10 Best Jackie Chan Movies to Watch

Jackie Chan, a.k.a Chan Kong San, has almost worked in every segment of the film industry, including acting, choreography, directing, producing, playback, screenwriting, and performing stunts.

Jackie Chan, born on 7th April 1954, is a Hong Kong actor, popularly known for his martial arts skills and movies, which contain the unique fusion of his acrobatic fighting style and distinctive sense of humor.

After doing small roles in films and working as a stuntman, Chan received his first starring role in 1971, in the film Little Tiger of Canton, which had a limited release in Hong Kong in 1973. He has also worked in several Hollywood films, with the first being Battle Creek Brawl, in 1980.

When talking about martial arts, Chan holds a black belt in 'Hapkido', and was trained by Grand Master Jim Pal Kim. He has also trained in Shaolin Kung Fu and Tae Kwon Do. In 1982, Jackie Chan married popular Taiwanese actress Lin Feng-Jiao. They have a son named Jaycee Chan, who is a singer and actor himself.

Director: Woo-ping Yuen
Producer: See-yuen Ng
Actors: Siu-Tin Yuen, Jang Lee Hwang, Kau Lam, Ging Fung
Released: 1978
Duration: 1 hr 51 min
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)

The story revolves around Wong (Jackie Chan) who is an idler and spends his time loafing around with friends. His father finds him too disobedient and sends him to his uncle to learn martial arts. His uncle, Beggar So, also known as the 'Drunken Master' (Siu-tien Yuen), is reputed for crippling his students during rigorous training.

Wong, feared by this punishment, flees from home. He is then accidentally confronted and shamefully defeated by Yan Ti San (Jang Lee Hwang), the sole villain of the film, and hence, chooses to seek training from Beggar So to become a better fighter.

Wong finally learns a form of drunken boxing called the 'The Eight Drunken Immortals', and defeats Jang Lee Hwang, who is hired by a business rival to assassinate his father.

Sequels:
The Legend of Drunken Master

Jackie Chan almost lost an eye when Jang Lee Hwang kicked him in the head during the final fight scene.

Director: Woo-ping Yuen
Producer: Hsi Chi Yuan, Huo An his, Ng See-Yuen, Shiao Loong, Tsai Chi-Kuang
Actors: Siu-Tin Yuen, Jang Lee Hwang, Dean Shek, Roy Horan
Released: 1982
Duration: 1 hr 30 min
MPAA Rating: PG

Chien Fu (Jackie Chan), an orphan, is made to work as a janitor at a Kung Fu school. He is bullied and abused by the teachers as well as the students. One day, Chien makes friends with an old beggar (Siu Tien Yuen), by offering him food and shelter. The beggar is actually the last surviving master of the 'Snake Fist' technique of Kung Fu.

The old man promises to teach Chien this rare art, on the condition that he doesn't call him 'sifu', which means master. As Chien learns Kung Fu, he becomes more defensive in school, and also defeats the master of the Mantis school quite easily.

Meanwhile, a member of the Eagle Clan (Jang Lee Hwang), who is hunting for Chien's teacher (the old man), spots Chien's unique skills and inquires about the old man.

Upon asking for proof, the member of the Eagle clan defends all of Chien's moves with ease. Chien, in effort to save himself and the old man from the clan, modifies the 'Snake Fist' technique, and adds new moves, seeking inspiration by watching a pet cat kill a cobra.

In the film, Jackie Chan got his front tooth knocked out by a powerful kick from Jang Lee Hwang.

Director: Kirk Wong, Jackie Chan
Producer: Man Keung Chan, Lam Chua, Leonard Ho, Kit Lai
Actors: Christine Ng, Kar-Ying Law, Puishan Auyeung, Leng-Leng Phua
Released: 1996
Duration: 1 hr 47 min
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)

This film features more of a tragic story, unlike Chan's other comic action movies. Inspector Eddie Chan (Jackie Chan), officer of the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau, is suffering from emotional stress after successively killing several men in self-defense. He is ordered to track down a kidnapped businessman, Mr. Wong Yat-fei (Kar-Ying Law).

The mission takes him from Hong Kong all the way to Taiwan, while making his way through several obstacles and hindrances. The story takes a sharp turn when it is discovered that one of the kidnappers is actually a police officer and is operating within the force.

Chan has to rescue a hostage, fight criminals, and also deal with the corrupt police officer. The film features one of Chan's most serious roles.

In the US version of the film, Chan's name was replaced from 'Eddie' to 'Jackie'.

Director: Jackie Chan, Eric Tsang
Producer: Lam Chua and Leonard Ho
Actors: Alan Tam, Rosamund Kwan, Lola Forner, Bozidar Smiljanic
Released: 1998
Duration: 1 hr 37 min
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)

Another of Jackie Chan's action-comedy thrillers is the Armour of God. 'Asian Hawk', a.k.a. Jackie (Jackie Chan), is a musician who eventually becomes an adventurer and a treasure hunter. Jackie auctions a sword which he steals from an African tribe, unaware that the sword is one of the five pieces of the legendary 'Armour of God'.

Some time later, Jackie is approached by one of his former band mates, Alan (Alan Tam), who informs him about the kidnapping of his girlfriend Lorelei (Rosamund Kwan) by a religious sect, to indirectly acquire Jackie's services. The sect possesses two pieces of the legendary 'Armour of God', and wants Jackie to find the other three for them.

Jackie and Alan make a deal with Count Bannon, owner of the remaining pieces of the armour; they ask Count to lend them the three pieces and promise to bring him the whole armour on the condition that his daughter May (Lola Forner) accompanies them.

Jackie, Alan, and May go on an adventure to rescue Lorelei and find the missing pieces of the 'Armour of God'.

Sequels:
Armour of God II: Operation Condor

In the film, while performing a relatively easy stunt, Jackie had to jump off a ledge and hold on to a branch. As Jackie grabbed the branch, it snapped, sending him all the way down, and cracking his skull.

Director: Jackie Chan
Producer: Raymond Chow and Leonard Ho
Actors: Maggie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Kwok-Hung Lam, Bill Tung
Released: 1998
Duration: 1 hr 41 min
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Inspector Ka Kui Chan (Jackie Chan), from the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, succeeds in capturing a mafia member Chu Tao (Yuen Chor) single-handedly. Chu Tao's secretary Selina, who is the only witness to his criminal activities, cheats the court and Ka Kui, and escapes from the scene.

Chu Tao is released on bail and plans to take revenge against Kui. He is framed for the murder of a fellow officer (Hing Yin Kam), who used to work for the mafia, and is killed by him with Kui's gun. Ka Kui has to clear his name and prove himself innocent.

The story ends when Chu Tao is arrested, and Chan Ka Kui's charges of murder are withdrawn.

Sequels:
Police Story 2, Police Story (2013)

The film won the 'Best Action Choreography Award' in the Hong Kong Film Awards, 1986.

Director: Brett Ratner
Producer: Roger Birnbaum, Leon Dudevoir, James Freitag, Jonathan Glickman, Wayne Morris, Arthur Sarkissian, Art Schaefer, Jay Stern
Actors: Chris Tucker, Tom Wikinson, Tzi Ma, Ken Leung
Released: 1998
Duration: 1 hr 37 min
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Detective Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) of the Hong Kong Police Force, and James Carter (Chris Tucker) of the FBI, are appointed to rescue Soo Yung, the daughter of the Consul Solon Han; who is kidnapped by Sang (Ken Leung).

Both Carter and Lee are on the chase of Juntao (Tom Wilkinson) and Sang (Juntao's right hand). While on the mission, Carter accidentally answers a call from Sang and poorly arranges a ransom drop of $50 million. When the FBI comes to know about the ransom, it signs off both Carter and Lee from the case.

But Carter is determined to finish what he started, and requests Lee to support him in accomplishing his plan. Both Carter and Lee are faced with a situation where they have to unravel this case in disguise, and punish the mobsters while rescuing Han's daughter.

Sequels:
Rush Hour 2, Rush Hour 3

According to director Brett Ratner, this film is the first one released in the US featuring Jackie Chan in an English-speaking role without any kind of dubbing.

Director: Benny Chan, Jackie Chan
Producer: Leonard Ho, Barbie Tung
Actors: Michelle Ferre, Mirai Yamamoto, Ron Smerczak, Ed Nelson
Released: 1998
Duration: 2 hrs
MPAA Rating: PG-13

A multinational commando unit including the Hong Kong operative Jackie Chan ambush a military convoy and abduct three scientists who are studying a highly volatile compound from a recently discovered meteorite. The commandos are unaware about the motives of their superiors, and are killed in a helicopter crash, except Jackie, who falls out of the chopper.

He is rescued by some South African tribals, who inquire about his name. Jackie, who has a lost his memory, and is even unable to remember his own name; asks himself "Who Am I?", which the tribals misinterpret as his name and address him by that.

As Jackie recovers, he learns more about the tribe's culture, and eventually is faced with the question about his identity. He ventures to Johannesburg with the help of a rally navigator Yuki (Mirai Yamamoto), who meets him while in a rally through the South African jungle.

In Johannesburg, Who Am I? is approached by Christine, who introduces herself as a journalist sent to interview him about the rally adventure. When one of the superiors, Morgan (Ron Smerczak) discovers that one operative from the chopper crash is still alive, he sends hitmen to kill him.

As Who Am I? goes on finding answers to his questions, he finds the real motives of his superiors, which is to sell the meteorite compound to an arms dealer. Who Am I? sneaks into the facility where the transaction is taking place while the superiors are away for a break, and cancels the transaction, donating all the money to a welfare organization.

He also retrieves the disc containing the compound information. Christine, who actually is an undercover CIA agent, arrests the corrupt CIA officer Morgan, and Who Am I? throws the disc off a bridge and returns to Africa.

In this film, Chan performed one of his most deadly stunts. He leaped off a 21-storied building without the use of any safety harness or camera tricks.

Director: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo
Producer: Raymond Chow, Leonard Ho, Edward Tang
Actors: Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Biao Yuen, Dick Wei, Isabella Wong
Released: 2000
Duration: 1 hr 46 min
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Sergeant Dragon Ma takes the initiative to fight the pirates who ruled the seas of Hong Kong in the late 19th century. Being a coast guard officer of the Hong Kong Marine Police, Dragon finds out that the pirates have police and underworld backing, including gangsters, Chiang, Mr.Chow, and the pirate mafia member San Po, and hence overpower his force.

He goes into the depths of the matter, investigating and interrogating people, until he eventually finds San Po, and kills him.

Sequels:
Project A2

When Jackie was doing the stunt at the clock tower, he was afraid of falling voluntarily. So he held on until he literally lost his grip and fell.

Director: Tom Dey, Jackie Chan, Willie Chan, Solon So
Producer: Jonathan Glickman, Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber
Actors: Owen Wilson, Princess Pei Pei, Brandon Merrill, Roger Yuan.
Released: 2000
Duration: 1 hr 50 min
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) is an imperial guard in China in 1881. Princess Pei-Pei, who is secretly adored by Wang, is abducted and taken to the United States by Lo Fong, considered as a traitor by the Chinese empire. As Wang begins his journey to rescue Pei-Pei, he is confronted with several obstacles, and also meets Roy O'Bannon, who is an outlaw and a thug.

Both Wang and Roy now head to Carson City in search of the lost princess. When they arrive, they discover that they have been declared 'wanted' in the name of 'Shanghai Kid' by Lo Fong's ally Marshal Nathan Van Cleef. On the next day both progress to the ransom point (Carson city mission church).

The imperial guards also arrive with the gold, and Lo Fong has the princess in hand. As both parties are about to carry on with the exchange proceedings, Wang and Roy interrupt and fight with Lo Fong and Van Cleef.

Wang tells the guards that he won't allow them to take the princess back, while Van engages Roy in a gunfight, when Roy shoots him in the heart and he dies. Meanwhile, Wang kills Lo Fong and saves the princess. The guards agree to abide by Wang and do not take Pei-Pei with them.

Sequels:
Shanghai Knights

Before this film, Jackie Chan had never ridden a horse in his life.

Director: Harald Zwart
Producer: James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jerry Weintraub, Ken Stovitz, Will Smith
Actors: Jaden Smith, Zhenwei Wang, Wenwen Han, Rongguang Yu
Released: 2010
Duration: 2 hr 20 min
MPAA Rating: PG

The Karate Kid is a very inspirational movie, featuring Jackie Chan as Mr. Han, and Jaden Smith as Dre Parker. 12-year-old Dre moves from Detroit to China due to his mother's job. As Dre joins school, he develops a crush on a fellow classmate and violinist Meiying (Wenwen Han). But he is troubled frequently by the school bully Cheng (Zhenwei Wang).

Though Dre knows a little karate, it is no match to Cheng's martial art skills, and he always ends up bruised and injured. Once during an attack, the maintenance man Mr. Han intervenes and saves Dre. Han, after coming to know the positive attitude of the school teacher, Master Li (Rongguang Yu) towards bullying; promises to teach Dre real Kung fu.

He also challenges Cheng for an upcoming kung fu tournament. As the training begins, Han teaches Dre that punches and power aren't very important while learning the art; it is serenity and maturity that plays an important role. Han teaches the kid moves through simple routine actions, like taking of a jacket and putting it back on.

As the kid learns the basics, Han takes him to Wudang Mountains, where he received training from his father. Meanwhile, Dre resumes spending time with Meiying and attending her violin shows, which is disliked by her parents, as they believe he belongs to another culture, and isn't even suitable to be her friend.

On the day of the tournament, Dre proceeds by slowly beating opponent after opponent, and wins the semi-finals, but badly injuring one of his legs. On the other hand, Cheng too beats a semi-finalist, and makes his way toward the final fight with Dre.

Despite Han's insistence not to play the finale, Dre convinces him to mend his leg by using fire cupping in order to continue. After a prolonged fight, Dre wins, attaining the respect of Mr. Han and his classmates.

Jackie Chan himself came up with the idea of using a 'jacket' as a means of teaching Dre Kung fu moves.

~ Release dates are of those in the United States

Jackie Chan has always been known as a bankable star, and most of his movies have done well at the box office.