Okay, let's judge this film overall, and not just by the fighting, which is obviously the best thing about this film.

The sets are very good, and you can tell that this was a big-budget film for the time. You get the feel of being in colonial turn-of-the-century Hong Kong. The costumes add to this feel too, not to mention the fact that a lot of the buildings used actually ARE Hong Kong landmarks from all those years ago. On top of this, there's the fact that the film ages less because it is a period piece. Police Story might as well be called, "Eighties Story." Acting - well, although I watched this movie in Chinese with English subtitles, and with English dubbing, I cannot find anything wrong with the acting. It's all done pretty well, with the obvious quirks that make Hong Kong movie acting what it is: strained facial expressions, a lot of pointing, and a lot of laughing that is laughable itself.

Sound - not very good, but when you consider that all the sound had to be re-dubbed, it makes sense, and allow for more leniency.

The plot is not wafer-thin, as has happened in earlier Chan movies, but this isn't Pi. To be honest, it's about as complicated as a Jackie Chan movie is ever going to get, and if the only reason for watching a kung-fu movie is plot, you're an idiot, anyway.

Right, then - action - and boy oh boy, this film is full of incredible action. I have over sixty Jackie Chan films in my collection, so I know what I'm talking about when analysing his films. Project A ranks among the best of his films, when looking at the action. There are so many fights staged, and so many pay-offs. You get to see Jackie, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biu fighting each other, and the bad guys in such a fast, furious, and creative way that this is an action movie you'll never forget. Dick Wei is muscular and mean as the head of the pirates, and is a formidable foe, who forces the three brothers to come together to dispose of him.

As usual, the stunts would not have been allowed in Britain or America, but hey, this is Kong Kong, so let's blow these guys up, and watch them flip and fly across the set for our own satisfaction.

Overall, this is a top notch film, with wonderfully edited fights, excellent creativity, and superb Chanesque humour along the way. It's a showpiece of the efforts of the three special ones of Hong Kong cinema in the eighties, and any fan of Hong Kong cinema should only miss this at their peril.

In this film, Jackie Chan is in the Hong Kong navy circa 1900. Again and again, the navy is unable to locate and stop the marauding nearby pirates--thanks to help within the government. Unfortunately, Chan and is fellow sailors are blamed again and again for their failure, so it's up to Jackie and a group of naval commandos to located and destroy the hidden pirate fortress.

I love martial arts movies and have enjoyed several Jackie Chan movies. In this film, as usual, the stunt work is impeccable and exciting. However, I had a real hard time getting into this film when it came to the rather silly plot and especially when it tried to be funny. While Sammo Hung directed many of Chan's films, I can't stand him in all the films I've seen him perform in because he almost always plays a big dope and his martial arts skills are very suspect. This rotund guy can barely kick higher than knee level and yet you are to believe that he's a butt-kicker--I think not. Jackie Chan is just fine and plays his usual plucky and likable guy, but Sammo severely hampers Chan in the film. Plus, sadly, he's just not very funny--just really annoying. Sorry folks, but this isn't one of Jackie's best films.

It's late 19th century Hong Kong. Sergeant Dragon Ma (Jackie Chan) leads his men in the naval guard. They plan a big raid against the pirates. They have an unfriendly rivalry with the Hong Kong police. When pirates destroy their ships in the harbor, Dragon and his men are transferred to the police under the command of bitter rival Hong Tin-tsu who is the nephew of the incompetent Captain Chi. When Chi interferes with Dragon, Dragon quits the police force. Dragon is joined by old acquaintance Fei (Sammo Hung) as they try to thwart the pirates buying police rifles and save Admiral's daughter Winnie.

As a story, it's a bit silly. It's physically funny but not necessarily a verbal comedy. The action is non-stop. Some of it is quite impressive. Many of the stunts land these guys on pretty hard surfaces. Several times, I end up saying "That's gotta hurt!". Falling off the clock tower is insanity. Jackie landed on his face. That doesn't happen anymore and if it does in today's movies, everybody would think it's CGI. It's that unbelievable.