Customer Reviews

Rumble in the Bronx

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have never been a martial arts fan. I've never had the desire to watch a movie that had anything to do with martial arts. Rumble in the Bronx and Jackie Chan changed all that.

This was the first Jackie Chan movie I ever watched and it took some arm twisting to get me to sit down to watch it. When I did sit down, it was with the attitude that I already hated this movie and Jackie Chan. That didn't last!

Jackie Chan is not your typical martial arts tough guy. He's got an increadible sense of humor and he is able to laugh at himself. That part comes through in all the movies that I've seen him in and it certianly comes through in Rumble in the Bronx. He is also an increadible athlete/stuntman/martial artist! The combination is very entertaining.

Rumble has a cheesey plot and some cheesey acting in it, but it's a great movie and only Jackie Chan could pull it off so well. If the thought of watching a martial arts film is a huge turn off to you, but you like action moves and comedys ... you will not be disapointed with Rumble in the Bronx.

And teaches them a thing or two about being nice. I've been a Jackie Chan admirer since I first saw "The Cannonball Run" way back in 1981, but this was the first Chan movie I saw on the big screen. It's not moviemaking as fine art, it's moviemaking as fine fun.

An action comedy, "Rumble in the Bronx" features Jackie in the big city, New York (actually Vancouver, with mountains visible in the background in several scenes). It's a strangely clean and orderly version of the Big Apple, but no matter. Pretty soon, Our Man Chan fights a motorcycle gang, protects a store, helps a girl and her wheelchair-bound little brother, and pilots a hovercraft in a surprisingly uplifting ending.

Fresh and colorful, "Rumble" won't please the arthouse crowd, and probably doesn't even rank with Jackie's top flicks; I'll leave that for the hardcore Jackie fans to decide. But Jackie's joy in his work is contagious, and here, he's at his good-hearted best. Not only does he poke fun at himself in several scenes, but he also can't even stay mad at the kids who battered him senseless with bottles in an alley. Although the disk features a full-screen version, make sure you watch the widescreen DVD so you can enjoy all the delightful and creative fight choreography, including an amazing sequence where Jackie kicks butt with pinball machines. Also starring Bill Tung, who always seems to play "Uncle Bill" in Jackie's movies.

Before Jackie Chan was staring in movies with Chris Tucker and Jennifer Love Hewitt, he was one of the industry's greatest action heroes.

I typically try to steer clear of movies where the main character has the same name as the actor portraying him, but for Jackie Chan, I'll make an exception.

If you've grown tired of Chan's ridiculous wise-cracks (see: "Rush Hour"), and childish plots (see: "The Tuxedo"), then "Rumble in the Bronx" is the movie for you. Pay no attention to the weak acting or the paper-thin plot, the focal point of this movie is the heart-stopping action sequences.

"Rumble in the Bronx" is much more than flying fists and death-defying stunts, there's also a lesson to be learned. Jackie reminds us, "Don't let the situation change you. Change it."

Something to think about.

I feel obligated to write this review. One day at dinner my sister mentioned she saw Rush Hour and she thought Jackie Chan was so cute. I don't want to disparage Rush Hour or its soon to be seen sequel but if all you have seen of Jackie Chan is Rush Hour, then you haven't seen a Jackie Chan movie. Jackie Chan's charisma and fight sequences are turned down to a two on a scale of ten on Rush Hour. Even Shanghai Noon only gives you a taste of Jackie. To really experience Jackie Chan at his best in an American film, your only true choice is Rumble in the Bronx. If you have never seen Jackie Chan at all, Rumble in the Bronx will instantly make you a fan. It is only here that you will see why people love him the world over. He does what I can only classify as the most amazing fighting you will ever see. What makes his fighting so unique is the fantastic speed, creativity and humor that go into it. As if that weren't enough to knock you out it is his winning smile and good heart that will amaze you even more. What will furthur slay you even more is when you see the outtakes at the end of the picture. He never uses a stuntman and he does some really dangerous stuff and actually gets hurt pretty bad on occasion all because he wants you to be totally entertained. In one outtake after he has broken his foot you will see they make him a fake cast to look like a tennis shoe so he can still do a crazy stunt where he gets dragged by a boat. Its insane but no matter what happens he always comes up smiling. People love him because they know that is always him putting it all out on the line for you. Anyway if all you have seen is American Jackie Chan films, please rent or buy Rumble in the Bronx. You are missing out on so much.

(If you don't mind subtitles, his great Chinese film Drunken Master just became avalilable)

I am always surprised when I read rave reviews of this film. I love Jackie Chan and his movies, and though I LIKE this film (it does have some good actions scenes and stunts), it is not up to the standard of his recent Hong Kong ones, especially Who Am I? and now Accidental Spy. The stunts are nowhere near comparable to, for example, the first and last stunt scenes in Police Story I - Jackie at his best. In Rumble, the storyline is basic, merely a frame for Jackie's action sequences and stunts. However, it did what it was designed to do - introduce Jackie to the American market, albeit in a watered-down fashion. And this of course led to Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon - and Rush Hour 2 coming up soon. All this aside, Rumble is an enjoyable Jackie flick and I do recommend it for viewing (whether VHS or DVD). It is a good intro to Jackie and his films, but is by no means his best.

This is it. This is the film that introduced Jackie Chan to the masses in America, forever putting him on the map of action heroes. The film is basically a 90 tour-de-force highlight of Chan's exciting and often times hilarious, high-octane, in-your-face kung fu antics featuring Chan's trademarked ultra-choreographed but jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring just plain AWESOME action sequences (including the trademarked end-of-film outtakes).

THE MOVIE

The Story: Jackie's character travels to New York to attend his uncle's wedding and help at his supermarket. He unwittingly gets into a war with the neighborhood motorcycle/street gang, which in turn becomes unwittingly involved in a high-stakes diamond heist operation.

Notable Scenes:

1. The initial supermarket fight scene.

2. The motorcycle gang's pursuit of Jackie in a parking structure.

3. The hovercraft scene.

THE DVD FEATURES:

Somewhat limited in the special features section, the DVD nonetheless includes a nice short bio on Chan himself including a complete filmography (up to the point that the DVD was published anyway...) as well as the original movie theater trailer for Rumble In the Bronx.

THE VERDICT:

Overall, this is another great outing from Jackie and whether you purchase, rent or borrow, this is a recommended film for all action movie/martial arts film/Jackie Chan fans.

Highly Recommended

Highly amusing movie with incredible action choreography and fight sequences, some of the best seen so far in Chan's American films. I notice this film took a few thrashings for not being as, um, deep and meaningful and powerful as some of his "better" films like Crime Story and Drunken Master II. Now I've heard that Drunken Master II is incredible, so I won't touch that, but Crime Story blows. It's more serious, but in a very dull, heavy-handed, unenriching, badly done way. A flick like Rumble in the Bronx is silly as all hell, sure, but personally I don't turn to Jackie Chan for profound art. This movie is cheesy fun; the incredible action sequences make it worthwhile cheesy fun. I will concede with another review, though, in that the "big stunts" in Chan's American movies tend to be the least impressive parts. A hovercraft is fun to watch, but not as fun as Chan's nimble physical kinetics. Same with a helicopter (Supercop) and a big tractor-thing (Mr. Nice Guy.)

Jackie Chan opens a can of woop *** on a group of gang members terrorizing the street. I'm sure the other dudes above have already told you about the movie, so i dont have to go into any detail. This movie opened American viewers into a whole new world, and its called Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan does unbelievable *death defying stunts* in every movie he appears in. Out of all his movies, I think this movie has to be the coolest (except the flaming gang members who kind of make it a riot). Jackie Chan has inspired me to become a Great Martial Artist, so you can just see the effect he has on people. I hope you get the movie, It's one you won't want to miss out on.

What I love about Jackie Chan Movies is the bit of humour that eases one into the movie, He's funny yet invincible, he gets beat up at first, but then comes back , almost like a machine, a terminator to kick the eney butt!
Rumble in the Bronx is action packed, he jumps of buildings, boats and drops out of clear blue sky escaping the gang. I had to remind my self to breathe when watching this.

Don't get put off by cheesey reviews, this movie rocks, and I might be a girl, but I know my action movies, trust me : )

Happy Watching.

ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS GO AND SEE THE MOVIE IF U HAVENT.