Summary
There is no denying thatJackie Chancontinues to be one ofthe most iconic martial arts actors ever, still managing to hold up his reputation after decades since his start. His slapstick fighting skill and incredible choreography have established him as one of the most prominent figures in action cinema. With over 100 acting credits, his extensive career has allowed him to perfect martial arts related tropes and influence cinema like no other actor.
Mixing comedy and action in a completely unique way, Jackie Chan’s career has been marked by incredible movies, cementing an impeccable legacy. Be it because of his incredible performance, epic fights, hilarious slapstick humor, set-piece scenes, or heartwarming martial arts storytelling, Jackie Chan has fought his way through unforgettable movies with stunts that have become a mark in cinema. These are some of his best works.
10The Karate Kid
A Popular Remake Marked By Jackie Chan’s Role
While this remake was not as well received as the originalThe Karate Kidmovie, Jackie Chan managed to bring a great action movie alongside Jaden Smith. With the same idea as the classic 80s film, a recluse handyman teaches a new kid how to fight.
With Chan shining as the mentor, this remake still managed to gather its share of fans. Jackie Chan is also set to return as his character in anewKarate Kidmoviethat will include the cast of both films, as Chan’s character works together with Ralph Machhio’s character to train a new kid.
9Supercop
Incredible Action Sequences Featuring Jackie Chan And Michelle Yeoh
Returning to the world of thePolice Storyfranchise, Jackie Chan reprises his role of Chan Ka-Kui as he partners with Interpol to take down a cartel in a third installment. Having Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh side by side is more than reason enough to watch it, even if it doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessors.
Jackie Chan was not only the lead actor, but he was also the stunt coordinator and the producer of the film. With some action-packed chase scenes, this movie even received praise from Quentin Tarantino for having unbelievable stunts.
8Rush Hour
A Great 90s Buddy Cop Action-Packed Comedy
Jackie Chan may have started out as a Chinese movie star, but he became just as iconic in the rest of the world through his western movies. And while he has quite the western repertoire,Rush Hourmight be one of his most recognizable roles as Chief Inspector Lee alongside Chis Tucker as detective James Carter.
This classic90s buddy cop filmis known for its perfect balance of action and comedy that Chan is known for. It is true that the rest of the franchise never reached the heights of the original, butRush Hourmanaged to not only succeed when it was released, but withstood the test of time as well.
7Project A
A Pirate Adventure In 19th Century Hong Kong
As Sargeant Dragon Ma, Jackie Chan fought a bunch of pirates with the help of Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, who played a thief and a captain, respectively. As one of the first collaborations between the three actors in a trio known as the Three Dragons, Project A still holds up with its memorable stunts, including the clock tower scene.
An early film for Chan, this action-packed 80s movie became a turning point in Jackie Chan’s career. Set in 19th century Hong Kong, Project A focuses on both the choreography as well as the comic aspects that Chan is now known for.
6Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
A Masterful Animated Adaptation With A Fresh Perspective
The newestTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlemovie created quite a stir with its incredible visual animation, hilarious jokes, and a story that captures the essence of the turtle brothers. While it may stray away from Chan’s most famous movies, this animated feature marks the greatness of his voice acting career.
As Master Splinter, Jackie Chan brings wisdom and comedy in a way that only he can. He may not be playing one of the protagonist’s brothers, yet he manages to still give voice to somegreat quotes in the moviethat make his role extra striking.
5Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow
The Beginning Of Chan’s Career & A Classic Martial Arts Movie Trope
There is a reasonSnake in the Eagle’s Shadowlaunched Jackie Chan’s career, being responsible for heightening the action and comedy that kung fu movies were known for. Starring as an orphan who gets bullied at his Kung Fu classes, Chan brings this underdog to life onscreen.
Snake in the Eagle’s Shadowis worth watching to see Chan using the freedom to develop his own slapstick stunts that make up his career. It also helps that it pretty much kick-started the trope of the Kung Fu mentor who takes on a bullied student martial arts, which went on to be super popular.
4Drunken Master
A Successful, Influential Chinese Martial Arts Movie
After the success ofSnake in the Eagle’s Shadow, Jackie Chan starred in another genre-defining movie that follows a mischievous man, Wong Fei-hung, who is taught by a master of drunken martial arts. With a similar structure, the movie focused on the relationship between Wong Fei-hung and his master while delivering a style of fighting that influenced so many other movies.
Drunken Masterbecame such a phenomenon that it popularized the drunken boxing style, Zui Quan, in movies, making this one ofthe best Chinese martial arts moviesof its time.
3Kung Fu Panda
Chan Brings Humor & Kung Fu To An Iconic Animated Franchise
More recently, Jackie Chan’s roles have mostly involved voice acting, which has been cemented by his character in theKung Fu Pandaseries. The first movie shines in the use of colorful animation to blend humor with martial arts action, which are staples of Chan’s career.
Jackie Chan gives voice to Master Monkey, who helps train Po in the beautiful art of Kung Fu. While he is not the protagonist, he is definitely one of thestrongest characters in the franchiseand an indispensable part of the series.
2Police Story
A Story With Heart And Intense Action
Police Storyis a lot of people’s favorites, and for good reason. It stars Jackie Chan in one of his most unforgettable roles, the police officer “Kevin” Chan Ka-kui. Jackie Chan not only stars in it, but was also one of the writers and directors of the film, telling the story of a police officer accused of murder after a sting operation goes wrong.
Besides the enticing story, what makes the movie stand out is that it was structured around set pieces, resulting in jaw-dropping stunts and incredible action. Featuring some of thebest set pieces in the actor’s career,Police Storyleft an exceptional legacy that went on to spark two other great sequels.
1The Legend of Drunken Master (Drunken Master II)
Surpassed The Original’s Success
After the success of the firstDrunken Master,it is hard to imagine that the next movie was able to not only achieve the heights of the predecessor, but also surpass it. While not necessarily a sequel,The Legend of Drunken Masterhas Jackie Chun reprising his role as Wong Fe-hung in a story that takes place in the early 20th century.
Released 16 years after the original movie,Drunken Master IIhad quite the legacy to uphold. It did not disappoint, delivering a solid story that has Chan’s character facing a group of foreigners who seek to export Chinese artifacts. The movie stands out for highlighting Jackie Chan’s greatness in peak comedy, martial arts, charisma, stunts and action sequences.
