Film Name: 威龙猛探 / The Protector / 威龍猛探
Short Review 1:
An early work by the director, and a product of his early days navigating Hollywood, the film clearly exhibits a somewhat disjointed style.
First, the plot is simplistic and weak, with many developments lacking logic—it exists solely to serve the action sequences! Numerous scenes feel dated, like the eroticism and nudity… Especially the nude scenes in the drug lab make no sense—why are the women in the room completely naked while the men remain clothed? Such gratuitous nudity is purely sensationalist, aimed at attracting a specific audience. While it undermines the film’s overall quality, this was common in 80s cinema, so it’s hard to fault it too much.
Secondly, the action sequences lack fluidity. They don’t match the later, breathtakingly smooth fight scenes of the big brother era!
Phrase 2:
Lately, I’ve been rewatching Jackie Chan movies, mainly from the early 80s to the early 90s. The only one missing was “The Protector.” The reason I hadn’t watched it until now is that the online resources available are mostly the original American version, which is slow-paced and heavily edited. The Hong Kong version is practically out of print. Over a decade ago, during the era of rampant pirated DVDs, I was lucky enough to buy a Hong Kong version for two bucks. Back then, I didn’t know there were American and Hong Kong versions. The difference is that the American version is slower-paced, has more nudity, some inexplicable plot points, and the final The Hong Kong version, however, features a significantly faster-paced final battle. The choreography is more intricate, fluid, and technically demanding. By trimming certain plot segments, it incorporates additional scenes with Hong Kong stars like Karen Yeung, resulting in a richer narrative than the American version. Even so, it pales in comparison to Jackie Chan’s other films from the 1980s. Still, it’s remarkable that he managed to salvage this film to such an extent…
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