Hong Action Movies have had a huge impact on cinema. Modern action films have all been influenced by these highly entertaining Hong Kong flicks. From John Wick, Cobra Kai, Scott Pilgrim, Kill Bill, Marvel Studios, or Zack Snyder’s Batman fight in BvS, it all ties back to Hong Kong Action. Even Martin Scorsese’s Oscar Winning film The Departed is a remake of Infernal Affairs, an acclaimed Hong Kong gangster movie. Whether it be martial arts, swordplay, wuxia fantasy, crime dramas or the bullet ridden gun ballets of John Woo, Hong Kong films have staked their claim in the evolution of action cinema.
Two of the biggest stars to come out of Hong Kong are Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Their movies are some of the best action films ever made. From Jackie Chan’s comedic stunt work or Jet Li’s no holds barred fight choreography, both have become fan favorites in the Hong Kong Action genre. Both have made a huge impact on movies and pop culture. Which then leads to question, is there a debate of who is better?
It is hard to determine which action star comes out on top. Further analysis requires some thought and research into both Jet and Jackie’s filmographies. Examining their skills, not only in action, but acting as well is essential as both have completely different styles. While Jet Li is more straight forward, Jackie relies more on humor, yet both are a joy to watch.
First off, Jackie Chan has been working longer, he first appeared in films as a child in the 1960’s and even did stunt work on Bruce Lee movies like Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon. He began starring in his own movies in the 70s with The Drunken Master before breaking out as a star in the 80s. So, Jackie’s work has an advantage just from his longevity.
Photo Credit:https://www.vintag.es/2018/06/young-jackie-chan-style.html
Jackie began combining action with comedy which proved to be highly successful. Films like Project A, Winners and Sinners, My Lucky Stars, and Wheels on Meals featured some of the craziest stunt work and action scenes ever put on film. The Police Story series is also iconic and feature action scenes that are still unmatched. The Mall Fight in the first Police Story still tops most Hollywood action films to this day.
Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh in Supercop aka Police Story 3 (1992) Photo Credit: https://www.imdb.com/
Jackie became known not only for his comedic work but also as a fearless stunt man. He was willing to put his body and life on the line for pure entertainment, often getting injured and coming close to death on several occasions. He was left in a coma for seven days after falling out of a tree on the set of Armor Of God. Jackie has got the scars and broken bones to prove that the dedication to his craft cannot questioned.
Jackie Chan getting hit by a helicopter on the set of Supercop, resulting in an inury that broke his shoulder and rib. Photo Credit: Youtube.com
Jackie began training at a very young age at the Peking Opera School. He was a part of the performing group known as the Seven Little Fortunes, along with his friends Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao and Corey Yuen, all of whom have also made big names for themselves in Hong Kong Action. Jackie’s years at the Peking Opera taught him not only martial arts, but singing, dancing and acrobats, ultimately training him to be a performer.
Jackie Chan with his childhood friends; Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, also known as the Three Dragons. Photo Credit:https://www.imdb.com/
Jackie does more than just fight scenes. He has also done car chases, dangled from helicopters and hot air balloons, scaling skyscrapers, falling from dangerous heights, and his acrobatic skills have inspired the Parkour movement. Jackie is not a one trick pony and has always evolved his action style. It is safe to say that Jackie Chan may be more talented than Jet Li just from the variety of his skills.
However, Jet Li was a Wu Shu Champion at the age of 11 and was traveling the world demonstrating his martial art talent throughout his teens. He then landed a starring role in the Shaolin Temple film series in the 1980s. These movies were successful as they highlighted traditional martial arts and used real kung fu practitioners rather than trained actors.
Jet Li in Shaolin Temple (1982). Photo Credit: https://www.imdb.com/
Jet Li went on to become a huge star after portraying Wong Fei Hung in the Once Upon A Time in China film series. Wong Fei Hung is a real life Chinese folk hero that has been portrayed by many actors throughout the years. Even Jackie Chan played him in the Drunken Master movies. However, it is Jet Li’s portrayal of Wong Fei Hung that has become the most iconic and revered. The Once Upon A Time in China movies are considered classics and essential kung fu film viewing.
Jet Li as Wong Fei Hung in Once Upon A Time In China. Photo Credit:https://www.tasteofcinema.com/2015/the-15-best-hong-kong-action-movies/
Jet Li even remade Bruce Lee’s classic film Fist of Fury with his own Fist of Legend, which featured action choreography by Yuen Woo Ping, another Hong Kong action legend who would later go to Hollywood and work on The Matrix. It was very bold to remake a Bruce Lee film, it was the equivalent of trying to remake The Godfather or Titanic. Fist of Legend should not have worked, but it did. The movie is considered one of the best martial arts films ever made and cemented Jet Li as a star.
Photo Credit: https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/zy0ecmovd0GEImuuXnUSGR0qMcD.jpg
While his historical kung fu period films were successes, Jet Li also evolved as an action star throughout the 90s, doing modern films like High Risk, My Father is a Hero, Bodyguard from Beijing and Hitman. These movies also feature breathtaking action and fight scenes. Jet Li became known for his tough guy persona, brutal violence, lightning-fast speed and graceful, elegant fight choreography. His stoic bad ass style of fighting was a huge contrast to Jackie Chan’s slapstick comedies.
While Jackie Chan is a great performer with many different talents, Jet Li is first and foremost, a martial artist. It was very common for many Hong Kong Action stars to be trained in performing arts. Like Jackie, stars like Andy Lau was a singer, Brigitte Lin worked in theater and even Michelle Yeoh was a dancer before transitioning into martial arts movies. Jet Li, however, started out in martial arts and those philosophies are intricate to his identity, and it is those attributes that are reflected in his films.
Jet Li and Christy Chung in Bodyguard From Beiiing (1994) Photo Credit: https://3.bp.blogspot.com/__FB9waRXJB0/TG3Hw3E0ApI/AAAAAAAADnI/gYgvMlJp8dY/s320/bodyguardbeijing1.jpg
So, while Jackie Chan has done many movies that are highly entertaining and full of lighthearted comedic fun, it is safe to say that Jet Li made better films. Sure, Jackie has done some great action stunts, but Jet Li’s movies are just very well made. Jet Li may only focus on the fight choreography and may not possess the variety of stunt skills as Jackie, but Jet’s movies are just better told stories, full of character depth and dramatic weight. Jackie Chan made a lot of fun goofy movies, but Jet Li’s films like Fist of Legend, Once Upon a Time in China, Hero and Fearless are pretty much considered masterpieces.
Eventually, both Jackie and Jet came to the U.S. to make movies in Hollywood. It is safe to say that both of their American film track records are mediocre at best. It’s not entirely their fault, as Hollywood was not equipped to deal with the stunts of Hong Kong Action. Jackie Chan had a hard time getting insured on his American movies and was limited on the stunts he could do.
Same with Jet Li, he was told to hold back and slow his movements. He was warned many times not to hurt Mel Gibson on the set of Lethal Weapon 4. After the success of The Matrix, Hollywood demanded more wirework, while Jet Li wanted to focus more on traditional martial arts. Jet Li was then forced to work with American stunt teams who lacked the experience of wire work, as a result, those action scenes lack the grace and style of Hong Kong cinema. Romeo Must Die, Cradle to the Grave and the Expendables are borderline campy compared to Jet Li’s work in China. However, Kiss of the Dragon and Unleashed/Danny The Dog do not count as they were made in France and do not have lackluster wirework or subpar CGI.
As for their Hollywood movies, both Jackie and Jet were watered down for American audiences. Since Jackie was already known for comedy, this safe, homogenized approach to movies worked in his favor. So, it is safe to say that Jackie Chan made better American movies. Rush Hour, The Tuxedo, and Shanghai Noon are just fun comedies, nothing more or less. Jackie even provided voice work in Kung Fu Panda and the Ninja Turtles. These movies may not be as impactful as his early work but they are still entertaining nonetheless.
History was made in 2008 when both Jackie and Jet starred in The Forbidden Kingdom. An American made martial arts fantasy that was an homage to classic Kung Fu films, featuring many easter eggs and inside references. It was also the first time Jackie Chan and Jet Li were in the same movie together. The fight scene they share is complete fan service. Jackie is a drunken boxer vagabond who faces off with Jet Li’s shaolin monk in a display of wonderous martial art skills. Forbidden Kingdom is not groundbreaking in any way, however it is still worth the watch just to see Jackie Chan and Jet Li trade blows onscreen.
Jet Li and Jackie Chan onscreen together for the first time in The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) Photo Credit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865556/
So, in trying to determine who is better between Jackie Chan or Jet Li, one thing is made clear. Both are amazing. They both have great skills in martial arts and action scene choreography. They both have made great movies that have influenced an entire generation of filmmakers and created a whole new genre. Their contributions to the evolution of action cinema are still felt today and their work has yet to be outdone. Who is better is irrelevant.
In the end, they are both entertaining. Jackie Chan and Jet Li are two of the greatest action stars of all time. That is for certain. It all comes down to preference and depending on one’s taste. If you want straight forward hard-hitting action, graceful fight choreography, great movies that are a full-on cinematic experience, go with Jet Li. If you’re in the mood for fun light-hearted slapstick comedy that feels like a circus act full of wild stunts that is just a blast to watch, then Jackie Chan it is. In researching this topic, one can only appreciate how great Jackie Chan and Jet Li are and conclude that they are both equally iconic. Like the Yin and Yang symbol, they are two opposite forces coexisting with each other. The movies of Jackie Chan and Jet Li simply exist, and that’s all that matters. It is the audience, who wins.
