R E V I E W :    Project A  

Reviewed 9/11/00 | Background | Movie Review | DVD Review | Recommendation

Background 

1983 / Buena Vista / 97 Minutes
Directed by Jackie Chan
Region 1 only

Movie: plot, performances, production, rating

Jackie Chan hit his stride both as leading man and director in 1983’s PROJECT A. The first of his films set in the modern era (turn of the 20th century Hong Kong), Chan, at the age of 29, managed to perfectly balance traditional martial arts, amazing stunts, and slapstick comedy. Perhaps most noteworthy, the action flows organically from the plot and is grounded in realism. A bar brawl between sailors and policemen sets the tone early on: the fighting is intricately choreographed, but when a punch lands, the false bravado slips – it hurts! Even more compelling is an exhilarating sequence midway through the film that features a foot chase, combat with bicycles, a climb up a flagpole, a duel in a clock tower, a brief tribute to Harold Lloyd’s SAFETY LAST, and a three-story fall. American critics like to compare Chan to silent film comics; watch PROJECT A and you’ll know why the comparison is unfair. Jackie Chan is an original.

The plot is rudimentary. Pirates are holding Hong Kong hostage. Chan plays Navy Master Sergeant Maillong, known as Dragon. The local police captain, who has been corrupted by the criminal syndicate, continually undermines Chan’s efforts to defeat the pirates. Chan overcomes adversity and triumphs in the end. The genius is not in the plot elements, but in the execution. Chan’s exquisite comic timing is evident throughout, even as he bounces off walls and fights with props grabbed from the set rather than traditional martial arts weapons. And as a director, he knows just where to put the camera so as to maximize the impact of the action sequences.

The film is not perfect. Character development is non-existent. It’s hard to keep the main plot points straight. The last third of the film never builds to a climax and is a bit of a letdown in comparison to the dazzling middle section. These are minor quibbles, though. Chan’s relentless pace as director moves you along so quickly to the end that you’ll want to watch it again right away.

Also featured in supporting roles are Sammo Hung (TV’s MARTIAL LAW) as a thief and Yuen Biao (DRAGONS FOREVER) as an initially antagonistic policeman. Both are more than proficient as martial artists. What’s more, Chan, Hung, and Biao were trained in the same Peking Opera school from childhood and their chemistry when acting and fighting together is evident.

DVD: look, sound, subtitles, and features

The film is presented in a non-anamorphic, 2.35:1 widescreen transfer. Considering its age and the original low-budget nature of the original production, this may be as good as it gets. The print is clean but it looks like the technicians had their hands full, as the contrast level strobes a bit within certain scenes and color vibrancy is variable and slightly dull. The limitations of the original print become apparent especially during the fight in the clock tower; Chan and his opponent disappear at times into the muddy dark background, then reappear when stepping into the better-lighted part of the set. Frustrating to be sure, but such obvious lapses are infrequent.

In general the color scheme is accurate and blacks are fairly deep if not altogether rich. Fleshtones are quite natural, to the extent that the variation in set lighting is apparent. Overall a very pleasant viewing experience.

The only audio option is English Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. The front speakers are active and the depth of the sound field is present without being enveloping. The surrounds are atmospheric and not particularly directional. The .1 LFE is almost entirely inactive, though, even during the scenes that feature explosions prominently. On balance, the new 5.1 remix is a definite bonus.

Chan dubs his own voice here and does a good job. Most of the voice-over artists used are adequate, although a couple sound too cartoonish for my taste. It’s disappointing that the original Cantonese-language track was left off. There’s nothing like hearing actors express themselves in their native tongue. In addition, I have read elsewhere that the music has been changed. Without the original release at hand for comparison, I cannot comment; however, I will say that the musical soundtrack neither enhances nor detracts.

English closed captions and yellow English subtitles are included. No other language subtitles are available. Here is one side point of interest: the jacket copy and most reviews I have read refer to Chan being a Coast Guard officer. However, the subtitles consistently refer to the Navy, while the Coast Guard is never mentioned. A small point, but worth mentioning.

If for nothing else than to recognize its important place as a cornerstone of modern Hong Kong cinema, PROJECT A deserved a special edition. Sadly there are NO supplements, save two full-frame home video trailers -- for Jet Li films (THE ENFORCER and FIST OF LEGEND) at that! To add insult to injury, the outtakes that originally ran under the closing credits have been cut. This was the first of Chan’s films to feature outtakes (an idea he borrowed after participating in Hal Needham’s THE CANNONBALL RUN) and it is a shame that they were left out of this package.

A one-page sleeve with the cover photo and the 18 chapter stops is included in the keepcase. Although the running time on the jacket is listed as 105 minutes, the film itself is just 97 minutes long.

Buy, rent, or pass?

Ever since RUSH HOUR hit it big, the back catalog of Chan’s films on DVD has become increasingly available. With so many titles on the market, it may be difficult to decide where to start. Rest assured that, despite the lack of supplements and the absence of the original-language audio track and outtakes, you won’t go wrong with PROJECT A.

Editor's note (added 3/9/01): Note that this version has been cut. For more details, visit Asian DVD Guide.

Additional editor's note: This version is no longer recommended. Please click here for a review of the recommended Mega Star disk.

 

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