Film review: Jackie Chan enjoys his “Panda Plan”

In “Panda Plan” Jackie Chan He finally remembers that there is nothing sadder and more boring than an aged action star who, in his frail old age, devotes himself to endless shootouts with cracking joints. It’s a wild martial arts comedy in the style that cinema’s greatest martial arts clown appeared a few times a year in the ’80s and ’90s.

Daffy to the kid-friendliness – remember, he made an animated series for children – it’s lighthearted fun with little of the gritty seriousness and unsubtle folksy Republican messages of his recent films. Because this time Jackie Chan plays Jackie Chan.

We meet the action star on set, who causes chaos with falls, punches and a hail of bullets. At the moment when the director finally screams “cut” – after a barrage of blood splatters have almost assured us of the hero’s demise on camera – Jackie’s goofy assistant begins (Xiang Wei) shuts down any talk of a “different take” (in English and Mandarin, with subtitles).

He may not look it thanks to makeup, hair dye and flattering cuts, but Jackie Chan is 70 years old. His famous on-set accidents no longer lead into the outtakes like they used to in the end credits of his Hong Kong films. Now they’re making headlines because Grandpa can no longer risk serious injury.

David, the assistant, reads out a calendar of events and Jackie misses appearances at festivals and the like. After all, he has already received his honorary Oscar. But when Noah Zoo, an island home to the world’s rarest baby panda, invites him to adopt it, he’s devastated.

Who doesn’t love pandas? Certainly not the Arab potentate who decides on this must have the big baby.

So Jackie finds herself at the zoo, smiling and eating ice cream with the staff, including the “panda nanny” Xiaozhu (CeShi). They’re all crazy about meeting Jackie Chan.

Hell, even this mobile assault ship full of Western, Eastern and African mercenaries on the way to capture the panda has a lot of fanboys on board.

“Oh my God, that’s him just like that in his MOVIES!”

Jackie, the unfortunate David and the anxious panda nanny must fight their way through muscular henchmen to save the baby panda (CGI) from captivity in the Persian Gulf.

Chan’s best gags were always the blows he dodged, the deaths he committed. There are parts laughing out loud throughout this picture, which looks like it was shot on the set of Jurassic Park/World.

Jackie gives cup after cup, making them think, “I’m just a filmmaker.” But we know better.

“Don’t move!” He warns villains he has fallen for. “I’ve never shot a real gun before!”

It was disheartening to see Chan appear in vengeful, humorless shootouts like “The Foreigner” and “Bleeding Steel.” While “Panda Plan” may be one of his lesser films, he’s so committed to it, and so good at making the improbable fights, escapes and one-liners laugh-out-loud funny, that you can’t help but smile as it conjures up memories of straight-up ones , but edgy martial arts action comedies of his heyday.

And his best message, before Chinese xenophobia appeared in his films, was always the one expressed in films like Panda Plan. Don’t try this at home, kids.

Rating: Unrated, action violence, sometimes funny, fart and poop gags

Cast: Jackie Chan, Ce Shi, Xiang Wei, Andy Friend and Temur Mamisashvili

Credits: A Well Go USA release.

Running time: 1:39