STUCK IN RUSH HOUR?

This blog entry by Nelson Nailat.

The story: "Jackie Chan No Fan of 'Rush Hour' Series"

The analysis:

In this news article, the martial arts professional and movie star director/actor, Jackie Chan, criticizes his most successfully acclaimed American box office movie trilogy, Rush Hour, to be a disappointment as he disagrees with the directing of the action scenes and comedy of the movie, deeming it to be too "Americanized" as well as badly fluffed with "American humor."  It is said that Chan was persuaded to make and act the first sequel to Rush Hour due to the fact that he was being offered an "irresistible" amount of money, while the third film was made to satisfy Rush Hour movie fans.  Even though Rush Hour and several other American-made movies helped Jackie Chan gain recognition over American audiences, he could not help to admit he personal opinion of how he felt of the particular series.

I chose this article because it shows that even an artist, such as Jackie Chan, whom is skilled in different martial art styles, can create and choreograph his combative work and be able to honestly opinionate his achievements even when his opinion is different amongst his fans.  In this case scenario, it is the masses that are in control of "popular culture" as they praise Chan's work on his three films while Chan deliberately serves the masses with further sequels of action and entertainment. If Rush Hour was not as popular as it is in the states, then the producers would not have offered as much money as they had and Chan would not have acted or choreographed in the sequels. It is possible that if Jackie Chan was passionate of the Rush Hour series, he would have made it into the film he would have wanted it to be, however the biggest factor to achieving such a goal relies heavily on the director. The fact that Jackie Chan cannot direct a movie that he stars in reinforces the fact that “art is a collective action.”

Jackie Chan has been known for directing and starring in his action-packed films; however, this does not go without mentioning that he stars in other director films as well. The fact that Chan does not have control of a movie’s plot, motive or direction reinforces the fact that “art is a collective action.” Making a movie can be timely completed when it is comprised of people who divide the labor of producing art with different jobs that reach the same objective. In Jackie Chan’s position, he contributes to the film as the actor that follows the director’s intentions. When the movie is completed and released to wide audiences, his acting skills and talent is reflected upon the viewers’ opinion, which may either harm or praise the skillful actor’s image. However, Chan’s acting skills are not the only factor to his reputation. The movie’s plot, produced by the director, writers and other staff members, is a critical factor as it provides an essential storyline to the movie’s theme. Even though the movie’s plot and theme may appeal to various audiences, it does not conclude that the actor will support the movie’s accomplishment due to various factors such as an actor’s goal and or opinion.