Mr. Nice Guy		Return to Review Archive - M
	Jackie Chan senses danger in Mr. Nice Guy.
	Year:	1997
	Director:	Sammo Hung Kam-Bo
	Cast:	Jackie Chan, Miki Lee Ching-Yee, Karen McLymont, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, Vince Poletto, Richard Norton, Barry Otto, Bradley James Allan, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (cameo), Emil Chow Wah-Kin (cameo), Joyce Godenzi (cameo
	The Skinny:	Jackie Chan's worst movie in years. Really.
	Review by Kozo:	Jackie Chan stars as a likable TV chef in Australia who runs afoul of some drug dealers and street toughs when he saves the life of a reporter (Gabrielle Fitzpatrick). In the ensuing chase, he accidentally gets possession of an evidence tape she was carrying. Now everyone wants Jackie, and to get to him they kidnap his girlfriend (Miki Lee). What a set-up.      The latest Jackie Chan vehicle proves to be more of the same (which is less). The plot and script are cookie-cutter with zero personality. Once again Jackie’s girl is used as bait (name a Chan film in which there isn’t a female in peril). Newcomer Miki Lee is cute, but she does even less than Annie Wu did in First Strike. As the baddie, Richard Norton (City Hunter) oozes menace, but the other half of the time he just seems kinda goofy. This is really a not-so-good flick helped by the usual doses of hilarious Chan-like action. Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung did a fine job there, but everything else is just awful.      The film could use a good co-star, like Maggie Cheung, Kent Cheng, Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, or either of the Anitas (Mui or Yuen). Instead we have marvelous actors like Vince Poletto, Karen McLymont, and Barry Otto (Who are these people?). The finale is a little disappointing too, signaling a move towards more Western storytelling. Sure, there’s great destruction (it’s good when big things go boom; ask any brainless moviegoer), but little imagination or artistry, things that used to be synonymous with Jackie Chan. A big truck is no different from a big yellow hovercraft (see Rumble in the Bronx), and neither is a substitute for a few well placed kicks. And why don’t Chan and Richard Norton ever go head-to-head? Now that’s a total waste of ability. (Kozo 1997)
	Availability:	DVD (USA) Region 1 NTSC New Line Home Video Widescreen English Language (sync) Dolby Digital 5.1
		DVD (Hong Kong) Region 0 NTSC Mei Ah Laser Widescreen Mandarin Language (dubbed) English and Chinese Subtitles
		image courtesy of New Line Home Video
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