"Police Story 2" is a movie that mostly shows Jackie Chan's serious side. His performance is relatively mature and restrained, and he allows his character to be portrayed as not only brave, smart and determined, but flawed and selfish as well (his scene with Maggie Cheung after the fight in the playground is a key point). There is less slapstick and more plot than usual for a Chan movie; less emphasis on comedy and more on action. The action sequences are superb, and that deaf-mute guy with the incredible martial-arts skills is one of the most memorable villains Jackie ever had to face (literally: I had seen the film only once before in 1997 and I still remembered him clearly). (**1/2)
60 Reviews
A cop is all he knows to be.
lost-in-limbo21 March 2010
Jackie Chan in flight is such a joy to behold (especially during the end credits showing bloopers and the injuries from the mind-blowing stunts), as this particular series (five films so far and a spin off from the third feature) along with "Project A" and its sequel would come down as probably his most recognizable home-grown efforts to western audiences. I love Chan's early work, and the Police Story features (which did come across as epic crime joints) are some of his best latter stuff. As for "Police Story Part 2", it continues on from the excellent original to simply match the quality and go on to be a little larger in scale and excitingly explosive
literally.
The Hong Kong police force doesn't like individual heroes and that's what they see Ka Kui as. His effective, but it always comes at a cost which they are not willing to take. So for he extreme acts Kui is demoted to a traffic cop. However after some threats on his life and his girlfriend which causes more of a stir, he decides to quit for his well-being and that of his girlfriend. But it doesn't last long when he's conned back onto the force to help combat against a string of bomb threats involving a gang holding ransom a big corporation.
Jackie Chan flexibly directs astonishingly dangerous stunts-galore and inventively rapid, if elaborate martial arts choreography in what is an old-hat, but very busy and comic book pulp cops and robbers chase formula. It's customary investigation work, by trying to predict the next move and virtually racing against the clock to stop the bad guys which has two lots for Chan to take on. The tough action is instinctive, uncanny and lethal making it amazing to watch (with an upbeat music tempo underlining it) and boy their's a destructive mess after nearly every ordeal. This goes for the electrifying and impulsive climatic showdown. Like most of these outings it doesn't forget the humour, which is quite broad and silly, but these comic elements can be fun and actually it's rather toned down than usual. It's more-so serious involving the pressure and dangers of the job with a multi-facet performance by Chan as there's an unhealthy obsession (boldly dogged, but self-centred) making his character truly blind of what really should be important to him. However I found to get in the way was the love interest angle (the factor of police work getting in the way of love), which was important for certain story developments and to squeeze out suspenseful situations, but still those awkward moments do slow down its momentum. The performances are immensely colourful (Maggie Cheung, Bill Tung, Kwok-Hung Lam, Charlie Cho and Benny Lai) and Jackie Chan under a heavy work load shows the stamina and agility with that glowing charisma, which makes him a favourite.
The Hong Kong police force doesn't like individual heroes and that's what they see Ka Kui as. His effective, but it always comes at a cost which they are not willing to take. So for he extreme acts Kui is demoted to a traffic cop. However after some threats on his life and his girlfriend which causes more of a stir, he decides to quit for his well-being and that of his girlfriend. But it doesn't last long when he's conned back onto the force to help combat against a string of bomb threats involving a gang holding ransom a big corporation.
Jackie Chan flexibly directs astonishingly dangerous stunts-galore and inventively rapid, if elaborate martial arts choreography in what is an old-hat, but very busy and comic book pulp cops and robbers chase formula. It's customary investigation work, by trying to predict the next move and virtually racing against the clock to stop the bad guys which has two lots for Chan to take on. The tough action is instinctive, uncanny and lethal making it amazing to watch (with an upbeat music tempo underlining it) and boy their's a destructive mess after nearly every ordeal. This goes for the electrifying and impulsive climatic showdown. Like most of these outings it doesn't forget the humour, which is quite broad and silly, but these comic elements can be fun and actually it's rather toned down than usual. It's more-so serious involving the pressure and dangers of the job with a multi-facet performance by Chan as there's an unhealthy obsession (boldly dogged, but self-centred) making his character truly blind of what really should be important to him. However I found to get in the way was the love interest angle (the factor of police work getting in the way of love), which was important for certain story developments and to squeeze out suspenseful situations, but still those awkward moments do slow down its momentum. The performances are immensely colourful (Maggie Cheung, Bill Tung, Kwok-Hung Lam, Charlie Cho and Benny Lai) and Jackie Chan under a heavy work load shows the stamina and agility with that glowing charisma, which makes him a favourite.
Not as good as the first.
SkylessWing21 October 1999
Police Story 1 was a masterpiece, Police Story 2 is good, its that simple. Its just not as good as the original, but how many sequels are?
The plot is simple, Mr.Ku is out for revenge and a series of bombs have been set off in Hong Kong, so its up to Jackie and his regulars to investigate. May played by Maggie Cheung is once again the damsel, who's in distress by the way.
The fights and stunts are up to form. The fight scene in the park is just magnificent. About a dozen henchman grasping various metal objects are after Jackie, who uses everything from climbing frames to see-saws to fend them all off.
What the film lacks is interesting dialogue, conversations are just boring and the Chinese jokes are untransaltable into English. Jackies character is depressed and all uptight, not as fun as in the original, but the guy did go through hell in the first movie, so I guess its understandable. The pace of film is also too erratic, one minute its a rollercoaster, the next minute its like watching a melodrama.
Anyway, the action is still top notch and this film paved the way for Police Story 3 SuperCop, which gained recognition in the U.S with a theatrical release.
The plot is simple, Mr.Ku is out for revenge and a series of bombs have been set off in Hong Kong, so its up to Jackie and his regulars to investigate. May played by Maggie Cheung is once again the damsel, who's in distress by the way.
The fights and stunts are up to form. The fight scene in the park is just magnificent. About a dozen henchman grasping various metal objects are after Jackie, who uses everything from climbing frames to see-saws to fend them all off.
What the film lacks is interesting dialogue, conversations are just boring and the Chinese jokes are untransaltable into English. Jackies character is depressed and all uptight, not as fun as in the original, but the guy did go through hell in the first movie, so I guess its understandable. The pace of film is also too erratic, one minute its a rollercoaster, the next minute its like watching a melodrama.
Anyway, the action is still top notch and this film paved the way for Police Story 3 SuperCop, which gained recognition in the U.S with a theatrical release.
Fine Sequel To Jackie Chan's Big Hit Of 1985
boblipton5 August 2019
In this sequel to POLICE STORY, everyone is back. Jackie Chan is getting a dressing-down for catching the bad guys.... so expensively. He's busted to traffic cop, but when the bad guys show up to threaten him and girl friend Maggie Cheung, he busts some glasses. This gets him more lecturing from fatuous squad chief Kwok-Hung Lam, so Jackie quits and heads off to Bali with Maggie.
However, some guys have planted a bomb, destroying a mall, and promise more unless the real estate company pays a huge ransom. The police don't know what to do about this, so they talk Jackie back onto the force.
In terms of story-telling, this is not a well-constructed story, since with three stories -- revenge story by the bad guys from the previous movie; rocky relationship with Miss Cheung; and bomber -- a lot winds up abandoned; even though Criterion has restored this to pretty much the original length, it's apparent that a lot was lost in editing somewhere. Still, one does not watch a Jackie Chan movie for its exquisite story-telling, but for funny stuff -- Bill Tung gets gassy at one point -- and the funny, chaotic, acrobatic gags that Jackie Chan provides to his fans. He offers them here, even though they are not as madly funny as they would become over the next five years.
It's important to note that, as director and co-writer, Chan is not a glory hog. The funniest sequence is the one where the young female officers are investigating a creep they want to turn. All in all, while Jackie Chan's movies would continue to improve because his popularity with audiences gave him greater scope, this is a lot of fun.
However, some guys have planted a bomb, destroying a mall, and promise more unless the real estate company pays a huge ransom. The police don't know what to do about this, so they talk Jackie back onto the force.
In terms of story-telling, this is not a well-constructed story, since with three stories -- revenge story by the bad guys from the previous movie; rocky relationship with Miss Cheung; and bomber -- a lot winds up abandoned; even though Criterion has restored this to pretty much the original length, it's apparent that a lot was lost in editing somewhere. Still, one does not watch a Jackie Chan movie for its exquisite story-telling, but for funny stuff -- Bill Tung gets gassy at one point -- and the funny, chaotic, acrobatic gags that Jackie Chan provides to his fans. He offers them here, even though they are not as madly funny as they would become over the next five years.
It's important to note that, as director and co-writer, Chan is not a glory hog. The funniest sequence is the one where the young female officers are investigating a creep they want to turn. All in all, while Jackie Chan's movies would continue to improve because his popularity with audiences gave him greater scope, this is a lot of fun.
Jackie's Back!
gavin694213 March 2013
The Hong Kong super-cop (Jackie Chan) must stop a group of blackmailing bombers at the same time that the villains of the first Police Story are out for revenge.
As much as I enjoyed this movie -- the humor, the explosions, the fast kicks to the face -- it has to be said that it never quite lives up to the first film. This should not come as a surprise to anyone, as sequels very rarely are as good as the original (though some select few do tend to be better).
We still had awesome kicks, a humor that was a bit more crude, and we had way more explosions in this one (not surprising, given the villains are bombers). But we do not get to see as much glass break, and I think the overall destruction is never quite as high. How do you top the destruction of an entire village from part one?
As much as I enjoyed this movie -- the humor, the explosions, the fast kicks to the face -- it has to be said that it never quite lives up to the first film. This should not come as a surprise to anyone, as sequels very rarely are as good as the original (though some select few do tend to be better).
We still had awesome kicks, a humor that was a bit more crude, and we had way more explosions in this one (not surprising, given the villains are bombers). But we do not get to see as much glass break, and I think the overall destruction is never quite as high. How do you top the destruction of an entire village from part one?
Pretty inferior to the first one.
rockito_estalon1 January 2018
Police Story 2 is so tone deaf at times that it's almost unbelieavable considering it's made by the same team that made the awesome first movie.
It retains the goofy attitude and the same superb stunt-work but the whole plot is contrived, violent and sad at times. It's like "gloomy slaptstick".
The sadism of the new villains and the comedic actions of Ka Kui clash into each other like to tidal waves.
Also the weird cameos of the bad guys from the previous movies doesn't help at all.
If it wasn't for Jackie this would be a complete dissapointment, but fortunaly he makes it bereable enough to almost enjoy it through those rough scenes.
One of Jackie's best ever made!
chrichtonsworld18 September 2006
After reading many reviews and most of the comments on IMDb.com I must say that some people don't have a clue what they are talking about. I mean if you give a review of a Jackie Chan movie you don't have to talk about the plot (even if it is a good one). Because most of the Jackie Chan movies are not about a plot, there is no message from Jackie for you to think about. At least this concerns the films he made before he was indoctrinated by motherland China. He is about the action, martial arts and dangerous stunts. The bigger the better. In short mind blowing spectacle. He tries to show you different skills and stunts in each movie he makes and he has been managing to do this for a very long time. Naturally old age has caught up with him. Although it has to be said that old Jackie can do more than any average person on this planet. So despite what you think of his political views he does deserve some credit. It is a real joy to watch him in action and furthermore he wants you to be entertained. So if you are giving a review of a Jackie Chan movie than talk about the action. Especially since this is where Police Story really shines at. This film contains the most memorable fighting scenes made by Jackie in his entire career. And that is saying something. In my opinion it is even better than Police Story 1 since it doesn't allow itself to be distracted by infantile comedy as much as in the first. But don't worry if you love the good old slapstick comedic bits. There are still plenty around. Even after so many years the action is amazing. It holds up like it has been made yesterday. It is far superior to his work in Hollywood (Rush Hour, Shanghai Noon)! I have been a fan of Jackie Chan fan since I can say Jackie Chan and I can be very critical about his work (especially his American movies). But Police Story 2 is an action movie that deserves praise simply because it his one of his best, a real classic!
mixed
Zargo26 October 2002
The first half hour or so of "Police Story II" is easily it's best and it seems as if the sequel to the original action masterpiece is going to be almost as good. Unfortunately once Jackie goes undercover it starts to drag, and the film struggles to recover.
It's still enjoyable stuff though, but it's so hard to live up to the original, particularly when you're making it in such a similar way, "Supercop" made the right move by making it much different to it's predecessors. It's great to see Maggie Cheung with a larger role though. I refuse to acknowledge "First Strike" as part of the Police Story series; it doesn't even have Maggie! By the way, never ever watch dubbed/P&S Jackie movies (e.g. video store copies). God-awful!
It's still enjoyable stuff though, but it's so hard to live up to the original, particularly when you're making it in such a similar way, "Supercop" made the right move by making it much different to it's predecessors. It's great to see Maggie Cheung with a larger role though. I refuse to acknowledge "First Strike" as part of the Police Story series; it doesn't even have Maggie! By the way, never ever watch dubbed/P&S Jackie movies (e.g. video store copies). God-awful!
Second entry in ¨Police story ¨ saga and again Chan as a Hong Kong cop taking on nasty criminals
ma-cortes31 October 2011
NEW POLICE STORY II packs a violent confrontation between Jackie and an evil bunch . This stirring story about the cop named Chan Ka Kui of the Hong Kong precinct is well played by Jackie Chan. Chan Ka-Kui or Kevin Chan(aka Jackie) is a Hong-Kong cop, who scores his first big hit by virtually single-handedly apprehending and arresting a big drug- lord in ¨Police story I ¨ . In spite his success at capturing delinquents , Kevin Chan's unorthodox approach to his work as a police officer sees him removed to the traffic branch . While the crime boss recently out from prison is harassing Kevin and his sweetheart . He then plans to take a journey to Bali with his girlfriend named May (Maggie Cheung) , but while he's at a travel agency in a shopping mall, some police agents see him and report that the mall is under a bomb threat . Unable to resist the urge to get involved in officers work, Ka Kui orders the policemen to sound the fire alarm and have the mall cleared, and agrees to take responsibility for the decision . After that , the police staff (Supt. Li played by Kwok Lam) is contemplating reinstating Kevin to help them catch a group of bombers trying to extort from building owners . Then Chan looks for vengeance against the ominous villains at a cat and mouse game.
This exciting movie is packed with intrigue, thrills , unstopped action , suspense , overwhelming stunt-work and lots of violence but with humor . Jackie Chan is top notch as one army man fighting a group of heinous criminals and as always he makes his own stunts like is showed on the final fake-shots . Awesome , incredible stunts and brief comic touches , as usual ; the picture is better constructed than Chan's predecessors films . The lighting-paced storyline slows down at times , but frantic action sequences make up for it . Spotlights movie include a stirring car pursuit , Jackie jumping over a bus ,impressive and interminable fights with Chan dangling and downing , a mall blow-up and a breathtaking final explosion and other extraordinary action sequences in James Bond style . This is a phenomenal action movie distinguished by nicely cinematography of the spectacular sequences , and contains agreeable sense of humor such as previous entries . In this outing Jackie teams up again to prestigious actress and fine action star in their own right , like Maggie Cheung . This is a passable action movie distinguished by ferocious sequences , and packs silly sense of humor as well as Jackie's subsequent entries . Furthermore , moving and thrilling original musical score fitting to action by J Peter Robinson . The picture achieved success in USA and around the world . However , Jackie Chan's failed at Box-office in his American debut ,¨Battle creek brawl¨ . 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 8days¨ and ¨Rush hour¨ trilogy , and of the course the recent ¨Karate kid¨. Of course , his big 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. The picture is lavishly produced by the great Asian producers Raymond Chow and Golden Harvest production and compellingly directed by Jackie Chan . Rating : Acceptable and passable , the picture has its sensational moments here and there , but also pretty violent and with abundant humor touches mostly provided by its agile star , the super Jackie . It's a perfect action film for enthusiast of the genre .
This exciting movie is packed with intrigue, thrills , unstopped action , suspense , overwhelming stunt-work and lots of violence but with humor . Jackie Chan is top notch as one army man fighting a group of heinous criminals and as always he makes his own stunts like is showed on the final fake-shots . Awesome , incredible stunts and brief comic touches , as usual ; the picture is better constructed than Chan's predecessors films . The lighting-paced storyline slows down at times , but frantic action sequences make up for it . Spotlights movie include a stirring car pursuit , Jackie jumping over a bus ,impressive and interminable fights with Chan dangling and downing , a mall blow-up and a breathtaking final explosion and other extraordinary action sequences in James Bond style . This is a phenomenal action movie distinguished by nicely cinematography of the spectacular sequences , and contains agreeable sense of humor such as previous entries . In this outing Jackie teams up again to prestigious actress and fine action star in their own right , like Maggie Cheung . This is a passable action movie distinguished by ferocious sequences , and packs silly sense of humor as well as Jackie's subsequent entries . Furthermore , moving and thrilling original musical score fitting to action by J Peter Robinson . The picture achieved success in USA and around the world . However , Jackie Chan's failed at Box-office in his American debut ,¨Battle creek brawl¨ . 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 8days¨ and ¨Rush hour¨ trilogy , and of the course the recent ¨Karate kid¨. Of course , his big 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. The picture is lavishly produced by the great Asian producers Raymond Chow and Golden Harvest production and compellingly directed by Jackie Chan . Rating : Acceptable and passable , the picture has its sensational moments here and there , but also pretty violent and with abundant humor touches mostly provided by its agile star , the super Jackie . It's a perfect action film for enthusiast of the genre .
More of the same, unfortunately
dee.reid9 June 2007
It's a real shame that 1988's "Police Story 2" is more of the same from star/writer/director Jackie Chan because it could have been even greater than the classic "Police Story" (1985). The greatest of what "Police Story 2" suffers from is an uneven story and lack of trademark Chan fight scenes and stunts. "Police Story 2" has Hong Kong police detective Chan Ka Kui (Chan) busted down to patrolman because of the mall brawl fiasco in the first film. For those expecting an all-out stunt-fest like "Police Story," this first sequel in the series will be a disappointment. Although more character/story-driven (which is a plus for Chan and martial arts movies in general), those who came to see stunts and hard-hitting, slap-happy hand-to-hand combat action will be the ones feeling left-out or cheated. Now as a patrolman, Ka Kui finds himself at the mercy of girlfriend May (Maggie Cheung) and his superiors who are trying to keep him out of trouble. However, because Ka Kui is a Hong Kong super-cop in need of some action, the aforementioned trouble comes in the form of the gangster he locked up in the first film, in addition to more bloodthirsty criminals and a deaf, gonzo, high-kicking toymaker (Benny Lai) who has an aptitude for rigging RC vehicles with things that go BOOM. Like its predecessor, "Police Story 2" does have Chan battling criminals like any movie cop, but with a kung-fu vengeance. The action/fight sequences are few and far between, intermingled with comedic or dramatic scenes of Chan and company sorting through bureaucracy and political red-tape as they try to nab the bad guys, and many of these comedic or dramatic scenes seem to run on as you await the action. Perhaps it's a change for most martial arts movies, but an unneeded change for those accustomed to Chan's usual work. Albeit an entertaining and a conflicted and uneven tale, when it does come to action Chan doesn't disappoint. There are two early fights with hired goons, one in a restaurant and another in the park, and then there is also a truck chase that climaxes with Ka Kui diving into a window. Then there's the ending confrontation between Ka Kui and the criminals, with a deadly kung-fu brawl between him and the Toymaker, who has some pretty lethal moves of his own and proves to be Chan's most skilled opponent. It all ends with a huge display of fireworks.
8/10
8/10
Actually better...
rutt13-120 June 2001
than the original, in my opinion. It's got a little less plot, but it's a much grittier, harsher film. The villains are beyond contempt, the part where they read Maggie Cheung's letter is really sad and I hate 'em for it! Of course this is remedied with the usual helping of Jackie kicking all their butts in the fantastic final battle! I like this one a heck of a lot, but it's tough to see Maggie get hurt in the outtakes...OUCH!!!
One of the Best Action Film Sequels Ever
monkeysgalore23 April 2020
Not quite as hardcore as the first, but still very fun, Police Story 2 is a more straight up action thriller than the previous installment, with little comedy to speak of, which is fine with me since the only time Chan's comedy style works for me is when he integrates it into the action scenes.
A much more slowly-paced film with a more procedural approach, the movie definitely lulls in the middle, but there's enough action to please. Chan's performance is solid as usual.
The action is no less entertaining here, even if it's on a slightly smaller scale. The restaurant fight was great, the playground fight was probably the highlight and an excellent display of Jackie's abilities. The last chase and fight was pretty cool, with Jackie jumping off of a moving truck and onto a roof. The final fight was long and strange, with Jackie fighting several people in short, quick scuffles, except for one long fight with this little dude who throws fireworks at him. He eventually beats the guy, doing the same to him. Entertainingly strange.
All in all, another excellent Hong Kong action flick, and a great 80s action movie. Chan is doing some of his best work here, too.
A much more slowly-paced film with a more procedural approach, the movie definitely lulls in the middle, but there's enough action to please. Chan's performance is solid as usual.
The action is no less entertaining here, even if it's on a slightly smaller scale. The restaurant fight was great, the playground fight was probably the highlight and an excellent display of Jackie's abilities. The last chase and fight was pretty cool, with Jackie jumping off of a moving truck and onto a roof. The final fight was long and strange, with Jackie fighting several people in short, quick scuffles, except for one long fight with this little dude who throws fireworks at him. He eventually beats the guy, doing the same to him. Entertainingly strange.
All in all, another excellent Hong Kong action flick, and a great 80s action movie. Chan is doing some of his best work here, too.
Lacking
Jack_Yan19 June 1999
After the scale and success of its prequel, audiences expected plenty with this follow-up movie. Characters from the first are carried over, including the villain, Mr Ku (Cho Yuen), although as Kevin Chan (Jackie Chan) discovers, a different group is behind the bombings threatening Hong Kong. But instead of being calm and cool about his kung-fu, Chan is now a hot-headed fighter, rushing in to confront villains without any further consideration. As a result, there are too many occasions where he doesn't come out on top. Compared to the first - as comparisons are inevitable - it is severely lacking, with an atypical lack of logic. Chan is fighting fit, the photography is sometimes dramatic and the score improved - but they fail to make up for the poor storyline and script. Better to see the first and the third and skip this one.
Not enough fun action to save the horrendous plot.
Li-123 June 2003
** out of ****
As the direct sequel to Jackie Chan's highly enjoyable Police Story, I had high expectations for this thriller, but those expectations were only occasionally met, making this an inconsistent action outing that's easily the weakest of the Police Story series.
Jackie Chan returns as well, the cop with multiple names (depending on which version you see, he's Kevin Chan, Ka-Kui, or Jackie). Anyway, after the incidents of the previous film, Jackie's been demoted to traffic cop and constantly receives death threats from crime lord Chu Tao, whom he busted in the first movie but is on parole because of a life-threatening illness.
Jackie's still got his faithful and loving girlfriend, May (Maggie Cheung), but when she's threatened by Tao's thugs, Jackie replies back with his fists and feet. Eventually, to keep May safe, he quits the police force, but is brought back when bomb threats are delivered to a lucrative corporation. Unsurprisingly, May will get involved and it'll be up to Jackie to save the day.
Jackie Chan movies have always been driven by action, so to expect anything different from Police Story II would be foolish. But I at least expect a watchable plot that keeps the film flowing nicely in-between the martial arts battles. Not so here; not only is the plot terrible, the film also has less action than most of Chan's superior outings.
Bringing back the main villain from the original was a good idea, but the filmmakers use that as more of a red herring and a reason to set up fight scenes than for any purpose relating to plot. It's not until about halfway through the film we realize Chu Tao has virtually nothing to do with the story, he's just "filler" until we're introduced to (and stuck with) a small group of terrorist bombers, who are some of the lamest Jackie Chan villains to date.
To give you an idea of how lame, one of the villains is an annoying deaf-mute whom everybody dubs "Dumb." I could barely tell the other three apart, bland and dull as they were. The movie sets up two of these villains with high skills in martial arts, but they're hardly given a chance to strut their stuff in their fight scenes with Chan, which spend more time doing creative things with sets and props than actually trying to get the adrenaline pumping with an all-out kung-fu battle.
Stupidity is something this movie has in spades. Most of the cops in the film don't even know how to follow procedure or, for that matter, launch a thorough investigation. Chan's the one doing most of the problem-solving, everyone else takes a backseat. Chan directed the film, so I have no idea if this speaks more upon his ego or just how lazily written the script is. I'm not even sure which is worse.
The film's opening fight, set inside a restaurant, is quite impressive and at least then, I still didn't no just how dumb the story would be. A later fight set in a playground feels superfluous and by then, we realize it holds no impact towards the plot. We're just watching people beat on each other with metal rods for the sake of padding the running time. But for what it is, the action choreography is still excellent, especially the abandoned warehouse finale, which boasts a very nimble Chan hopping around from floor to floor with an almost effortless grace.
Also keeping the film relatively watchable is Maggie Cheung, who really has terrific chemistry with Chan. Without her presence, this movie would be quite a stinker, but she's thankfully given plenty of screen time, and even gets a hilarious tirade inside the men's shower room of a police station. Cheung is one of Hong Kong's most talented actresses, with a seemingly effortless ability to jump back and forth between performing slapstick stunts and humor (as she does here) and delivering powerful dramatic performances (as she did in the wonderful Hero, her best film to date)
Police Story II is further weakened by a teeth-scratching score and a poor use of sound (the punches and kicks sound more like a guy beating a two-by-four against a rug, amplified by a broken microphone), but I guess that's to be expected from an 80's chop suey flick. It's not a movie I recommend, but there's no doubt seeing Jackie Chan in action is a joy to behold.
As the direct sequel to Jackie Chan's highly enjoyable Police Story, I had high expectations for this thriller, but those expectations were only occasionally met, making this an inconsistent action outing that's easily the weakest of the Police Story series.
Jackie Chan returns as well, the cop with multiple names (depending on which version you see, he's Kevin Chan, Ka-Kui, or Jackie). Anyway, after the incidents of the previous film, Jackie's been demoted to traffic cop and constantly receives death threats from crime lord Chu Tao, whom he busted in the first movie but is on parole because of a life-threatening illness.
Jackie's still got his faithful and loving girlfriend, May (Maggie Cheung), but when she's threatened by Tao's thugs, Jackie replies back with his fists and feet. Eventually, to keep May safe, he quits the police force, but is brought back when bomb threats are delivered to a lucrative corporation. Unsurprisingly, May will get involved and it'll be up to Jackie to save the day.
Jackie Chan movies have always been driven by action, so to expect anything different from Police Story II would be foolish. But I at least expect a watchable plot that keeps the film flowing nicely in-between the martial arts battles. Not so here; not only is the plot terrible, the film also has less action than most of Chan's superior outings.
Bringing back the main villain from the original was a good idea, but the filmmakers use that as more of a red herring and a reason to set up fight scenes than for any purpose relating to plot. It's not until about halfway through the film we realize Chu Tao has virtually nothing to do with the story, he's just "filler" until we're introduced to (and stuck with) a small group of terrorist bombers, who are some of the lamest Jackie Chan villains to date.
To give you an idea of how lame, one of the villains is an annoying deaf-mute whom everybody dubs "Dumb." I could barely tell the other three apart, bland and dull as they were. The movie sets up two of these villains with high skills in martial arts, but they're hardly given a chance to strut their stuff in their fight scenes with Chan, which spend more time doing creative things with sets and props than actually trying to get the adrenaline pumping with an all-out kung-fu battle.
Stupidity is something this movie has in spades. Most of the cops in the film don't even know how to follow procedure or, for that matter, launch a thorough investigation. Chan's the one doing most of the problem-solving, everyone else takes a backseat. Chan directed the film, so I have no idea if this speaks more upon his ego or just how lazily written the script is. I'm not even sure which is worse.
The film's opening fight, set inside a restaurant, is quite impressive and at least then, I still didn't no just how dumb the story would be. A later fight set in a playground feels superfluous and by then, we realize it holds no impact towards the plot. We're just watching people beat on each other with metal rods for the sake of padding the running time. But for what it is, the action choreography is still excellent, especially the abandoned warehouse finale, which boasts a very nimble Chan hopping around from floor to floor with an almost effortless grace.
Also keeping the film relatively watchable is Maggie Cheung, who really has terrific chemistry with Chan. Without her presence, this movie would be quite a stinker, but she's thankfully given plenty of screen time, and even gets a hilarious tirade inside the men's shower room of a police station. Cheung is one of Hong Kong's most talented actresses, with a seemingly effortless ability to jump back and forth between performing slapstick stunts and humor (as she does here) and delivering powerful dramatic performances (as she did in the wonderful Hero, her best film to date)
Police Story II is further weakened by a teeth-scratching score and a poor use of sound (the punches and kicks sound more like a guy beating a two-by-four against a rug, amplified by a broken microphone), but I guess that's to be expected from an 80's chop suey flick. It's not a movie I recommend, but there's no doubt seeing Jackie Chan in action is a joy to behold.
Mall bombers
fmarkland3227 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Jackie Chan returns as a cop who goes undercover to stop terrorists who blow up a mall and ultimately kidnap Chan's fetching squeeze (Maggie Cheung) in a mostly diverting, albeit disjointed sequel. Police Story 2 actually has the same flaws that many American 80s action has, in that the movie is action focused and the story is merely threaded through a pretext that just goes through a relatively formulaic formula. The action sequences are of course awesome, definitely better than most of it's ilk, but upon rewatching the trilogy (New Police Story and Lockdown I hear are unrelated sequels) Police Story 2 ultimately is the weakest, lacking the jaw dropping action and humor of part 1, while lacking the focus and grit of Supercop. I'm not at all saying this isn't worth seeing, it's just that Police Story 2 while good, isn't quite up to Chan's best, in either the humor or fight arena. Still 80s Hong Kong Jackie Chan is still far better than most genre product of its time. Also the final showdown is a real classic
* * * Out Of 4-(Good)
* * * Out Of 4-(Good)
Entertaining action...
paul_haakonsen19 December 2015
As sequels usually go, then "Police Story 2" (aka "Ging chat goo si 2") wasn't fully as good and entertaining as the first movie. That being said, don't get me wrong, as part two is still a good movie. So why wasn't it quite as good as the first movie? Well, because it wasn't as action-packed as the first movie.
Jackie Chan was, as usual, delivering impressive action and superbly choreographed stunts and fights. And it is, of course, spiced up with a hint of the usual Jackie Chan comedy.
"Police Story 2" is an entertaining action movie for sure, but it is not one of the top Jackie Chan movies. It is definitely an enjoyable movie if you enjoy Hong Kong cinema and Jackie Chan movies.
I am rating it a six out of ten possible stars, and have seen it more than four times already. Oh, and the wonderful Maggie Cheung is also in part two, which in itself makes the movie worth watching, despite it being a support role only.
Jackie Chan was, as usual, delivering impressive action and superbly choreographed stunts and fights. And it is, of course, spiced up with a hint of the usual Jackie Chan comedy.
"Police Story 2" is an entertaining action movie for sure, but it is not one of the top Jackie Chan movies. It is definitely an enjoyable movie if you enjoy Hong Kong cinema and Jackie Chan movies.
I am rating it a six out of ten possible stars, and have seen it more than four times already. Oh, and the wonderful Maggie Cheung is also in part two, which in itself makes the movie worth watching, despite it being a support role only.
More story than the original, but is that a good thing?
lovemichaeljordan16 September 2022
It's better than most action movies from the 80s, but it does not top its predecessor. There is more story and character development in this movie compared to the original, which usually is a good thing but maybe not this time.
Let us be honest. Not one single person goes into this movie expecting a deep and thoughtful script. We want flying kicks, unnecessary but cool flips, inventive parkour, mesmerizing combat scenes, and death-defying stunts. "Police Story 2" delivers on all these points. Some of the action setpieces are arguably better than the ones in the previous movie, but this movie has problems with pacing. Some character development for Jackie Chan was great, but this movie did at times feel too slow and a bit boring. The humor is not as great and the action scenes are fewer. It is a more serious and perhaps darker film than the original.
But every action sequence in this movie absolutely rocks. The fight at the playground is perfectly choreographed, filmed, and edited. The way it's filmed makes it possible to fully appreciate the absurd stunts and actions the crewmembers are performing. If you like action movies, check this one out!
Let us be honest. Not one single person goes into this movie expecting a deep and thoughtful script. We want flying kicks, unnecessary but cool flips, inventive parkour, mesmerizing combat scenes, and death-defying stunts. "Police Story 2" delivers on all these points. Some of the action setpieces are arguably better than the ones in the previous movie, but this movie has problems with pacing. Some character development for Jackie Chan was great, but this movie did at times feel too slow and a bit boring. The humor is not as great and the action scenes are fewer. It is a more serious and perhaps darker film than the original.
But every action sequence in this movie absolutely rocks. The fight at the playground is perfectly choreographed, filmed, and edited. The way it's filmed makes it possible to fully appreciate the absurd stunts and actions the crewmembers are performing. If you like action movies, check this one out!
An action trilogy of the finest quality
AndreiPavlov31 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
There is one detail, which is not very common for Jackie Chan movies, but which is present here. It has some very tough and serious atmosphere about it while the funny elements are present too. Jackie is menacing and psychotic here. He is not a hero who is attacked and only then fights back (in a usual laid-back pattern), but he is the one who can go and start the tumult. His manner of hitting that evil guy in the glasses is amazing (every time it goes "crack!"). Another highlight is the scene when Jackie goes to the pub and thrashes the villains who had fronted on his girlfriend. It's one of the best blitzkriegs put on screen. Besides, the whole scene is shot with the background of some action character painted on the wall (it also looks like a poster of "rabochiy" from the Soviet era) and some lines in Russian on the left. That looks terrific (and nostalgic for Russian people). I also like when the windows are being smashed in the movies. Here there's a lot of this stuff. It's quite amazing watching the characters falling/jumping/running/driving through all manner of panes.
All three movies are great. There is no down-slide in the quality - it's a perfect trilogy with sense and incredible stunts (and not only Jackie Chan's character appears in all three movies - that's also excellent and keeps continuity up).
Each movie can be described in a few words: No.1 - great (in all aspects - it is one gripping story from the very beginning to the very end) and funny (many scenes are ridiculous); No.2 - raging (Jackie is really off the hook here) and painful (Jackie gets tortured); No.3 - unbelievable (the woman that fights alongside with Jackie is incredible) and bombastic (should a lot of guns and explosions be mentioned?).
As to the rest - much has been mentioned by the others.
It's a trilogy that can be watched over and over again (at least by me). Its place is in top 10 among action jewels.
A solid 10 out of 10. Thank you for attention.
All three movies are great. There is no down-slide in the quality - it's a perfect trilogy with sense and incredible stunts (and not only Jackie Chan's character appears in all three movies - that's also excellent and keeps continuity up).
Each movie can be described in a few words: No.1 - great (in all aspects - it is one gripping story from the very beginning to the very end) and funny (many scenes are ridiculous); No.2 - raging (Jackie is really off the hook here) and painful (Jackie gets tortured); No.3 - unbelievable (the woman that fights alongside with Jackie is incredible) and bombastic (should a lot of guns and explosions be mentioned?).
As to the rest - much has been mentioned by the others.
It's a trilogy that can be watched over and over again (at least by me). Its place is in top 10 among action jewels.
A solid 10 out of 10. Thank you for attention.
In some aspects better than the first, certainly different
Robert_duder25 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I am a little surprised at the positive reaction to the Police Story franchise. Maybe its because I'm new to the Hong Kong/Martial Arts genre but then again there was something morbidly fascinating about the first Police Story that made me jump right into the sequel. The worst part of the first film was the completely misplaced comedy and they almost completely eliminated that from the second. It still has a few comedic points but its far more appropriate to the tone of the movie and no full-on comedy gags like the first one. The plot is far more serious, the action toned down a little but still just seems to be more of what you'd expect from an "action" film called Police Story. It has villains, thugs, undercover operations, and hand to hand combat of course. The pace of this film is significantly slower and seems to really drag in the middle of the film. As much as I always like to see villains return from previous films, I'm not sure it was necessary to this story. We already have a major villain in the bomber and then we have the return villain from the last film and the story line with May and the bombers. There is a lot for one film.
Jackie Chan returns as star and director once again. He certainly sets the right tone for the film using the backdrop of Hong Kong. The film is more of a thriller than an action film because the action scenes are even more dispersed than they were in the first film. There is a very impressive explosion mid-film but the rest of the explosions seem cheap and campy. Chan doesn't showcase his usual array of skills with the exception of a few scenes. Maggie Cheung returns as Chan's girlfriend May and gets a much bigger role this time around. She is decent and they have good chemistry so she definitely works in the role well. Kwok-Hung Lam and Bill Tung also return as Chan's superiors. Fortunately they are more sparingly used so they don't seem as ridiculous as they did in the first film. There is not really a "main" villain to focus attention on. The bombers sort of all act as one entity but they do a decent job. John Cheung and Charlie Cho both return from the first film as sub-villains to the story.
Similar to the first movie, the best action scenes are at the beginning and the end of the film and as stated the middle lumbers along at a slow pace but its still fun to watch and something about this series so far really grows on you. I'm interested to see if it takes a turn further into the series especially once Chan stops directing. Its still amazing to think how these films are made with actors doing their own insane stunts and how badly they often hurt themselves (Chan included) as shown in the closing credits. If nothing else that is what makes these films so unique and fun to watch is knowing they literally put themselves through hell to bring entertainment to us. 6.5/10
Jackie Chan returns as star and director once again. He certainly sets the right tone for the film using the backdrop of Hong Kong. The film is more of a thriller than an action film because the action scenes are even more dispersed than they were in the first film. There is a very impressive explosion mid-film but the rest of the explosions seem cheap and campy. Chan doesn't showcase his usual array of skills with the exception of a few scenes. Maggie Cheung returns as Chan's girlfriend May and gets a much bigger role this time around. She is decent and they have good chemistry so she definitely works in the role well. Kwok-Hung Lam and Bill Tung also return as Chan's superiors. Fortunately they are more sparingly used so they don't seem as ridiculous as they did in the first film. There is not really a "main" villain to focus attention on. The bombers sort of all act as one entity but they do a decent job. John Cheung and Charlie Cho both return from the first film as sub-villains to the story.
Similar to the first movie, the best action scenes are at the beginning and the end of the film and as stated the middle lumbers along at a slow pace but its still fun to watch and something about this series so far really grows on you. I'm interested to see if it takes a turn further into the series especially once Chan stops directing. Its still amazing to think how these films are made with actors doing their own insane stunts and how badly they often hurt themselves (Chan included) as shown in the closing credits. If nothing else that is what makes these films so unique and fun to watch is knowing they literally put themselves through hell to bring entertainment to us. 6.5/10
A true action classic and one of the best Jackie Chans movies
kurciasbezdalas1 November 2008
To me this part is much better than the first one. There is much more action in this part and it's taking itself a little more serious so it's more an action film than a comedy. The playground fight was probably one of the best Jackie Chan's fights ever. There also was many impressive stunts, much more than in American Jackie's movies. The Deaf Criminal was probably one of the most colorful Jackie's opponents. Even the plot was better than in a first part. In this part Jackie Chan's character has to not only fight his new enemies, he also has to deal with an old ones. I liked the new villains of this movie, which were a very violent and dangerous people. There was many violent, intense and dramatical moments in this movie so it's one of my favorite Jackie's movies.
A Step back for the series, but still fun
asandor20 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Police Story 2 is the second film in a series directed by, and starring Jackie Chan. It follows goofy Hong Kong ubercop Chan Ka Kui as he continues his policing career. In this film, a group of deranged bombers targets a large corporation for ransom, or else the bombers will commit act of terror on populated buildings they own. Chan, however, has been relegated to traffic cop, after his expensive and dangerous antics from the last film. He also has to contend with thugs hired by a drug-kingpin he has thrown in jail. To complicate manners, he has a falling out with his "charming" girlfriend. How can he solve all of these problems?? This film is a bit of a let down, after the incredible first instalment in the series. The action in Police Story 2 feels much less real and gritty than the first film. Action scenes even feel like they have punches and kicks sped up in post processing. The film also over-emphasizes the goofy comedy that the first film had. Although still charming at times, it feels forced in this instalment. For example, one character always has his glasses broken. Very high brow comedy, right? Chan's girlfriend May, played by Maggie Cheung, once again has a falling out with Chan over his over-zealousness at work. Again, this plot line feels as forced as some of the humour in the film, however it does lead to a few touching scenes as May and Chan grapple with their feelings as the terrorist threat heats up.
Was this a great film? No, not really. It suffers from forced humour and drama, and some quite incomprehensible issues, like Wa-Wa man, for example. Some of the action feels artificial as well, which for me is the biggest let down. Even so, the film is fun and the action is often quite good. Although there is no "jumping from the top floor of a mall and sliding down Christmas lights" scene like in the first film, there are some great falls, fights and stunts that are worth watching. Jackie Chan is charismatic, funny and frighteningly loose with his stunts, which is he is so great on screen. All in all, a fun but flawed increment in the Police Story series of films.
Was this a great film? No, not really. It suffers from forced humour and drama, and some quite incomprehensible issues, like Wa-Wa man, for example. Some of the action feels artificial as well, which for me is the biggest let down. Even so, the film is fun and the action is often quite good. Although there is no "jumping from the top floor of a mall and sliding down Christmas lights" scene like in the first film, there are some great falls, fights and stunts that are worth watching. Jackie Chan is charismatic, funny and frighteningly loose with his stunts, which is he is so great on screen. All in all, a fun but flawed increment in the Police Story series of films.
This is a wonderful movie, actually
AzSumTuk31 August 2018
As I promised when I reviewed 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri", I'm finally writing a positive review. I needed this.
I saw the first two movies from Jackie Chan's Police Story franchise a few days ago... Again. I had seen each of them at least five times already, and, as always, I loved them. There is a lot to be loved here. I prefer the second movie, as it has more action, better constructed plot, and less silly comedy, but the first one is also rather great and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
A direct continuation of 'Police Story', 'Police Story 2' tries hard - very hard - to top it everywhere. Luckily, it succeeds - the scale is bigger, the production values are better, and, of course, the fight scenes are more and longer. The writing is also a bit more balanced - this time the story never drags, and the villains are more interesting. The first one had a sleazy corporate boss and his thugs, trying to get rid of an important witness, and Jackie Chan's character trying - and, of course, succeeding - to stop, them using legal and not so legal methods and causing a lot of destruction. Without spoilers, all of this is addressed in the second movie, and the sleazy corporate boss and his thugs appear again - to give us one of the most spectacular fight scenes in Jackie Chan's entire career. The main villains are different, though - young, ruthless, intelligent terrorists, excellent bomb makers and, of course, great fighters, they want money and they will do anything to get it. (And they will give the viewers some great fighting and frighteningly huge explosions, unseen in Hong Kong movies before.) It is hardly the greatest story ever, but it gets the job done, flows nicely and gives us enough action and humour.
And the action is exceptional. Well filmed, extremely well directed and choreographed, and, as one can expect, dangerous. Watch the outtakes at the end and you will see it. Also, back then Jackie Chan was damn fast and he showed this in his fight scenes. Just watch and be amazed.
All in all, this is an excellent action comedy. See it.
I saw the first two movies from Jackie Chan's Police Story franchise a few days ago... Again. I had seen each of them at least five times already, and, as always, I loved them. There is a lot to be loved here. I prefer the second movie, as it has more action, better constructed plot, and less silly comedy, but the first one is also rather great and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
A direct continuation of 'Police Story', 'Police Story 2' tries hard - very hard - to top it everywhere. Luckily, it succeeds - the scale is bigger, the production values are better, and, of course, the fight scenes are more and longer. The writing is also a bit more balanced - this time the story never drags, and the villains are more interesting. The first one had a sleazy corporate boss and his thugs, trying to get rid of an important witness, and Jackie Chan's character trying - and, of course, succeeding - to stop, them using legal and not so legal methods and causing a lot of destruction. Without spoilers, all of this is addressed in the second movie, and the sleazy corporate boss and his thugs appear again - to give us one of the most spectacular fight scenes in Jackie Chan's entire career. The main villains are different, though - young, ruthless, intelligent terrorists, excellent bomb makers and, of course, great fighters, they want money and they will do anything to get it. (And they will give the viewers some great fighting and frighteningly huge explosions, unseen in Hong Kong movies before.) It is hardly the greatest story ever, but it gets the job done, flows nicely and gives us enough action and humour.
And the action is exceptional. Well filmed, extremely well directed and choreographed, and, as one can expect, dangerous. Watch the outtakes at the end and you will see it. Also, back then Jackie Chan was damn fast and he showed this in his fight scenes. Just watch and be amazed.
All in all, this is an excellent action comedy. See it.
Not the Original, But Still a Good Time
Megan_Shida2 August 2021
This film is nowhere near as great as the amazing original but there is some great action with a lot of the terrific charm of the original. The plot is muddled a bit with Chan's Ka Kui being caught in drama with past foes then quitting the force and finally being called back into action with a new foe, but Maggie Cheung is again delightful and funny, while Chan and the baddies certainly do put on an amazing fighting showcase. It is an entertaining enough watch.
Police Story 2
jboothmillard10 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This sequel starring and directed by Jackie Chan again fails to have the same impact as its predecessor. Basically, with his unorthodox police methods, Jackie is demoted to be a traffic cop. Despite this, the villain from the last film who he put away is now out, and has vowed to make his life a misery. While he is harassing Jackie and his girlfriend May (Maggie Cheung), the police are thinking of bringing Jackie back to help fight a group of bombers who are asking for a $10 million ransom. Also starring Bill Tung as Inspector Bill Wong, Kwok-Hung Lam as Superintendent Raymond Li and Charlie Cho as John Ko. I think the biggest problem is that this film is too chatty, with hardly any comedy, hardly any decent martial arts fights, no relevant thrills, and not enough action or stunt work by Chan, it's no surprise that I dozed off towards the end. Pretty poor!
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