Rating: ***
Director: Samo Hung
Cast: Jackie Chan, Richard Norton, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, cameo by Samo Hung
Probably Jackie's best film since "Drunken Master II" (1994), this one is full of fun and action, and not too heavily bogged down by the other crap that's infiltrated his other recent films. Spirited direction by Samo Hung ensures that the action is top notch, but the outtakes prove that a lot of fighting scenes were left out. This time around, Jackie is a kung fu chef who accidentally gets hold of a video tape that two gangs are after. He eventually prevails by driving a monstrous dumptruck through the bad guy's house, in a set piece that's just a little too long and tedious for its own good (reminiscent of the shark scene in "First Strike" (1996) ). Sadly, the climax is a letdown because the anticipated showdown between Jackie and villain Richard Norton never happens. A flawed film, but a fun and exciting one.