I’ve never been a big fan of Jackie Chan films. Though I fully appreciate the humor he brings to the screen, his amazing use of props as makeshift weapons, and his incredible stunt work (the guy is, deservedly, a living legend), his movies tend to be too sweet and much too contrived for my rather stilted tastes.

Nevertheless, here I am breaking my “only Japanese” rule with a Chinese concoction. Obviously Chan’s new THE ACCIDENTAL SPY affected me in some way since I would not have bothered voicing my opinions on the vacuous Hollywood RUSH HOUR series, GEORGEOUS (gag!), or SHANGHAI NOON which is, in my view, an inferior copy of Jet Li’s 1997 production, ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA AND AMERICA.

Anyway, let’s see what this film offered that prompted me to put fingers to keyboard and risk the wrath of my site’s expert on Chinese cinema (What form will Val Frost’s vengeance take?). The two key words that motivated this review: DEATH & INTROSPECTION.

In a world that demands political correctness – often to the detriment of creativity or depth – Jackie Chan films have smiled their way to the hearts of “play it safe” movie fans for quite a while now. This flick, though, starts with a scene of extreme Turkish violence and then, inexplicably, tosses us into a typical Jackie Chan situation that has nothing to do with what came before or what comes after. Donning the role of a middle-aged exercise equipment salesman who works in a Chinese mall shop and sees a robbery in progress, the quasi-beginning of THE ACCIDENTAL SPY seemed to promise more of the usual mindless, impossible clowning: Mr. Chan gets the money back, runs for his life, bashes the villains with any object that’s close to hand, and runs some more. Soon he’s on the rooftops, bullets are flying (but nobody ever gets shot, of course) and…well, I loathe this kind of stuff!

I eyed the fast forward button on my remote with longing, when suddenly the whole tone of the movie changed. Apparently the director, Teddy Chan (a non-relative who penned the script for the solid Jet Li vehicle, BLACK MASK), took control of the movie, toned down the hysteria, and gave us…well…something worth watching.

When our star (who grew up in an orphanage) finds out that he might be the son of a Korean spy who is dying of cancer, he flies out to meet the man (treating us to a few quick Korean sights), is given a riddle to solve by the terminal parent, and finds himself in the alien culture of Turkey.

Jackie Chan’s low-key performance is worthy of praise, and the pathos he exudes as a caring man thrust into an ugly world is actually moving. Facing CIA operatives that can’t be trusted, a drug kingpin that is keeping the lovely Taiwanese actress Vivian Hsu as a drug addicted slave, threats to his life, and the mysterious legacy of his father, the movie managed to head into heartfelt areas that have rarely been visited in a Jackie Chan picture. Then…bathos!

A sudden switch from psychological action drama to the Jackie Chan version of SPEED drags the viewer screaming back to more “acceptable” Jackie fare. With the heavy costs of filming in various locations, and with the pyrotechnics of the out of control truck scene, one can easily understand how the movie cost over twenty-five million to make. But what transforms this film into a success is something money can’t buy: Jackie Chan showing off his acting talents, Jackie Chan showing emotional vulnerability, Jackie Chan filled with angst, and Jackie Chan facing serious situations with serious ramifications.

Though Jackie did the things that only Jackie can do (while showing us that he’s a far better dramatic actor than many of us suspected), Teddy Chan deserves heavy kudos for keeping Jackie’s clown-like impulses in check (demonstrating, once again, the importance of having a director strong enough to keep his star in line).

I really liked this film. So pick it up at your local video store and prepare yourself for an enjoyable viewing experience.