Movie Talk: "When Hong Kong Goes Hollywood"

Die-hard fans of Hong Kong movies (such as myself) were really excited about 15 years or so back when Jackie Chan finally succeeded in crossing over to Hollywood movies, and was quickly followed by such other Hong Kong names as Jet Li, Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh and director John Woo. But it didn't take long before we realized that while Hollywood studios were more than happy to use the names and reputations that these stars had built up over the years through their Hong Kong movies, they weren't really interested in using their talents... at least, not to create anything like the kinds of films on which they'd built their reputations. Maybe you have some doubts about this? Well, read on.

JACKIE CHAN. Jackie Chan is probably the number one world-wide star of martial arts films to come along since Bruce Lee. His original blend of kung fu and comedy, occasionally supplemented by a surprising talent for dramatic acting, resulted in Hong Kong classics such as "Project A" (parts 1 & 2), "Armor Of God", the "Police Story" series, and, most of all, the all-time classics "Drunken Master" and "Drunken Master II". So what have we gotten now that he's finally a Hollywood celebrity? Well, we have "The Tuxedo", in which he co-stars with that legendary action star JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT. We have "Around The World In 80 days", in which Jackie isn't even the primary lead character. Most embarassing of all, we have the umpteenth "action guy stuck with a bunch of kids" comedy, "The Spy Next Door". And now he substitues for Pat Morita in the new "Karate Kid". I'd read on IMDB recently that Chan has said that from now on, as far as he's concerned, his Hollywood movies are just a means of raising funds for his REAL films, the ones he makes in Hong Kong. I'm not surprised.

JET LI. The man behind one of the great martial arts series of recent times, "Once Upon A Time In China". Star of the unforgettable "Fist of Legend" and "Legend Of Fong Sai-Yuk" (how many other martial arts heroes are aided in battle by their mothers?). The man who has been revealing himself to be quite the actor in recent years. And his introduction to the American movie scene? Playing a cliched "yellow peril" Asian villain in "Lethal Weapon 4" (come on... Mel Gibson defeating Jet Li in martial arts combat? Get Real!). Since then, well... anyone even remember "The One" or "Unleashed" (what an embarassment!)? And now teaming up with Stallone, Dolph Lundgren and other washed-up has-been action stars for "The Expendables". The man is simply too good to deserve that. (And let's not even MENTION "The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor"!). The only way he's been able to get any good films on his resume in recent years is to occasionally go back to China to appear in films like "Fearless" and "The Warlords". (You'll notice this as a kind of pattern.)

CHOW YUN-FAT. The most elegant, coolest of the Hong Kong stars. An action man who's also sophisiticated and funny. Nobody else could have pulled off the wacky comedies he did in his earlier film days, and nobody short of maybe Cary Grant in his prime could have been so cooly impressive as the God Of Gamblers. So what has HE done in Hollywood? After starting off promisingly in "The Replacement Killers", he's been seen mostly in tripe like "Bulletproof Monk" and "The Corrupter" (co-starring Mark Whalberg), and wasted in a too-brief supporting role in the third "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. The one bright spot in the west: the art-house, independent "Children of Huang Shi". Otherwise, just like Jet Li, he's had to go back to China in order to exercise his real talent in movies like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Curse Of The Golden Flower". When will Hollywood learn?

MICHELLE YEOH. By far the biggest name in female action stars, either in Hong Kong or worldwide. She equalled Jackie Chan at his best in "Supercop: Police Story 3",  she had a couple of the most memorable fight scenes ever in "Wing Chun", she played a powerful female super-hero in the two "Heroic Trio" movies. In short, a real powerhouse and someone who commands the screen in every scene she's in. Her introduction to many filmgoers in the west: swooning helplessly over Pierce Brosnan's James Bond as yet another in the endless line of Bond Girls (has there EVER been an actress who's impressed as a Bond Girl?). And since then it's been even worse, in a series of small supporting roles that aren't even publicised in most of the ads, in films some of which are barely released. And how many people were even AWARE that she was also in "The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor" with Jet Li? Very few, if all you know is what you see in the ads. Luckily, there was "Children Of Huang Shi" and the trip back to China for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (both with Chow Yun-Fat). Hollywood often doesn't know what to do with its MALE action stars... women really confuse them.

JOHN WOO. Nobody combines fast-paced action with serious themes like John Woo can. "Bullet In The Head" packs an emotional punch unlike anything you've ever seen, and the "Better Tomorrow" films, along with movies like "The Killer",  will satisfy anyone who longs for rapid-fire action and plenty of shoot-outs, but they also have serious things to say about faith, the bond between brothers and sisters (whether blood relatives or otherwise), and our relationship to our fellow human beings. And he can also do sophisticated comedy like "Once A Thief".  So of course his first movie in Hollywood is "Hard Target" starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, the human pudding. Then, after one single moment of brilliance in "Face/Off"... a genuine John Woo movie from start to finish... it's downhill all the way with "Mission: Impossible II", "Paycheck" (Ben Affleck, action star?), and a depressing number of others. Like so many, he also had to return to China in order to finally do something he felt really passionate about... in his case, his long-time dream project, the historical epic "Red Cliff". Hey, Hollywood... you've proven you CAN allow John Woo to make a real John Woo movie ONCE... how about giving him another chance? Or is that too much to ask?

And yet, stars from around the world still persist in coming to Hollywood to break into the western market. The studios see the fanaticism these names all evoke in western fans of their eastern films and decide they want a piece of that action. So they bring them over here, and time after time after time, the create for them movies that have only the slightest fraction of the appeal that their fans came to appreciate them for. It really shouldn't be that difficult to realize what made these people stars and give western audiences more of it... should it? Yet, for every one of the names here, there are way too many other examples of the same pitfalls tripping up talented people. Wouldn't it be in the best interests of the studios to give the fans what they actually want? Oh, well. Maybe that would make too much sense.