Project A 2 (1987) User Reviews

"You don't have to have athlete's foot to be an athlete." – Miss. Pak

[SamuraiNixon · 8/10 · 25 February 2010]

Sequels are a capricious lot with most nowhere near the stature of the original. Sometimes you find a sequel that is considered better than the original, some critics (such as John Charles) have stated that Project A2 is better than the original, I disagree somewhat but this movie is still a worthwhile follow-up and fits well in the output of brilliant Hong Kong action cinema in the 1980s as well as Jackie's own oeuvre. I do wonder how with such an awesome release of great films that his later films were not as good. He only has directed two films in the 1990s and none past that, but he has had much clout in many of the films where he is not officially the director.

Earlier in 1987 Jackie had brain surgery following a disastrous fall in the filming of Armour of God. This encouraged him to work on his next film close to home. This did not encourage him to stop risking his life and his stunt team for our amusement. What resulted is a smash hit at home that eclipsed the original in box office tallies (31 million HK dollars compared to 19 million for the original).

Jackie Chan is once again police officer extraordinaire Dragon Ma and he is ordered to work with "Three Wan" Superintendent Chun (Lam Wai, Royal Warriors) who is the only Chinese police officer allowed to have a gun yet is thought to be staging arrests to make himself look better and ignoring the crimes of a triad lord named Tiger Au (Michael Chan Wai-Man, Dragon Lord). Apparently Chun has too much power to be taken down directly, but he is relieved of the Sai Wan district (now he is "Two Wan") which Dragon Ma takes over. This inefficient and corrupt office will soon get a makeover and there is a great scene where three officers, who do not know who they are dealing with, attempt to assault Ma to teach him a lesson about complaining about police officers. He soon has that district ship-shape and Tiger Au taken care of. The fight choreography and stunts with Tiger and his men are quite awesome. My favorite stunt was a beautifully brutal fall from the second floor into a large vase and that vase did not appear to be soft.

Meanwhile a couple of subplots are happening. There are pirates who have survived from the first film who are looking for revenge and food. Then there are revolutionaries including Maggie (Maggie Cheung, In The Mood For Love) and (Rosamund Kwan, Casino Raiders) who are trying to raise funds for Dr. Sun Yat-sen to overthrow the Qing Government as well as government operatives who are trying to find these rebels. Throw in a mixture of corrupt Hong Kong and British Cops as well as legitimate ones and you have a stew that is getting a bit too many ingredients, but yet still seems to coalesce. This works well when there is a Marx Brothers influenced scene (the Marx Brothers have done this type of scene a few times with The Cocoanuts (1929) being the first) at Maggie's place where everyone is looking for someone while hiding from someone else. Many weeks were spent on this scene alone and the effort certainly shows.

There are several faults with the film. There is a certain didactic nature that creeps in the film that seems a bit out-of-place – especially one small speech towards the end that Jackie gives when dealing with the Mainland revolutionaries and the extremely easy conversion of the pirates that survived from the first film. Female characters are once again underused and under-appreciated, especially Maggie Cheung. I was not as satisfied with the continuance of the plot as much as the first film either. The individual scenes dominate my feelings for the film instead of thinking of this movie as a cohesive whole. I do not fault the film for not being able to have Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao like the first though (I have heard the main reason behind this was that those two were filming Eastern Condors, but I do wonder if Jackie could have waited a small while to get them to perform in this – they would work together for the last time the following year in Dragons Forever), but they are missed.

I found this to be quite an enjoyable and well-made film and it is rightfully regarded as one of the better comedic action films of the 1980s. This film is also quite good in a few unexpected places. The art direction is superb (Eddie Ma Poon-chiu), the costumes are exquisite, the cinematography is good and the movie looks quite authentic. But the stunts, comedy and the action is what I remember this film for. There is a chase involving a handcuffed Dragon and Chun that is superb (part of the axe throwing scene would be used in Shanghai Noon). The last twenty minutes is full of awe-inspiring hits, falls, chili-peppers as a mouth-mace (Jackie writes in his autobiography about how he used real peppers in this scene; you can see him in a lot of mouth pain during the outtakes at the end) and is a worthy conclusion to this movie. The most famous stunt from this sequence is his homage to Buster Keaton from Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928) with the exception that there is no hole and only a weak section where his head pops through.

Fans of Jackie and/or Hong Kong action cinema should consider this a must own and watch. I certainly do.

"Just remember. You're still one of us."

[lost-in-limbo · 7/10 · 2 February 2013]

I guess a second instalment to the very successful original was inevitable and this follow-up doesn't disappoint either, although I wouldn't say it comes close to it predecessor. With the likes of Summo Hung and Yuen Mao not returning it does leave a very big hole, but we know how well Jackie Chan can carry a film and that's was he does with Part II. Chan again would star, co-wrote, and direct along with being the stunt coordinator. You know by now the stunts we are seeing are Jackie leading the way in some feats like the handcuffed chase, rotating cage and the climatic showdown involving falling framework, but never really do they reach the great heights of some of his other staged stunts.

Dragon Ma has rid the sea of Pirate Lo and his men, and now finds him back on land where he's given a new assignment of cleaning up crime and corruption in one of the roughest districts. But Ma and his loyal crew don't have it easy with the local police chief who's crafting a web of deceit. However also riding Ma's back are some pirates who want to avenge the death of Pirate Lo and then there are agents of the Manchu government.

This action-adventure can be as fast and furious with outstanding martial arts choreography balanced out with goofy, if charming slapstick humour. The action is not as frequent as it seems spaced out, with more comical elements finding its way in where Chan toys around. Even the script shines the spotlight on some political issues involving communist's rebels vs. mainland Chinese imperials, which can make things a little talky and some sub-plots feel aimless. It starts off rather sharp, but never recaptures that spirit it began with. The lavished production makes good use of its set-designs and costumes with a flamboyant Hong Kong backdrop.

one of JCs very best

[jzathajenious · 8/10 · 26 July 2003]

i honestly dont know why so many people hate this movie, i have always thought that it was one of my absolute faves. the fight with tiger and his men rocked, the fight with the pirates with the axes rocked, the whole skit with everyone trying to avoid one another in the house is pure genious...ok so it didnt have the requisite kick ass final confrontation but the manchus were pretty good. i give it a 8/10.

Archetypical Jackie Chan movie, for better or worse...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 23 July 2020]

Well, this is a Jackie Chan movie, so you know what you are getting here - heaps of action and impressive stunts. So it all boils down to the storyline, doesn't it?

I will say that "Project A 2" (aka "'A' gai wak 2") wasn't the best of Jackie Chan's movies. But don't get me wrong, because I am not implying that it is a bad or poor movie; far from it. This movie was entertaining for sure, and yeah there were good action and impressive stunt feats here as well, but the storyline was just a bit on the trivial side, wasn't it?

The movie boasts a rather impressive cast ensemble with the likes of Jackie Chan, Carina Lau, Bill Tung and Rosamund Kwan. Which leaves me to mention the gorgeous Maggie Cheung, one of my all-time favorite actresses in the Hong Kong cinema.

Entertainment-wise then "Project A 2" was adequate, but it wasn't an outstanding notch in Jackie Chan's formidable career.

Needless to say that I was impressed with the fighting, stunts and choreography, because it is always top notch and fabulous when you watch a Jackie Chan movie. And I was especially impressed with the fact that he actually chowed down on real chilies for that scene - as it was shown in the clips during the end credits. Now that was definitely commitment to the movie.

I am rating "Project A 2" a six out of ten stars. It was watchable and entertaining enough, just doesn't rank among the best of Jackie Chan's movies.

A classic Jackie Chan movie

[udeaasykle · 7/10 · 10 January 2004]

Project A II is a classic Jackie Chan movie with all the kung fu, crazy stunts and slapstick humor you expect. Not as good as the prequel but still it is a great movie if you just want something fun to watch. The story is simple, jackie chan versus the evil men. So if you want a movie that you don't have to be a braniac to understand, i would suggest this one.

Hong Kong's answer to Buster Keaton?

[mjneu59 · 7/10 · 27 December 2010]

Many films claim to be like riding a roller coaster, but this more or less typical adventure from Asian sensation Jackie Chan is the genuine article: a fast, furious, and totally physical wide-screen action comedy. The convoluted screenplay, picking up right where Part I presumably ended, follows an incorruptible turn-of-the-century Hong Kong cop forced to contend with powerful mobsters, dangerous revolutionaries, crooked policemen, and a scruffy crew of pirates, separately and often all at once. But what passes for a plot is only an excuse for several hair-raising (and nicely choreographed) combat and chase scenes set (almost literally) at a breakneck pace, and performed without the benefit of doubles or trick photography. The writer/director/actor (and title song singer) single-handedly legitimizes the concept of mindless entertainment, at the risk of bruises and more than one broken bone, but never mind: the film is exhilarating, exhausting, and just plain fun.

(postscript: fifteen-plus years after seeing 'Project A II' I finally caught up to the first chapter, which is even more energetic than its sequel...)

Proof that not all sequels are bad

[The-Sarkologist · 9/10 · 13 July 2013]

This movie has so much in it and by the end you are generally left panting. It has pirates and underworld gangs, rebels and imperialists and corrupt colonial dignitaries and police officers, and as with all Jackie Chan movies, it is pumped full of action, fights, and stunts.

Project A Part II actually follows on from the original movie with the remaining pirates clambering ashore and vowing to get back at Jackie Chan. The movie is set in the turn of the century, when the China was still an empire and Britain a colonial power with huge vested interests in China. The movie is about a police officer, Sergeant Chung, who is seen at the beginning of the movie setting up an armed robbery so that he is made to be a hero. The chief of the Hong Kong police force believe that he is corrupt but Chung has too much power, so they remove one district from his control and bring Chan in, who is a marine policeman, and give him that district. Chan immediately sets about cleaning up the district, and after busting open the big gang in the area, the once cowardly policemen decide to follow him.

There is a lot in this movie and as such it would spoil the whole movie to describe the plot. It involves Chan getting framed for stealing jewelery and then trying to prove that he is innocent. Caught in the middle of all of this are the rebels who want to save China by overthrowing the Emporer, and there are the emperor's bodyguards who are trying to get rid of the British.

The movie has little in the way of theme because people watch a Jackie Chan movie for the action and the comedy. They watch them for the bizarre scenes, such as the handcuff chase scene. The other really notable thing about this movie are the sets, they are all very authentic. The sets made for this movie are being reused constantly for many other Hong Kong movies. Chan went to a lot of trouble to not only create an entertaining sequel, but one that capture the essence of this tumultuous time in Hong Kong history.

Inspector Ma gets his second assignment

[ebiros2 · 8 November 2011]

This is a direct sequel to the Project A. All the casts from the previous movie returns to continue their roles.

Inspector Chun is the only Chinese police officer who is allowed to carry a gun under the British rule China. He's corrupt and stages his own arrest to make himself look good, killing the hired suspects during his arrest. His superiors are on to it and recommends Dragon Ma (Jackie Chan) to patrol Chun's territory along with him to find proof to his corruption. He becomes assigned to Sai Wan district as police superintendent. Two flower sales girls Yesan and Beattie (Maggie Chun, and Lau Ka Lin) is also into agitating the crowd to promote revolution. So police are keeping eye on them. They end up selling flowers to Dragon and his colleagues, and immediately after gets robbed. Dragon and his pals apprehend the thieves. The thieves are Tiger's henchmen, and at the Sai Wan police station they are released because supervisor Chu at the station is bribed by Tiger. Dragon reprimands the officers of Sai Wan station, but they are spineless and corrupt. Dragon must now face Tiger on his own with his own police department being not dependable. But he has his old supervisor Tung, and his troop's support.

This movie was made in Jackie Chan's prime, and his actions are superb. The story and his action has an edge that's refreshing to watch. The movie has an atmosphere of old school Hong Kong kung fu movies, but production is more polished and modern.

While not as comedic as the original Project A, this is an action packed movie that's a classic on its own right.

story is messy but fights still good

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 4 October 2015]

Dragon Ma (Jackie Chan) is back as a H.K. Water Police. He is assigned to clean up corruption and lawlessness. They catch a couple of thieves stealing a money box from Yesan (Maggie Cheung) collecting for the Nationalist cause. Yesan runs away fearing the corrupt cops. The cops promptly release their client thieves and try to beat up on Dragon. Dragon takes over the precinct to take on crime lord Wolf. Dragon faces off against many-headed corruption while the Empress's men are after the rebels.

This is not as comedic as the original. Jackie handcuffed to the inspector is fun. The various people hiding in Yesan's room isn't as funny as it should be. There are lots of fight action stunts. There are a ton of jaw dropping stunts. Jackie doesn't do anything too risky in this one but he does do a Buster Keaton bit with a facade falling on top of him. The story is pretty messy that has multiply interconnected villains and some that go both ways. I love the fighting stunts but the story is too twisty. This one does have the final extra clips with the closing credits.

Stupendous entertainment from Jackie Chan

[Leofwine_draca · 10/10 · 17 October 2016]

For me, this sits happily as the ultimate Jackie Chan movie: a super-fast paced journey of mad cap martial arts, hilarious humour, all mixed together in a fine comedy-cum-adventure concoction with plenty going on to keep the entertainment value high. Indeed, this film is so relentless and high-octane that I barely found time to breathe while watching it; every second brings something fresh and exciting to the screen, every plot point seems original and intriguing. At this stage in his career, Jackie knew exactly what the audience wanted and reached his cinematic peak of perfection with differing projects that all retained the same winning formula: comedy, action and danger, rolled into a fast and frenetic combination.

The ultra-complex storyline drags in a corrupt police official who plans to have Chan killed, an underground rebel cause who plan to overthrow the government, vengeful pirates, and of course the vicious crime element in the city. The script is witty and Jackie Chan is at the top of his game, whether it be with the endless magic stunt work, the genuinely funny comedy (the chilli-eating moment is something to be seen) or the exciting chases, which invariably see Jackie perform some superhuman manoeuvre - shinnying up a wall, running across a suspended horizontal pole - as if it were the norm for him.

PROJECT A PART II has plenty of memorable moments, not least being the raid on the hotel which mixes in suspense, drama, comedy, and plenty of action, as well as real danger. Then there's the finale at the building site, which lasts for ages but remains exciting and watchable for every single second, and the hilarious comedy set piece in which a succession of people attempt to hide inside Maggie Cheung's apartment and interact in various ways. Other great moments are too numerous to mention, but the handcuff chase is a real crowd pleaser anyway you look at it. Underneath the non-stop on screen action, the plot is rather thin and lurches from one set-piece to the next, but the formula is so stable and successful that I couldn't care one bit.

Supporting the ever-excellent Chan are a number of quality actors giving fine performances, namely Wai Lam as the corrupt and sinister 'Chun' and Wai-Man Chan as the genuinely threatening 'Tiger'. Plus there are the welcome returning bit players, including Mars and Jaws, and also Maggie Cheung and Bill Tung, two friends returning from POLICE STORY, along with a little-seen Rosamund Kwan. Tung in particular gets some fine comic interplay as he finds himself mending a leaky tap and getting handcuffed to a sofa! The martial arts come thick and fast and never lets up, and you'll need your eyes glued to the screen to keep track of all the super-quick kicks and lightning punches which roll across the screen in nicely choreographed punch-ups with plenty of prop destruction and choreographed chaos to keep them watchable and funny. A definitive and outstanding film. And okay, it hurts that Sammo and Yuen don't come back, but to be honest you won't miss them when the film's this good.

Not often is too much drama a problem in movies.

[lovemichaeljordan · 6/10 · 9 March 2023]

I like watching Jackie Chan's movies when they are dubbed in English. Firstly, I don't understand Cantonese and secondly, the English versions are much better done. Sometimes the subtitles are carelessly done so you don't understand who is saying what when they are talking. It is not essential to understand the dialogue as the plot sucks anyway. The plot is just a tool to create as many crazy action sequences as possible.

There are some good things in the movie and there are some great things in the movie, but there is also too much boring and bad, hence the low rating. I usually never understand everything that happens in these movies as both the culture is different and the plot is bad, but this time I understood very little about what happened. And it was also terribly boring most of the time.

I read a review that hypothesized that this movie flew under the radar in the western world because there was too little action and our attention spans can't handle that. He also claims that the plot is intricate and effective. No one who sees this film is either looking for or expecting a convoluted plot. All we want to see is their physical abilities. If we want to see a movie with substance, we'll watch anything but this.

The bottom line is that the film has too much bad drama and too little action. And this time the drama was boring and hard to follow. But when it's at its best, it's really good. The predecessor was significantly better with right peaks and less frequent valleys.

Better than the first one

[khan_rado · 8/10 · 22 November 2015]

I was a bit reserved about this film because rarely the sequels are as good as the prequels. After seeing it I have to say that it's not only as good but even better.

The action is still the same. There are many fight scenes and stunts performed at the same high level as they are in the first film. The pace is well-balanced and goes at the right speed without being too fast to follow or too slow to bore.

What makes the difference is the story. As opposed to the first film which is a little straightforward this one has many layers and they are combined into one major story that involves all the characters and resolves all the minor stories without taking away the classy humour or the amazing action. The film is certainly not predictable and that is what makes it interesting to follow.

I rate this one higher that the first one because it offers a better balance between action scenes, humour and dialogue.

pretty good

[rutt13-1 · 7/10 · 20 June 2001]

I hate to say it, but I really do think this one's overrated, and I love Jackie's films. It's got more plot behind it than usual, but unfortunately, though it has some great stuff, I find it to be a bit slow. All in all, I say it's entertaining, but not great.

Exciting sequel with nonstop action, thrills , humor and lots of fights

[ma-cortes · 5/10 · 16 December 2011]

This is the following to ¨Project A¨ in which a honest Hong Kong coast guard officer battled pirates on the high seas . Moving sequel , ¨Jackie Chan's Project A part 2 (1987)¨ in which Dragon is back with a new set of action and played by Maggie Cheung , Carina Lau and again produced and directed by Jackie Chan along with Raymong Chow and his Production Company called Golden Harvest . This piece period that is well set contains numerous nice physical routines . There Dragon Ma , an upright coast guard officer ,Jackie Chan , fighting against nasties in "old Hong Kong". Reluctantly, the Coast Guard is assigned the mission to fight revolutionaries . Dragon is now transferred to be the police head of Sai Wan district, the Police Commissioner (Bill Tung) assigns him a dangerous project to face off with a gangster kingpin , anti-Manchu revolutionaries ( Rosamund Kwan , Maggie Cheung), some runaway pirates , Manchu Loyalists and a corrupt police superintendent named Chun (David Lam , also producer) . Dragon Ma is helped by some good polices and they take on nasty corrupt officials in the government and seek to thwart the Dragon's efforts to vanquish them . At the end takes place a comic Kung-Fu battle between Jackie and the villain in a rousing final.

Chinese costume drama with plenty of over-the-top action , thrills , ingenious stunts , tongue in cheek and amusing music . This exciting movie is packed with adventure , intrigue , unstopped action , overwhelming stunt-work and lots of fights but with humor . Jackie Chan is top notch as one army man fighting a group of heinous nasties and as always he makes his own stunts like is well showed . Awesome , incredible stunts and brief comic touches , as usual . The lighting-paced storyline slows down at times , but frantic action sequences make up for it . Spotlights movie include spectacular brawls , a Chinese torture with a giant block , Jackie jumping down a building , on a roof , impressive and interminable fights with Chan dangling and downing , a breathtaking final struggle and other extraordinary action sequences in overwhelming style . This is an acceptable action movie distinguished by nicely cinematography of the spectacular sequences , and contains agreeable sense of humor such as previous entry . Jackie Chan usually forms couple to notorious actors as Sammo Hung and actresses as Maggie Cheung and Michelle Yeoh . In this outing Jackie teams up again to prestigious Chinese actress Maggie Cheung , a fine action star in their own right and with a prestigious and successful career such as she has proved in ¨Hero , China box , Clean , In the mood for love and 2046¨ and a many others . ¨Project A , 2¨ is a passable action movie distinguished by ferocious sequences , and packs silly sense of humor as well as Jackie's former and subsequent entries . Furthermore , moving and thrilling original musical score fitting to action . The picture achieved success in China and around the world . However , Jackie Chan's failed at Box-office in his American debut ,¨Battle creek brawl¨ . Chan pays overt homage to two of his greatest influences as Charles Chaplin and Harold Lloyd . Chan is a hard-working actor and director throughout his long and varied career . He went on playing ¨Cannoball¨ , ¨The protector¨ and "Rumble in the Bronx", until getting all American success with ¨Shangai Knights¨ , ¨The tuxedo¨ , ¨Around the world in 80 days¨ and ¨Rush hour¨ trilogy , and the recent ¨Karate kid¨. Of course , his biggest hits were ¨The Police story¨ series that won the Golden Horse Award, a Chinese version of the Oscar , the first was titled ¨Police story(1985)¨ directed by the same Chan , it was a perfect action film for enthusiastic of the genre ; the following was ¨Police story 2(1988)¨also pretty violent and with abundant humor touches. It's followed by ¨Supercop¨ or ¨Police story 3¨ and finally, ¨Police story IV : Crime story. ¨Project A, 2¨ is lavishly produced by the great Asian producers Raymond Chow and Golden Way Ltd films production and middlingly directed by Jackie Chan . Rating : Acceptable and passable but inferior to the first part, the picture has its sensational moments here and there , but also with abundant humor touches mostly provided by its agile star , the super Jackie . It's a regular action film for enthusiast of the genre though only for Jackie fans .

6 out of 10

[dragon ma young · 1 August 2001]

Not as good as the first one for sure. Not a bad movie by itself, but it really could have used the return of Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, who were out filming Eastern Condors at the time. The films fight sequences were not as good as the first films, and the humor wasnt as funny. I feel like I'm bashing this film, which isnt the case, because it is a good film, it just doesnt live up to the original. I still recommend to check it out.

They would really be thieves

[Tanbalarai · 6/10 · 30 December 2023]

The three-decker split script is difficult to understand. Let me explain.

1 The story is about police corruption.

This has been neatly cleared up by arresting the boss. However, we have seen many movies where this is not cleaned up neatly. So it is not refreshing to be told that it has been cleaned up here. The next section begins as it is.

2 The story is about revolutionaries who turned out to be thieves.

This is another one of those movies that I've seen a lot of. It is hard to believe that they were really revolutionaries. We have to go on to the next section with that dragging on.

3 The fight against the secret police of the Qing Dynasty who are trying to catch the revolutionaries.

I'm not sure about the setting of this period. I don't know about before Sun Yat-sen showed up or before the People's Republic of China was formed.

It is not clear because of this.

However, Jackie Chan played a big role and it was an enjoyable movie. I will watch it again someday. It would be more enjoyable if I knew the story.

Jackie Chan is a very hardworking man. I didn't think that even the chili pepper was real!

Project A: Part II

[jboothmillard · 6/10 · 12 March 2011]

It is curious to me that it is not the first film that is not in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, it is this sequel, but I suppose I can agree with that in part, from star and director Jackie Chan. Basically it continues where the previous film left off, where the pirate Captain (Sam Pou) was killed by marine police officer Dragon Mao (Chan), and the rest of the bad guys want to get revenge. Dragon himself meanwhile has been transferred to Sai Wan to take over from Superintendent Chun (David Lam), but of course he has a good record. Later they meet flower selling Yesan (Maggie Cheung), with her cousin Beattie/Carina (Carina Lau) who is a member of the Chinese revolutionaries headed by Dr Sun Yat-sen. I just know that there is some kind of thing involving police accepting bribes, gangsters and more pirates, Imperial agents, and Dragon in the middle of it not making the Police Commissioner (Bill Tung) very happy with his occasional mistakes. The pirates, and possibly the gangsters with them, do manage to catch Dragon a few times and try to get rid of him, but his fighting skills obviously help him to escape and save the day in the end. Also starring Rosamund Kwan as Miss Pak, Sam Lui as Mr. Man, Regina Kent as Regina, Governor's Daughter, Yao Lin 'Charlie' Chen as Awesome Wolf, Kenny Ho as Shi King, Mars as Jaws, Ben Lam as Brawns and Mickey as Cobra. Chan is again fantastically skilled in the action sequences, filled with great Kung Fu moves and surprising stunts, you even see the repeated best bits of the previous film and ending outtakes, I may not have understood the story, but for the fights and comedy, this was a fun martial arts adventure. Jackie Chan was number 41 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars. Good!

It's a great sequel to the first-go and see it!

[i.mok · 8/10 · 11 November 1999]

Hi! Being able to speak Cantonese, I found this very funny and was able to all the jokes that one might not get due to language barriers. The fight scenes are spectacular and it's a good movie. However, I have my criticisms. First of all, I find that it is not as good as the first one Project A -GO AND SEE THAT NOW! :-) Reason is, SPOILERS AHEAD-DON'T READ ON IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM!!!!!) because in Project A, Jackie ends by fighting his enemy; the man he is sent to kill, Sanpao. That is what he has been striving to do all the film and the showdown is spectacular. But in A II, hough he fights Chan, the showdown scene between Jackie and his nemesis is not long enough and the bulk of the action is against the Empress's men. They are not nearly as "bad" enough and have only played a minor part in the film in relation to Jackie so though their fight sequence is spectacular, they are not the ones Jackie is hunting throughout the whole of the film, so thus leaving the viewer slightly unfulfilled. However, this is just my humble opinion so don't take it word for word-go and see it yourself! It is a great film in it's own right! Take care and hope your admiration for Jackie grows! Yours Sincerely, Ian PS. You know the police chief in A II? He's the same guy in First Strike-nice to know he's still going strong!

Great production values

[HotToastyRag · 8/10 · 22 August 2022]

Although I wasn't able to find an English or subtitled version of Project A, I was more than thoroughly entertained by the sequel, Project A2. There's a cute montage over the opening credits that recaps the best moments of the first movie, and when the villains explain their desire for revenge because of how Project A ended, you're all set.

Also directed by Jackie Chan, this action-packed police corruption story has fantastic production values. Set at the turn of the century, you'll see beautiful costumes, intricate sets, and very old-fashioned cars. Visually, this movie is an absolute treat. Women with their bustles and corsets, and grand balls hosted by British nobility (the setting is British-ruled Hong Kong), will sweep you away. And it's not every day you get to see Jackie dolled up in tails!

The screenplay is also a treat, as several different obstacles and plot lines converge: women revolutionaries, jewel thieves, corrupt policemen, and pirates seeking revenge. There's a hilarious sequence where Maggie Cheung has to hide six men in different places in her apartment, as one after another keeps knocking at the door. It's a funny comedy of errors, with a bit of danger thrown in.

Action-wise, the movie is a total treat. In the first Project A, Jackie paid homage to Harold Lloyd by hanging off the hands of a clock. In this one, he duplicates the most classic Buster Keaton stunt by standing still while a house falls on him. It's not exactly a house, but it's the same type of structure, and we all hold our breaths until we see him safe and sound on the other side. He falls down a flight of stairs, slides down a ladder, and balances on bamboo rods while fighting a bad guy. The outtakes reel over the end credits is fantastic, as a split screen shows Jackie singing in a recording studio (he often sings the song over the end credits) and also the stunts-gone-wrong. Since he directed the picture, we get to see rare footage of him working with the camera and helping his actors. I really enjoyed this movie, and if I can find an English version of the first movie, I'll definitely rent it.

Great movie!

[dasa108 · 8/10 · 30 May 2021]

Here Jackie Chan is a policeman who comes across a police station eaten up by corruption, with hardly any collaborators who want to help him, with two flower vendors who arouse his sympathy and some evil men who despite being skilled cannot against the most versatile hero of story action.

When we watch a movie, we basically want entertainment. Hong Kong for years had the first position in the world in the production of the best action films. This is an extraordinary film, full of rhythm, humor, physical feats, epic sequences and the clearest demonstration of how to make an unforgettable film. It is impressive in every way and it is impossible to replicate today.

Project B-

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 24 June 2017]

Dragon Ma (Jackie Chan) is assigned to clean up a HK district previously overseen by corrupt cop Superintendent Chun (David Lam). As he sets about his task, Ma runs into trouble from Chun and his criminal associates, several agents of the Empress Dowager, and a small group of pirates out to avenge the death of their leader.

After the exuberant ride that was Project A, I found this lavish sequel extremely underwhelming. Part of this was undoubtedly down to the notable absence of Yuen Baio and Sammo Hung, who leave Chan to focus on stunts rather than fights: while there's lots of impressive falls and gags involving props, we get less of the frenetic, impeccably timed, superbly choreographed martial arts that we have come to expect from the star. The unnecessarily involved, politically charged plot-line also did nothing to excite me, being way too convoluted to prove enjoyable.

Whereas the first film had several bona fide classic moments (the bicycle chase, the clock tower fall, the final fight against pirate lord Lor Sam Pau, played by Dick Wei), this sequel simply rolls by with no particular scene proving memorable. Disappointing.

Misses Sammo and Yuen, but still good

[modius · 28 November 2000]

Project A was amazing, fun, action packed and funny. It is one of the better early 80s classics that Jackie Chan was in. But Sammo and Yuen weren't in this film, and most fans agree - this film misses them, and in that sense its disappointing.

Chan, after killing off the pirates in the first one, now is a cop in an overly corrupt police station. The plot revolves around Chan exposing and taking down the dangerous tiger gang singlehandly in his typical "one man against the world" fighting style.

Some pirates come back for revenge, and in face off Jackie in the famous axe throwing scene (that'd be repeated in Shanghai Noon).

The film does move pretty slowly, but its still good fun to watch the film, and in the end Chan puts in a nod-and-a-wink stunt (running down a collapsing wall) that will remind viewers of the same stunt performed by Harold Lloyd(?)

Anyway, its good fun to watch...but if you watched Project A, you may find this disappointing because it doesn't have the comic/directional input of the three brothers.

My Rating: 5/10

I liked this as much as the first one

[jordondave-28085 · 10/10 · 2 October 2023]

(1987) Project A Part II (In Chinese with English subtitles) ACTION/ COMEDY

The second installment and without the presence of Samo Hung and Yuen Baio but still great nonetheless! And in order to fully appreciate this film, it must be watched in it's natural dialect for the weak plot about double dealings serves only a backdrop for the film's amazing stunts. One in particular is Buster Keaton's famous replication of the 1928 "Steamboat JR" stunt by standing onto a particular spot from a wall coming down from being crushed and the use of hot peppers! Master Killer series star Chia Hui Liu also stars as one of the bad guys! Do not come into this film expecting a great plot.

A Lackluster but Enjoyable Film

[sn319 · 5/10 · 9 December 2014]

Continuing directly after the first Project A, Project A 2 finds Dragon taking over the police force, and a corrupt one at that. The movie itself is pretty conventional in setup and shouldn't surprise anyone who watches Jackie Chan films. The only problem is a lack of action in the middle act that leaves the film pretty dry to its conclusion.

The concluding final action scenes are well-done, with a good handcuff sequence as well as a hilarious part when Dragon spits chewed up chili's onto his hands to keep the baddies at bay. But otherwise the action isn't anything you haven't seen and the movie itself is nowhere near as good as the original. It's definitely missing Sammo and Yuen, especially to help out the comedy.

It's an okay flick overall.

Watchable but not Chans best. 4/10

[leonblackwood · 4/10 · 2 October 2015]

Review: This movie sees Jackie Chan back as Dragon Ma who has now been promoted to shadow a police chief to fight against corruption and crime in his town. He hasn't got his handy sidekicks that he had in the first movie but he brings along some other agents to help him fight against crime. The Pirates are now seeking revenge after Dragon Ma (Jackie Chan) crippled there business in the first movie and he has to fight against corruption in the police force. After building a relationship with the head of the coast guards in the first movie, he helps him in a few tricky situations involving gangsters and then Pirates so it's full of action from beginning to end. Personally, I got confused with who was who and what was what. As usual, the death defying stunts are great and the authentic Kung Fu scenes were well put together but it seemed like it was never going to end. Jackie Chans character is slightly more serious in this movie, which is a plus in my opinion but there is way too much going on. It starts off quite simple but once all the different characters come into the movie, I was completely lost. It also seemed quite dated for this day and age, which is good in a way because you don't get all of the string action but it is still worth a watch just for the amazing Kung Fu. Watchable!

Round-Up: I'm going to try my best to collect all of the Jackie Chan movies and I'm looking forward to see his earlier work but so far, it's not a good start. I can't fault his amazing action scenes and detailed stunts but I'm not impressed with the story lines. I'm hoping that the next movie that I get will show Jackie Chan on top form.

I recommend this movie to people who are into their action/comedy/crime movies about a coast guard who has been promoted to take down a crime boss on dry land. 4/10