Crime Story (1993) User Reviews

Chan's serious side

[Dr Worm · 7/10 · 1 January 1999]

I don't know the background on this one, but it seemed to be based on a true story, and as such there wasn't a lot of room for Jackie Chan's trademark slapstick stuntwork. Not that there aren't any stunts in Crime Story, but they're just lacking the 'fancy' elements from such films as 'Dragons Forever' or the 'Police Story' series.

Nevertheless, this is a good film, if for nothing else than to see a different side of Jackie Chan in a serious role as a haunted cop without the fancy footwork in some of his other films.

Chan is effective in one of his more serious roles.

[gridoon · 6/10 · 17 November 2003]

Although the complete lack of comedy may disappoint some of Jackie Chan's fans, I found him quite fascinating to watch in this more serious part; he proves, once and for all, that he CAN act, and he handles his complex relationship with the chief villain (who is not as one-dimensional a character as you might expect) particularly well. Perhaps if you're unaccustomed to Hong Kong action cinema, the frenetic pacing and chaotic storytelling, combined with the (bad, of course, but not unacceptable this time) dubbing, can create a disorienting effect. But the action starts early on and never lets up, and the fight scenes, while not numerous, are AMAZING. (**1/2)

Interesting change of pace

[sockii · 8/10 · 1 October 2000]

I thought this movie was an interesting change of pace for a Jackie Chan film--not a joke to be found, just a lot of dark and gritty action. The production values are better than usual (though the US version's dubbing is awful!) and the story kept me interested. If you want to see a more serious side to Jackie Chan's acting, check this movie out. Don't watch it expecting tons of kung fu fighting, though, or you'll likely be disappointed.

7 out of 10

[dragon ma young · 28 July 2001]

I'll tell you what, I was not expecting this! I had never known about Crime Story before I came over it in my local video store. This was about 3 years ago, and I was a big Jackie fan , but I hadnt seen all his films yet. So I rented this, thinking it would be a funny slapstick action flick. Boy, was I ever wrong! This is the most serious Jackie movie ever! Even more serious than pre-Drunken Master movies! This is as dark as Jackie comes. But was it any good? Hell yeah! This movie was awesome! Jackie plays the part of a troubled cop perfectly and the film focuses more on the story than the action. Not a bad thing, and a nice change of pace for Jackie. He should take more roles like this to broaden his horizens, cause this movie ruled!

Deviation from Police Story.

[SameirAli · 7/10 · 18 November 2021]

Crime story is another deviation from the original Police Story film series. Based on a true story the film is about the kidnaping of a millionaire. It was supposed to be darker with lot of inner conflicts in the protagonist's mind, but it was toned down by Jackie. Personally, I felt this was a wrong decision by Jackie. He missed a chance to showcase his acting abilities along with the already established martial arts talents.

Jackie's 1st serious movie and it's pretty good

[bcheng93 · 7/10 · 7 May 2014]

first saw this in the theaters in NYC when it first came out...was actually a little teed off as i was at that time into his slapstick comedy and the crazy hand to hand combat. well...this movie has grown on me over the years. all his stunt-men are still in this movie, you get to see Mars at the start as a terrorist shooting off a ak-47...that was a different sight...never expected to see him as a bad guy.

first off, there is not one funny moment in this movie and it is based on a true story. second off all...Jackies got mad pull in Hong Kong, he is the only one who was able to close off parts of a highway in Hong Kong to shoot the action scenes, that is only happening now and not 20 years ago, when this film was made. the 3rd and last thing i like to mention is that for the longest time in Hong Kong you couldn't do big explosions in movies which were filmed in Hong Kong because the island was so small and people complained...well guess what?-Jackie got his big explosions even though they are still a little tamed compared to Hollywood and the rest of the worlds film industry who are not restricted by that. that use to be one of my main gripes watching Hong Kong action movies back in the day.

this is jackies first serious role as Police Story 1 doesn't count cause that actually had a lot of funny moments in it. he plays it straight up in this one and does a really capable job. the story is about the kidnapping of ultra-rich businessmen in Hong Kong, after which they are held for ransom. it was a big problem then and still is nowadays. what Jackie and the rest of the honest cops don't know is that there are honest cops but there are also corrupt cops and the bad cop in this movie is actually the leader of the kidnappers.

there were some complaints by some of his fans because the action was different to what we were accustomed to seeing from Jackie...but i think those fans were just a little jaded. there was nothing wrong with the action, as a matter of fact this movie had some of his most impressive and crazy stunts ever and there were quite a few. if you are a fan of big explosions...well they blew up the top floor of an apartment building! there were major gunfights and not with just .25 caliber guns, there were a lot of sub-machine guns including Uzis. all i have to say is that the action was pretty insane and not as over the top which i appreciated in time...LOL. the only action that was lacking was the hand to hand combat as there was only 1 such scene in the movie, but boy was it well done!

all in all i still would have to put this one in his top 10 or 12 most enjoyable movies. Jackie should have made more of these types of movies back in the days and i think he would have been even more popular and well rounded actor now! not to be missed if you are a Jackie Chan fan!

All Work And No Play Makes An Interesting Change For Jackie Chan

[boblipton · 7/10 · 15 January 2024]

A rich industrialist is kidnapped. It's the second time, and the police of Hong Kong know that even if his wife pays the ransom, she won't necessarily get her husband back. Inspector Jackie Chan is assigned to the case, and partnered with Detective Kent Cheng, a veteran of kidnapping cases. Their attempts to recover the man will take them to Taipei and back to Hong Kong, and uncover corruption.

It's a dead serious movie, even with all the firefights and massive explosions, not the sort of mixed serious/light-hearted movies that Jackie Chan is so well known in for this period. That's because it was originally to star Jet Li, but when the Triads killed his manager, Li decided this was not a good time to make a movie about organized crime. As a result, the set pieces, the gun battles, the fights, are serious and deadly-looking affairs, even when you can see how they could have been slanted for comedy. Chan demonstrates that he is quite capable of adapting to this sort of movie; as I have remarked in other reviews, it's easier to do drama than comedy.

A couple of subplots have obviously been trimmed to concentrate on the serious story. What remains is quite compelling on its own terms.

Not a Bad Chan Outing....

[tmpj · 6/10 · 10 November 2010]

This action flick, a serious one by Chan ( and some of his earlier vehicles were also quite serious in their subject matter) overcomes some obstacles, and winds up...despite its numerous shortcomings..to be somewhat exciting and entertaining. The acting is stiff, the script is rather hokey, and the over-dubbing borders on atrocious, but the film manages to rise above these things by way of really spectacular stunts and special effects. I may watch it again just to study the effects, and I know some of the stunt-persons had to get some real pain making falls from heights onto what seems to be concrete floors. It was pretty impressive. Chan is a bit restrained in his martial arts presentation, preferring to give us just the amount of action required to see him through his tribulations, and that measured response adds to the reality of the film. Not a great film, but it can hold its own with some of the flicks produced here in the states in terms of production values. A worthwhile watch. Not highly recommended, but an entertaining watch for those who would be interested.

Hardcore Jackie Chan!

[Captain_Couth · 9/10 · 10 July 2005]

Crime Story (1993) was a very different Jackie Chan film. He stars as a tough cop who only cares about getting the job done no matter what the cost. What was the change in Jackie's attitude? He had a different director in charge. Instead of doing the job, he hired bleak and gritty film maker Kirk Wong direct the project. Wong likes to make police procedural films based on true cases. This one was no exception. It was a strange sight to see Jackie Chan so serious throughout an entire film. He was one dude who did not want to let the bad guys get away. But expect to see a lot of crazy stunts and violent gun play.

If you don't think Jackie Chan can get down and dirty in a straight forward action film then don't pass this one up. You wont be disappointed.

Highly recommended.

Crime Story (1993)

[Bleeding_Edge · 7/10 · 3 December 2022]

A troubled detective investigates the kidnapping of tycoon.

Jackie Chan stars as Eddie, a member of Hong Kong's Organized Crime and Triad Bureau, who's struggling to cope with a traumatic shootout he was involved in. Eddie is assigned to protect ruthless land developer Wong Yat-Fei (Kar-Ying Law), who believes disgruntled workers from his job site will kidnap him. Wong Yat-Fei is indeed kidnapped, but unbeknownst to Eddie, one of the culprits is working the case with him - respected detective Hung Ti-Bong (Kent Cheng).

Crime Story was directed by Kirk Wong, who's most well known for gritty Category III films like Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (1994) and Rock N' Roll Cop (1994). Crime Story is no exception, telling a depressing story about police corruption and the effects of PTSD. The screenplay went through five re-writes from five different writers, which does show somewhat in the final product (more on that later).

The film is based on the real-life 1990 kidnapping of businessman Teddy Wang, who was declared legally dead in 1999. Wang was kidnapped twice (also in 1983), and according to sources I've read, the film borrows elements of both kidnappings. These include: the kidnappers routing ransom money through multiple banks, the kidnappers hiding their victim at sea, and even (somewhat tastelessly) filming the kidnapping scene on the real spot where the actual event occurred.

The filming of Crime Story was reportedly troubled, and according to Kirk Wong, he and Jackie Chan haven't spoken since the film's release. The feud seems to be over edits Jackie made to the movie without Wong's consent. Additionally, Nina Wang - Teddy Wang's widow, and Asia's richest woman at the time - put pressure on filmmakers to reshoot the film's bleak ending to make it more positive.

Jet Li was originally slated to star as guilt-ridden cop Eddie, but he dropped out after his manager was killed by Triads and didn't want to work on a film about crime. Jackie Chan stepped in and gives the best dramatic performance of his career, winning Best Actor at the 1993 Hong Kong Film Awards. Jackie has to heavily rely on his acting in this one, as the film features zero comedy and the action takes a back seat to the story. There are a few good action set pieces, but the character of Eddie only has about 50% of the normal "Jackie Chan powers" audiences are used to seeing; he suffers both physical and psychological damage in this film.

Plot wise, Crime Story is not a mystery. The audience is informed from the first scene that Wong is a kidnapper, and the film then focuses on his attempts to sabotage the police investigation from within as Eddie frantically tries to crack the case. This way of telling the story works well, but some logic flaws - likely as a result of numerous writers - pop up once or twice. The most egregious of which is when Eddie figures out Wong is dirty, he doesn't notify his team soon enough, which allows Wong to continue working on - and sabotaging - the case longer than necessary. I might be making it sound worse than it is because it's only a small slice of the movie, but it's worth noting.

Overall, despite trouble behind the scenes, Crime Story is a solid police drama. It's recommended for moviegoers in the mood for something dark, or those interested in seeing Jackie Chan break type with a great dramatic performance. As a rare Category III/Rated R Jackie Chan film, this one isn't for all audiences. Following the huge success of Rumble in the Bronx (1995) in the USA, Miramax wanted to release this movie theatrically to American audiences in the late 1990's; Jackie advised against it, and recommended Police Story III: Supercop (1992) instead. However, Crime Story did get a VHS release, which my parents erroneously allowed be to buy from K-Mart when I was way too young. I could tell something was wrong when Jackie's character spends more time visiting a therapist than he does doing something "normal", like back flipping off a helicopter.

Too many guns, not enough Kung Fu...

[SinjinSB · 4/10 · 8 November 2002]

I'm usually a big fan of Jackie Chan's movies. They're not horribly deep or meaningful, but they are usually very entertaining with Jackie's nice blend of impressive martial arts and humor. Unfortunately this movie was very lacking in both departments. Instead Jackie mostly uses a gun instead of his normal creative kung fu to deal with the bad guys. It's made worse by the fact that this was a poorly dubbed version of the movie. There are a lot of his movies I still haven't seen, but currently this one ranks lowest on the list. With his highly prolific career, do yourself a favor and choose another one of his movies.

*1/2 (Out of 4)

Wish Jackie Did more such movies like this one.

[spacescreamer · 8/10 · 9 August 2013]

Being a fan of Chan's work for about 20 yrs now, i think i have FINALLY got hold of a movie which i can say is my favourite from his line of work. Not that he hasn't impressed with his work earlier, this one kinda stands out. No trademark slapstick/light motif spread all over the movie. The direction is very good for most part and so is Jackie Chan. The action is very much there, and in just the right quantity and 'type' that should have been there. People might say this is offbeat, but according to my humble opinion.. this is JUST THE KIND Jackie really should have attempted majorly. He is def not a bad actor, and such movies would have given him enough chance to exhibit his talent the audiences haven't seen enough of.

Recently Chan has been saying that he would like to concentrate on non action films, films which have more 'acting' in it than action alone.. I think movies like Crime Story would have made him even more popular! It's a shame that nobody recommended/mentioned about this one and it took me so long to reach out to this one, but i am glad i have finally watched it. Def worth treasuring!

the darker side of Jackie Chan

[KHayes666 · 6/10 · 20 May 2005]

After witnessing The Big Brawl, Twin Dragons, Rumble in the Bronx among other Chan films...stumbling upon this one was a surprise. Crime Story is darker, more serious than other movies he's done.

The plot is he plays a Hong Kong inspector who has to investigate a kidnapping of a wealthy man by a team of hoodlums led by a crooked cop. Jackie has to go through the team one by one to get info on the missing man.

Jackie Chan plays himself and he does a great job with the action scenes but the secondary characters don't react well, or maybe because the whole film is dubbed it takes away from the realism in the voices.

Not a bad movie, not the best Jackie Chan movie but he does a great job playing the serious role.

6 out of 10

Chan proves himself as an actor in realistic actioner

[DrLenera · 6 October 2004]

Despite still showing great skill, it's almost a shame that in recent years Jackie Chan has concentrated almost entirely on slapstick martial arts and incessant mugging. Of course, this is Chan's trademark, but in his earlier days he would sometimes attempt a change of pace. Crime Story, based on a true story, is such an example.

Crime Story plays like Police Story with most of the comedy and outlandish elements removed. It's a gripping film with a realistic feel ,although there is still room for plenty of action, including an incredible sequence when Chan runs for his life for real as a wall is demolished right behind him, and a climatic fight which is reminiscent of the brutal Chan action in Heart Of The Dragon.

Chan fell out with the director of the film and added the occasional more typical Chan scene, such as a fight on trampolines. Also, some elements of the story, such as Chan's relationship with his psychiatrist, are introduced and then thrown away. Still, this is a generally well plotted, very tight film in which Chan gives a really strong, serious performance. Maybe, as he gets older ,we will see more of this kind of thing from him.

What one expects from a Jackie Chan movie

[The-Sarkologist · 7/10 · 9 December 2011]

This movie rocks. It is about a man who is kidnapped and his wife is forced to pay them millions of dollars. The twist is that one of the kidnappers is a police officer who is constantly causing the hero, Jackie Chan, problems. There is no theme and the plot is pretty shallow, but who cares because we watch Jackie Chan movies not for cool plots or deep themes but purely for the action, and much of the action in a Jackie Chan movie leaves American Cinema for dead. There is very little to say about this movie other than if you love Jackie Chan movies then you are going to like this one because it is just purely Jackie Chan. He does his cool stunts with cool comedy and one of the best police raids I have ever seen. If the Taiwanese Police force is really like that then they are incredibly effective.

What seems strange is that Jackie Chan has a cult following, more so than somebody like Van-Damme. It is interesting how Chan just seems to always deliver the good movies (at least when he was in Hong Kong). We know what we want from Jackie Chan and we usually get it. Van-Damme on the other hand, has his following, but either you love him or hate him. He has no acting skill in my opinion and people only watch him for martial arts. Jackie Chan though seems to just draw people to him. I have not really seen anybody that hates Jackie Chan who does not hate the genre. Even a friend of mine who detests television and movies has a soft spot of Jackie Chan and Hong Kong cinema. What more can I say? Just watch it (but if you can get it on some other release that is not Chinatown then do so because I simply do not like how Chinatown Video do their subtitles).

More Serious than Most Other Jackie Chan Movies

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 29 November 2015]

After an especially traumatic shoot-out with some armed thugs "Inspector Eddie Chan" (Jackie Chan) is sent to a police psychologist who recommends that he take some time off to recuperate. Disdaining this advice he goes back to work and is immediately assigned a case involving a wealthy real estate developer who fears that there is a plot to kidnap him. When he is indeed kidnapped Inspector Chan is put in charge of a task force to recover him. What he doesn't know is that his team includes one of the kidnappers who attempts to thwart his every move. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this film was quite a bit more serious than most other Jackie Chan movies. While I thought Jackie Chan performed well enough I missed the combination of action and comedy in which he excels. In any case, although I don't consider this movie to be his best by any means, it was still enjoyable enough and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

A good Time Pass

[sarthakjaiswaloo · 6/10 · 8 August 2021]

It's a good movie if you have nothing else to watch. Or if you're Jackie Chan's fan. Story is based on real life events. Acting is good. It's main usp is Jackie Chan's Action scene, they are very good and Direction is also good.

Unpopular Chan Movie

[elhamfirmino · 7/10 · 27 November 2023]

Unpopular & Underrated Jackie Chan movie. This film has a raw and serious tone. No slapstick comedy. The story shares a similar plot as Internal Affairs or its remake The Departed. The action & stunts were pretty cool to watch. I really don't like when Jackie fires shots, I rather see him fighting with his body than using a gun. What caught me off guard was the story. I know a lot of movies with terrible plot, but impressive martial arts scenes. This right here has an exciting story. His antagonist is really terrifying and keeps up the anticipation for conclusion. One of the movies I haven't watched as a kid but for the first time today. I advise every Jackie Chan fan give it a watch you won't regret it. What I don't stand is the music here it feels so uncomfortable outta place like hell it would've been better to direct this movie with less music or a different kind of film music. The score interrupts many scenes in my opinion. Chan's character is serious, in psychological treatment cause he shot someone down while serving. I give this movie as a highly Chan fan 7/10.

Brilliant jackie chan film, hugely under-rated. Amazing action

[remixinglife · 10/10 · 5 November 2006]

This has got to be one of Jackie Chans hardest hitting films, and in terms of acting, id personally say its his best. The story is basically about crooked cops etc, an it does have some sad moments in. Its rather powerful from the outset and the action definitely feels raw.

The energy in the fight scenes is once again way up there, this seems to be a film that is not credited enough in my opinion, probably due to the fact that its not Jackie Chan just doing his funny martial arts, comedy routines. But if your a through and through Chan fan like me then definitely pick up this classic film and prepare to be blown away by some of the amazing fight sequences and the end fights which rate high up there with Jackie best work.

Serious story

[arturmachado-29588 · 7/10 · 10 December 2023]

Special Agent Inspector Eddie Chan (Jackie Chan) is assigned to protect Wong Yat-Fei (Kar-Ying Law), a wealthy real estate mogul. However, when the businessman is kidnapped in a daring ambush, Chan and detective Hung Ting-Bong (Kent Cheng) are ordered by their superiors to solve the case. But Chan soon discovers that this kidnapping is not that simple.

A much more serious film without the comedic scenes that Jackie Chan has accustomed us to, and thus shows the dramatic side that he really has and can convey. The main villain is revealed right at the beginning, and although this doesn't take away from the script value, I think it would have more impact if he were identified just a little further on. At a frenetic pace, the action is practically non-stop from beginning to end, barely leaving any time to breathe, and making much more use of firearms than most other Jackie films. The final minutes are fiery and explosive, and ends with the case resolved on a positive note.

Jackie Chan like you have never seen him before

[gorthu · 9/10 · 18 April 2009]

Jackie Chan takes up his usual cop role in this crime thriller and is hired to protect a very wealthy business man. The business man fears that he is going to be kidnapped, and that is exactly what happens. The kidnappers are holding him for ransom and demand 60 million dollars for his safe return. They order his wife to get the money. The cops do a great job of surveillance on the wife and do everything they need to do to catch the criminals, but they don't know that one of their top detectives is one of the kidnappers. Kent Cheng (Butcher Wing AKA "fatso" from Once Upon a Time in China #1) stars as the dirty cop and Jackie gets assigned to work with him. It gets very intense when Jackie suspects that Cheng is helping the kidnappers.

Jackie Chan has had many good acting performances in his career, but this tops them all. His usual slapstick comedy is completely absent, but he still does a few of the other things you have come to expect from him. In one scene he is in a car chase and his car gets tipped onto its side. Well, Jackie just pushes the car back on its wheels and keeps on driving. Jet Li was supposed to play this role which seems like it would have been a good choice, but Jet's acting wasn't as good back then as it is now. Jackie plays this role to perfection, and in my opinion, there is no way that Jet Li could have pulled this role off as well as Jackie. If you have ever doubted Jackie as an actor, then check this movie out to see what he can really do. I would actually recommend this movie more to non Jackie Chan fans, but Jackie's die hard fans will also enjoy it.

I have always known Kent Cheng as somewhat of a bumbling idiot on screen, so this movie was a real eye opener for me. He shows that he is a great actor when given the opportunity. He couldn't have played his role any better.

The movie also stars Chung Fa and Ken Lo who are involved in a group fight with Jackie, and Blacky Ko has a nice cameo as a captain of the Taiwan police force.

There is not as much fighting as most Jackie Chan movies, and they keep it more real. The stunt work is top notch and will have you saying ouch, but it is actually the car chases and huge explosions that give the most excitement.

This is almost a perfect movie. Rating- 9/10

Hard to See Jackie in a drama film

[Yrello · 3 August 2003]

Like I said: To see Jackie play in a serious film is hard. Normally a film which contains Jackie Chan is all about kicking and comedy. This has some kicks and no Comedy. A few jokes here maybe. Even though it's hard to see it this film is still worth watching. It's pretty entertaining to se Jackie really use the small part of what he called `Acting'. If your going to watch film you really must be truly a Jackie Chan fan

Crime Story

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 22 December 2018]

This Jackie Chan film, inspired by a real story, sees Chan playing Inspector Eddie Chan of the Royal Hong Kong Police. He is put on the case when a local business tycoon reports that he is being targeted by kidnappers. The police are initially sceptical, putting his fears down to the fact that he was kidnapped before... then he and his wife are snatched in an attack that leaves one police officer dead and another seriously injured. The wife is quickly released but the kidnappers demand a US$50,000,000 ransom for the tycoon. Chan is teamed up with Detective Hung Ting-bong, not knowing that he is involved with the kidnappers. Their investigation brings up links to Mainland China and takes them to Taiwan before they return to Hong Kong and Chan learns the truth about the man he is working with.

This film is one of the grittiest Jackie Chan films that I've seen, his character is somewhat conflicted and since it was inspired by real events the danger feels more real. That doesn't mean that this is without Jackie's trademark superbly choreographed action and fight sequences. These included some slightly amusing touches without feeling too unreal. They also include some unpleasant moments, one involving a fan on fire might disturb some viewers. The action includes the exciting kidnap sequence; a great fight in Taiwan, fights on a ship and a final confrontation in an exploding building. Jackie Chan is on top form, showing he can be more serious when needed and Kent Cheng impresses as the corrupt Detective Hung Ting-bong. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to fans of Jackie Chan and Hong Kong cinema.

These comments are based on watching the film in Cantonese with English subtitles.

An exciting Chan vehicle.

[Hey_Sweden · 8/10 · 21 April 2013]

International action film star Jackie Chan teams with director Kirk Wong for this gritty tale that's definitely not the typical Chan film. The martial arts don't come into it very often, and it's played very straight (however, that's not to say that there's NO comedy at all).

It's an incredibly energetic production starring Jackie as Eddie Chan, a police inspector who takes it upon himself to solve the kidnapping of a prominent businessman (Kar-Ying Law), and he takes on all comers, doing anything that he has to do to save the day.

The movie takes the viewer through a myriad of Hong Kong and Taiwan locations, and it's especially commendable the way that Wong and crew maintain a high intensity level. It scarcely takes a breath as it throws one challenge at Chan after another. There's no time to ponder if any of it is implausible; you just go along for the ride and enjoy the mayhem.

There's plenty of gunfire and some extremely impressive explosions and Jackie does get some opportunities to do the sort of risk taking stunt work for which he's famous. He does get to flex some acting muscles here, playing a mentally troubled cop who, near the beginning of the story, has a scene with a psychiatrist. He also has good scenes with the primary villain, who is not portrayed in a one-dimensional, moustache-twirling manner.

"Crime Story" is pretty violent, even gory at times, and benefits from a solid supporting cast including Kent Cheng as Detective Hung, Christine Ng as Lara, and Blackie Ko Shou Liang as Captain Ko. The women are frequently gorgeous and everything is done in style. The finale in a burning building is especially entertaining.

Recommended to fans of Jackie who want to see him in a film with a different sort of tone, this is highly enjoyable every step of the way. Admittedly, the dubbing isn't the greatest, but fortunately it doesn't distract too much from the entertainment value.

Eight out of 10.

One of Chan's Best

[monkeysgalore · 10/10 · 27 April 2020]

Boy, was this entertaining. A gritty and gripping action thriller, Crime Story is easily one of Jackie Chan's best, and one of his most serious roles. It's violent, gritty, dark at times, and manages to retain that same manic energy and insanity that infuses many Hong Kong action classics, only with a harder edge. This could've easily been a Police Story installment, and probably should've been.

Jackie Chan delivers abundantly in the action and stunt department. He gives 100% in what are some truly great stunts. He's also a great actor, and he flexes his dramatic muscles here in a more down-to-earth role. He's playing himself, in super-cop mode once again, but he's humanized a little. He's more vulnerable (not to the point of annoyance like in San ging chaat goo si (2004)), and he's not superhuman. He gets hurt, often, and bleeds a lot too.

The story is engaging and thoroughly entertaining. The kidnappers aren't over-the-top, and they're evil and repulsive enough. A dirty cop, one of the main antagonists, is a big player. The plot requires a dirty cop as usual, but it makes the classy move of showing you who the rat is immediately, and letting you see the story from their perspective as well, instead of leading you on a mystery that's pretty obvious.

The action is bonkers. One of Jackie's most punishing movies, the action is loud and violent. A street shootout erupts, a great car chase occurs (a dude is hit head-on by a car!), there's a massive shootout/rooftop chase/fight, an airport fight scene, and a grin-inducing final battle. The climax is insane. Jackie wields a gun frequently in this movie, which I contend is interesting, as we don't see him use a gun often in his movies. The stunts are crazy, and that boat scene was just brutal.

Kirk Wong is an action master. I saw his American movie The Big Hit (1998), which I also loved, and both that and this are full of that crazy Hong Kong action. Wong should've done more action movies. Can't believe he didn't do at least one Van Damme vehicle like Hark and Lam.

Highly recommend this bad boy. Full of strong performances, full-throttle action, and tight editing and camerawork, Crime Story is a career highlight for Jackie Chan.