Skiptrace (original title: Jue Di Tao Wang) is a 2016 action comedy film directed by Renny Harlin and in the main role Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing. It's about a Hong Kong police officer and an avid gamer who, each with their own reasons, must team up to defeat the Chinese crime syndicate and its mysterious leader “The Matador.”
It's a film that, to be honest, I didn't want to sit down and watch at first, but due to unmentionable circumstances I did, and as I forced myself to watch this loose and light-hearted film, I began to remember why Jackie Chan is one of the most popular names in Hollywood.
My relationship with Skiptrace didn't start off on the right track, as I was skeptical about the unexceptional advertising campaign in the US and the seemingly random and abstract title.
Due to the film's stunning cinematography, great fight scenes, and hilarious characters, I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed the 106-minute film (however, I believe it could have been, and still is, about 15-20 minutes shorter). would have been). as good as).
Benny and Connor
The two stars of the film, Jackie Chan And Johnny KnoxvilleThey fit well together as complete opposites are forced to be temporary teammates. They are the difference between old and new, honor and results. Benny Chan is a Hong Kong detective who cares about honor and doing the right thing, while Connor Watts is a troublesome player who always seems to be stalked by a rather large and dangerous person.
Connor is on the run from the Russian mafia, the Chinese crime syndicate and the Hong Kong police Chan As he vows to protect his fallen partner's daughter, it feels like the story is pushing the two main characters together for almost no real reason. Still, we can enjoy the great back and forth between these two fast-talking men.
Source: Cider Mill Pictures
Johnny Knoxville is a renowned speaker. He even returned to his roles in the action films Walking Tall, in which he starred Dwayne JohnsonMen in Black II and even his MTV Jackass days. Jackie ChanHowever, he usually played the sidekick with minimal lines, and that's why his performance in this film is so fun to watch. It really feels that way Jackie Chan was able to take control of this role and the entire film.
Home, sweet Hong Kong
One of the best things about the film is its use of the Hong Kong landscape and the various Chinese traditions that were expressed throughout the story. The combination of the two really allows you to get a feel for who the director is Renny Harlin Here I have tried to show Hong Kong in all its natural beauty. Landscape, culture and more were featured in Skiptrace.
In this film we see several shots of farms, rivers and mountain landscapes that are simply beautiful to look at. I believe that Chinese culture and the beauty of their country are a very special source of pride for their compatriots and that it was therefore a concerted effort on the part of the production team to make the Hong Kong landscape almost as important to their film as the characters themselves.
Source: Cider Mill Pictures
A few times in the film we see how our characters (one familiar and one less familiar) come into direct contact with Chinese culture and tradition and that this is a tool for the success of their story. For example, Chan And Knoxville are chased through the city and before they pass a group of women they have to sing. It's the only way to get past, and it's a funny scene because the bad guys chasing them inevitably have to sing to get past the women, forcing one of the crime syndicate's henchmen to slip into a half-rotten, breaking out into a semi-exaggerated dance routine, even including the recently popular “dab” dance move.
Jackie's business card
So it may be a surprise…but Jackie Chan Fight in this movie. NO? No surprise? Did you already know that? Oh… well then.
Jackie Chan fights in this film, a lot. We see right from the beginning of the film Chan on some sort of boathouse as he snoops around the sketchy room. He encounters a guard dog and almost gets away by using the dog's toy ball as a distraction. However, the ball falls into the room where the villains are and slowly bounces down the stairs to their feet. Madness quickly ensues.
The well-choreographed fight scenes in this film last about 5 to 10 minutes each, and at the beginning a woman is thrown through a window and thrown into the sea? I’m officially “in”! (We hope she is well). Most of the fight scenes are several minutes long and run through each set as if Jackie Chan He himself has always lived in these warehouses and knows every nook and cranny that he can use to his advantage.
Source: Cider Mill Pictures
There is a particular fight scene that we see Jackie Chan Fight against a very strong and physical female character. During the fight, he constantly tells her that he feels uncomfortable hitting a woman, while she angrily lashes out at him, breaking everything he uses as defense in half. He eventually uses his power against her and she ends up wrapping herself in several layers of plastic, seemingly on her way to suffocating herself. We see her again later in the film, although that was a bit disturbing. Actually giving a deserving villain an ending in this way would have added a real and necessary level of grit to the sometimes “fluffy” film.
Although Jackie Chan“Benny,” the character of “Benny,” in this film is a bit more renegade than any cop we’ve ever seen (he bullies and intimidates). Knoxvilleis the character to no end and is fun to watch Chan) He is still very noble and kind Jackie Chan We know that, and I was glad to see that… I guess.
PSA: Don't skip skiptrace!
Through the use of cinematography and the focus on Chinese culture, the endearing and forever stylish aura is utilized Jackie ChanSkiptrace is a sleeper that allows this film's fight scenes to captivate and delight the viewer.
It's a film that doesn't take itself too seriously and is determined to enjoy the light ups and downs Chan vs. Knoxville. What it lacks in story and depth, it more than makes up for in fun and action. Rent Skiptrace today and sing before you cross!
Have you seen Skiptrace yet? Tell us what you think of the film in the comments!
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