The Protector (1985)

Rating: ***
Director: James Glickenhaus
Cast: Jackie Chan, Danny Aiello, Roy Chiao, Moon Lee

A great looking and very well made, but boring as hell, early attempt to bring Jackie Chan to America. Director James Glickenhaus somehow managed to take the Hong Kong action formula and strip it of everything that makes it exciting. The addition of wise cracking loud mouth Danny Aiello seals the fate of this wanna-be action film. Jackie and Danny are NYPD officers who go to Hong Kong in search of a kidnapped girl and a notorious drug smuggler (Roy Chiao). Along the way they are aided by friends including a very young Moon Lee, who sadly doesn't get to do much of anything except look cute. It has a very 1970's "Enter The Dragon" feel, and although there is a lot of action, it just isn't very interesting. It's also very strange to hear Jackie swearing with American slang, and does anybody know why all of the girls working at the drug factory were naked?