Jackie Chan is one of cinema’s most revered and influential martial artists, whose 1985 martial arts comedy remains a quintessential film from his decades-long career. Chan is lauded for his unique ability to combine dangerous stuntwork with slapstick humor, breathing new life into the action comedy genre, and forever changing the landscape of martial arts movies with films like Drunken Master and Wheels on Meals. Chan’s comedy style is said to be heavily inspired by actors like Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, and such influences can be seen in several of the martial artist’s action comedies.
These movies feature plenty of fun antics that involve a heavy amount of physical comedy and slapstick humor, but never become too absurd the way many martial arts comedies tend to do. Such a balance of humor and action is accomplished with Chan’s incorporation of eye-catching martial arts stuntwork. There are several noteworthy martial arts comedies in Chan’s filmography, but few come close to the legacy and excellence of the 40-year-old Police Story.
Police Story Is Jackie Chan’s Funniest Martial Arts Movie
The Actor’s Signature Sense Of Humor Is All Over The Place
Police Story sees Chan as his career-defining character Ka-Kui for the first time, and is a strong start to what would eventually transform into a beloved action franchise. The plot of Police Story is somewhat simple, and follows Chan’s character after an operation in which he attempts to catch a dangerous crime lord goes wrong. Ka-Kui soon finds himself in a tricky situation when he’s accused of murder and must work to clear his name. Police Story is praised most for its high-octane action set pieces, but is just as commendable for its heavy use of comedy.
Chan has proven himself to be a master of slapstick comedy, with his signature gags, exaggerated facial expressions, and physical comedy being seen all throughout his best work, and Police Story is no exception. It’s difficult to keep a straight face when watching Police Story, as there’s rarely a dull moment in its 100-minute runtime. One of Police Story‘s more memorable comedic moments takes place during a home invasion involving the woman Ka-Kui is ordered to protect, which turns out to be a ruse orchestrated by Ka-Kui.
While not all of Police Story’s action is blatantly humorous, much of it is pleasantly absurd in execution.
The staged confrontation with the hired “ᴀssᴀssin” ends with Ka-Kui puppeteering the latter’s unconscious body, producing some remarkably silly fight choreography. Police Story also implements several clever jokes, and audiences are guaranteed to get a laugh out of Ka-Kui’s clumsy endeavors in love. Additionally, while not all of Police Story‘s action is blatantly humorous, much of it is pleasantly absurd in execution, including the iconic scene when Ka-Kui latches onto a moving bus with an umbrella. Police Story’s comedy complements its action well, with the blend of the two genres being largely unmatched over the years.
Jackie Chan’s Ability To Blend Martial Arts & Comedy Is Unmatched
Neither Genre Overpowers The Other
In addition to leading the film, Chan also directed Police Story and co-wrote its screenplay. Chan’s involvement in Police Story is evident in the movie’s masterful fusion of action and comedy —something that many of Chan’s contemporaries have attempted, though few have found comparable success. Police Story is bookended by two incredible action set pieces —a shantytown car chase sequence and a shopping mall brawl— that embody Chan’s unmatched ability to combine action and comedy to more than effective results. Chan makes the melding of the two genres appear effortless, though in reality, few martial arts comedies have as balanced a tone as Police Story.
The playfulness of Chan’s physicality throughout Police Story eases the movie’s tension that would otherwise weigh heavily within a strict action movie. However, the innovation and risk seen in Police Story’s stunts keep the movie from being too silly to take seriously, grounding it and adding stakes to Ka-Kui’s job. Police Story‘s universally understood sense of humor and stunning action sequences have allowed its legacy to endure for 40 years, and it stands out as Chan’s best martial arts comedy.
