Ride On

I was not expecting that much emotional drama from a movie starring Jackie Chan like this one, and I'm super glad it captured those emotional pinpoints.

This really looks like the type of film Jackie has always wanted to act in given his comments about trying other acting chops besides the typical kung-fu action scenes, and I couldn't be more happier for him to finally have that opportunity. I think the closest film to his best dramatic role before Ride On was Police Story: Lockdown.

The movie has a good balance of action, comedy, & drama, and doesn't rely on action fight scenes to showcase Jackie and the rest of the cast. I truly felt the heartwarming & heartbreaking father-and-daughter dynamic between Luo and Bao.

All of that goes without mentioning that the fight scenes we all love from Jackie Chan & the stunt team are in the movie, and to me, that is excellent and satisfying fan service well presented & fun.

The few issues I did have with the movie, but not that big of a deal, are some of the story beats that seem off at times, a few minutes of the second act that was slightly rushed & not enough to process, and some of Luo's disciples that deserve more screentime.

Finally, almost exactly like the fanbase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that hunt Easter eggs for references, superfans of Jackie Chan are in for many, many treats throughout the movie. Superfans will point out props, set designs, costumes, some martial arts techniques, and other elements that either reference or at least remind them of scenes from films throughout Jackie Chan's career.

This movie also reminds me of movies like The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent paying tribute to Nicolas Cage's career or The Fabelmans subtlety telling the origins of Steven Spielberg's early stages in his filmmaking career.

Ride On serves perfectly as a touching tribute to Jackie Chan's work.

It's a role that's perfect for Chan as he plays an aged stuntman who hit hard times in every sense of the word, which forces him to confront the sacrifices he made in his life in the personification of his daughter who he lost contact with, but he gets a second chance thanks to his love of a horse he's trained to do stunts.

If Jackie Chan was attempting to get that Oscar it was a good attempt. The man has spent 50 years physically giving his all on the big screen as an action star. Now in his old age he's trying to give it all emotionally as an actor and there was no better movie to do it in than Ride On, where he has nothing but empathy with what his character must be going through.

Jackie Chan maybe seasoned but he's got the experience to make his most basic tricks still exciting. The fight scenes are smaller and less dangerous, but that rhythm is still like a dancer doing the two steps with feeling. He's still got it and he's still doing it right!

On, and that horse that acts like his co-star. That horse was doing some really good acting. I was feeling everything it was doing.

Ride On is also one of those great movies about movies. One of the greatest stuntmen in the world gives us a look at the history of stuntmen from where Jackie Chan came from to where China is now with the stuntman now.

Always a little nervous with Jackie Chan movies now that he's pushing 70 but he seems to understand his lane with Ride On and it was amazing to just role with it.

No pun intended - there is one scene in this movie that some people confused with Jackies private life. I have to admit, I had no idea about his private life and his issues with his daughter (or hers with him?) ... I reckon if you are not in the know you can easily be fooled ... especially because it was quite emotional ... and it looked like something that could actually happen in real life for them too.

That said, the movie itself lends itself to comparisons ... Jackie Chan being his own stunt man most of the time, having started as stunt man too. So the story is close to home in that regard for sure. Add to that a horse and you have quite the interesting mix. The stunts/action set pieces are really good ... and if you are fan, no one has to convince you anyway ... story is quite simple, but it doesn't need to be more complicated ... and if the drama of it all does not grip you ... well then the movie is not for you I reckon ... most will at least have some moments where they shed a tear or two ... ride on indeed (the movies title is the biggest pun)

Jackie Chan's new film is a mixture of action and family drama, adding to that is the bond his character shares with his horse. A washed up stuntman, past his glory days is struggling to meet ends and the debt collector wants to take away his horse. As he fights them off, the video of it goes viral. Soon he learns, the previous owner of his horse is going to take him away, he reaches out to his estranged daughter for one last time, to save the horse and mend their relationship.

The film is filled with tear jerking moments which is pretty much what one asks for when an horse is involved. Those scenes mostly work too. Then there is a video montage of Jackie Chan's classic stunts montage which his character reacts to. Needless to say how that particular scene feels. As far as the screenplay goes, it is the usual run on the mill family drama with few action scenes thrown in to please the fans. The melodrama however is stretched and not all the scenes work as intended.

The father - daughter relationship suffered due to how basic it was and somehow it lacked the desired impact. Maybe that's why the bonding with horse had far more impact. The pace is uneven too and resorts to convenient resolution before ending on a predictable note. Jackie Chan still carries the film on his shoulder and this time not with his action skills but by making Ride On his most emotional performance to date.

Ride On has the distinction of being an international Jackie Chan film that has something for everyone. For hardcore Jackie Chan fans it has its share of martial arts, stunt choreography, and comedic interludes. However, it is a family friendly film that has a poignant and powerful message about love and family. Finally, it has a stunt horse, and everyone loves a horse that can act and do stunts.

Larry Yang did a create job creating the story of a down and out, fictional stunt man that is modeled, in many ways, after Chan himself. In fact, the film pays such deep homage to Chan's work that many of the scenes incorporate Chan's style and fight choreography. More significantly, the film walks the razor's edge by using historical film clips and injury outakes of Chan's real life, but still maintaining its fictitious persona. Under this guise the audience is getting a Jackie Chan film that, simultaneously, pays homage to Chan's own career.

Chan has matured as an actor and he does a good job here playing the role of a man coming to grips with his age, his family struggles, and his financial hardships. He is very good in this role and he is very likable. Lia Haocun is, particularly, good as his estranged daughter with a legal mind. She is so good that many international social media outlets were sharing a scene from the film and identifying her as his actual daughter.

As the film pays tribute to the legacy of Jackie Chan, it was great to see Wu Jing and Shi Yanngeng in the roles of model cinematic characters, which they actually are.

While the film is family friendly, it is not a children's movie. It has something for adults and children, and the themes are very adult and serious, despite some funny scenes. There is plenty of action and adventure for the viewer looking for more than simply a tribute film, or just a family friendly animal picture. There is a martial arts, action film very much alive in Ride On.

The real star of the film is the horse. He is well trained and fun to watch on screen. Chan's paternal relationship with him transcends the ordinary, and is executed in a powerful, heartfelt, and moving way. This is the heart of the film.

While this film is Chinese made for a Chinese audience, it does have international appeal. If you are lover of Jackie Chan, and appreciate his voluminous archive of work, you will like this a lot. However, you don't need to know anything about Jackie Chan to appreciate and enjoy this move. I liked it a lot, and I recommend it.

The film is in Mandarin with English Subtitles.