Jackie Chan Delivers Both Action and Legacy in This Charming Comedy

Jackie Chan has at all times been extra than simply an action star, his expertise reaches into the realms of storytelling. In Journey On, Chan steps into a job that feels deeply harking back to his personal story. Right here, he performs Lao Luo, a down-and-out stuntman struggling to carry onto all the pieces — from his craft to his dignity. However when his horse is on the receiving finish of a authorized dispute, Lao’s battle transcends from in entrance of the digicam to the courtroom… after which again once more. Journey On isn’t just another action-comedy, it’s a mirrored image on legacy, loyalty, and the unbreakable bond between a person and his horse. At its core, Journey On is extra than simply an adrenaline-packed film, it’s a love letter to the artwork of stunt work and the private sacrifices that include it.

Apart from its profound narrative, what makes Journey On distinctive is that it popped up in an period the place CGI dominated screens. But, it managed to be a real throwback to the uncooked, bodily stunts that made Jackie Chan a world icon. Much more, the movie isn’t closely reliant on kicks and punches, it equally friends into Lao’s previous and examines the sacrifices he made as a stuntman. On the finish of all of it, one factor the film actually will get proper is steadiness. One second, Lao is combating to avoid wasting his trusty steed, Pink Hare, in an absurd but endearing courtroom drama; the following, he’s leaping off rooftops to ship a jaw-dropping stunt sequence. That’s an ideal reminder that even after many years on display, Jackie Chan nonetheless is aware of easy methods to pack a bodily and emotional punch.

Jackie Chan’s ‘Journey On’ Mixes Laughs With the Actuality of Stunt Work

Picture By way of Shanghai Photos

Humor has a manner of portray even essentially the most dire points in a brighter mild, and that’s what Journey On pulls off most remarkably. Being a stunt double isn’t essentially the most glamorous line of labor, and Journey On doesn’t draw back from the grueling elements of the job. It does not simply have a good time the tumbles and completely timed explosions stuntmen are identified for, it equally seems to be on the toll the job takes. In traditional Chan vogue, in some way, he makes all of this laugh-out-loud funny. As an example, the scene the place Lao reenacts a stunt from his glory days to show he nonetheless has it begins as a assured show, however rapidly crumbles right into a slapstick comedy of errors when he miscalculates a touchdown and finally ends up flat on the bottom. Whereas it’s as hilarious as something you’d anticipate from Chan, it’s additionally sharp commentary on how growing older impacts even essentially the most seasoned stuntmen.

The movie equally makes use of Lao’s bond with Pink Hare, to poke enjoyable on the eccentric nature of the business. In a single scene, Lao trains Pink Hare to carry out a film stunt, full with dramatic slow-motion cues and sound results. It’s a ridiculously endearing sequence that showcases the lengths to which stunt performers go for his or her craft. By balancing laughs with a splash of genuineness, the film gives a tribute to stunt performers that’s each entertaining and profound.

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‘Journey On’ Celebrates Jackie Chan’s Iconic Stunts Via a Lens of Nostalgia

For those who grew up watching Jackie Chan slide down skyscrapers or throw home items at villains in a battle, Journey On looks like a love letter to all the pieces that made him “him”. With that in thoughts, it’s clear that nostalgia is a welcome guest on Journey On and never simply because it references Chan’s legendary profession. It equally leans into utilizing his iconic stunts to tug on the heartstrings whereas delivering a dose of adrenaline. Wanting again for the time being when Chan’s character, makes an attempt to recreate one among his most well-known stunts with Pink Hare, the scene manages to be as hilarious as it’s poignant. Lao units up a chaotic impediment course, full with a desk, a stack of chairs, and even a wobbling ladder and he’s attempting to show Pink Hare easy methods to navigate it. The absurd setup looks like a direct callback to Chan’s iconic sequences in films like Police Story and Venture A. Lao’s willpower to show he can nonetheless “pull it off” says a complete lot concerning the fleeting nature of fame and physicality within the business.

Much more, the movie manages to put on the emotional weight by mixing nostalgic callbacks with Lao’s struggles as an growing older stuntman. In a scene the place Lao takes a trip down memory lane and watches clips of his outdated performances. It’s not only a run-of-the-mill peek into the previous, it’s a have a look at how the previous shapes the current, particularly for somebody whose profession has been outlined by his bodily prowess. Maybe the true great thing about all the pieces right here is that for a movie that would have closely relied on Jackie Chan’s legacy, it additionally tells a story about resilience, new beginnings, and the bittersweet pull of the previous.

Journey On is accessible to stream on Prime Video within the U.S.

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