from amnesia, cannot remember his name or how he came to be in the village. He asks the Village Chief (Washington Xisolo), who am I? Misunderstanding him, the Chief believes Jackie's name to be "Whoami", and this is what they call him.
Jackie is adopted by the tribe. He learns their language and their culture, becoming a part of their society. During this time, Whoami (Jackie Chan) regains bits and pieces of him memory. Realizing that he most go back to civilization to discover his past, Jackie leaves the tribe and goes off in search of himself.
This is the initial setup for the film, and I found this to be so enjoyably quirky and different that I found myself wanting more. Jackie's performance in the film is as good as anything he's ever done. But those scenes in the African village are truly unique in that we (U.S. movie-goers) finally get to see that Jackie is much more than a high kicking stunt man. He IS an actor. The other performances in the film are a hit and miss affair, but there is nothing here that is as embarrassing as any of the gangsters in "MR. NICE GUY" (1998). In fact on of the surprises of the film is the return of Ed Nelson ("Attack of the Crab Monsters" )to the screen as the corrupt General Sherman. Mr. Nelson is obviously enjoying his role in this film and tries his best to give a Cormanesque performance. The two female leads Mira Yamamoto as race driver Yuki and Michelle Ferre as undercover CIA operative, Christine are both working on screen for the first time and are not called upon to do anything very strenuous, but they are appealing and easy on the eyes. The remainder of the cast are up to the task, with Ron Smerczak doing a fine job as the evil arms broker, Morgan.
Now of course everyone knows that Jackie does all of his own stunts, and this film is no different. That "Oh My God" quality is still there in abundance. Jackie is still the hardest working star on screen today. We've heard other actors claim to do their own stunts, but no one has that "go for it" attitude that Jackie has. Some critics have called Jackie a Human yo-yo, and in one absolutely amazing stunt, literally proves it. Trust me! Your mouth will remain open in amazement for the next five minutes. There are fight scenes here that are just unbelievably complex and inventively funny. A classic example is a fight in the streets of Rotterdam with a set of Wooden Shoes.
The script by Jackie, Susan Chan and Lee Reynolds is remarkably tight. Once the power of the isotope is explained, it becomes less of an issue. The driving issue is tied to Jackie's attempts to rediscover his own identity and the growing conflict he is having his past and adoptive personality. As the film progresses, flashbacks are used to fill in the blanks in the plot, creating a sense of urgency that is very enjoyable. The direction by Benny Chan is reminiscent of some of the more extreme work of Sammo Hung Kam-po. There is as much camera movement as in any John Carpenter film, and it's use is marvelously inventive. Co-Directed by Jackie himself (obviously handling the action scenes) the film is a solid whole. In the past, Jackie has had many disagreements with his directors, but here it seems that a mutual cooperation is at work for the film holds together much better that any of Jackie previous films since "Drunken Master 2".
The Cinematography by Hang-Sang Poon is beautiful. Africa has not looked this majestic since "The Naked Prey" or "Born Free". Scenes of the tribesmen shot from on high are sumptuous in their presentation, giving these native people and their land a regal quality that is awe inspiring.
One of the most appealing aspects of the film are the scenes with the African villagers. In the past, it could be said that Jackie (and most Hong Kong filmmakers) were a bit insensitive to other customs and cultures. Here, there is nothing but honor and respect. This un-named African tribe is presented with honor for both their customs and individuals. The scenes of ritual dance are wonderful to watch. These scene make you want so much more.
"Who Am I?" is a grand return from Jackie, a few mis-steps. A film that honors Jackie's past achievements and points to a very promising future.
On a scale of * to *****, "WHO AM I? rates ****
Nothing in this article may be reprinted or copied without the expressed written permission of the author. Article ) 1998 R.L. Strong
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