SUPERCOP
A film review by Michael John Legeros
Copyright 1996 Michael John Legeros
(Dimension)
Directed by Stanley Tong
Written by Edward Tang, Fibe Ma, and Lee Wai Yee
Cast Jackie Chan, Michelle Khan, Yuen Wah, Bill Tung, Ken
Tsang
MPAA Rating "R" (presumably for violence)
Running Time 90 minutes
Reviewed at The Colony, Raleigh, NC (27JUL96)
==
Fresh from the success of New Line Cinema's release of RUMBLE IN THE BRONX, Dimension Films has repackaged another Jackie Chan action-comedy. POLICE STORY III: SUPERCOP, a 1992 release, has been dubbed into largely inflection-less English, re-cut with a new title sequence, and re-scored with a hip soundtrack that includes Tom Jones singing "Kung Fu Fighting" over the closing credits. Groan. The result is a rather run-of-the-mill rouser about an affable Hong Kong police detective and martial arts expert (Chan) who, along with his Interpol side-kicking sidekick (Michelle Khan), infiltrates a Chinese drug ring.
If released at any other time in the year, SUPERCOP might win some raves. However, when played alongside such sure-to-pleasers as INDEPENDENCE DAY and A TIME TO KILL, the experience almost seems a waste of adrenaline. Chan's self-performed stunts are remarkable enough, sure, but director Stanley Tong delivers nowhere near the amount suggested by the ads. The finale is a corker: an amazing helicopter and train chase with Chan and Company kung-fu fighting on top of a moving choo choo. And then, when the bad guys are defeated and the Eastern world is again safe, the customary outtake reel rolls to reveal how they did all those scary-looking stunts.
Grade: C
--
Mike Legeros - Raleigh, NC
legeros@nando.net (h) - legeros@unx.sas.com (w)
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