Project A2
From Zanecorpwiki
A classic Jackie Chan New Hong Kong Cinema flick, available on it's own, or with Jackie's definitive classic, The Legend of the Drunken Master (aka, Drunken Master II).
Summary
Set right after Project A, this is a middle of the road film for Jackie--which makes it an above average martial flick.
The film has the familiar blend of accessible, largely physical comedy and mature action sequences (fighting and non) that typify Chan's work. The action is in the the believably surreal style that typifies New Hong Kong Cinema with all the little extra touches that are common enough in Chan films, but really set his works apart. If there is a criticism on the action front, it's that the film does not have that one over-the top or original scene that one finds in Chan's best stunt work.
The action of the film is driven by tension between the nationalist rebels (communists) and the pro-imperial forces of the Dowager Empress. The Hong Kong setting (controlled by the British) and a side story of pirates from Project A on a revenge mission add some spice, but viewers not specifically into martial arts or modern Chinese history may find the film less accessible and interesting than some of Jackie's other works.
Details and Notes
Personally, I find the tension between British Rule, nationalist rebels, and the conservative forces of the Empress absolutely fascinating. The story is (given the time and place of filming) of course pro-nationalist. As far as that goes, it is a propaganda piece, but the message is never distracting. Nor is it blatantly communist, so your arch-conservative relatives won't hate you for watching it.
The fascinating bit, though, is the depiction of Chinese Communist doctrine through classic and new Hong Kong Cinema. In early films, nationalist Chinese ally with the true royalty-as-paragons against thieves and bandits that plague all. In films like Project A2, we see the royalty-as-usurpers of the true heritage. The nationalistic rebels are the true inheritors of tradition and righteousness.
It's a classic example of the metaphor capture and definition. In reality, there is obviously a lot of grey in such a thing, but it is interesting to read the classic texts on ruling. The Chinese developed a political system that--though based on monarchy--was far more mature and national than our own Western monarchies ever were. Which is to say, there is some truth in the Communist/national-rebel narrative. This is one of if not the major foundational differences between European/Russian and Chinese/Asian communist systems.
