I probably could have put this out several days ago but I was still very frustrated that I was not bringing you a review of the definitive version of Jackie Chan’s First Strike or Police Story 4. All because some horrible vendor lied on Amazon. My anger actually increased as I was watching the movie because there were so many frustrating moments in the film where it’s a case of what the heck is going on. Obvious places for extra footage that would certainly enhance the story. Instead we got a very butchered film, and who knows if we will ever see a proper blu-ray/4k of the Japanese cut. It’s been what 20 years roughly since the dvd? I guess I should have spent the ~$35, but it’s frustrating when I “had” it for ~$15. Anyway, without further adieu, the WB Blu-Ray/International Cut film review of Jackie Chan’s First Strike.
Jackie (played by Jackie Chan) (This is still the Ka-Kui character just renamed because apparently international audiences are too senseless to recognize him by any other name than his own) has been following a spy named Natasha Rekshynskaya (played by Nonna Grishayeva). However, when he wants to get off the case and go back to Hong Kong, he is convinced otherwise by Uncle Bill (played by Bill Tung) and the Russians to stay on to watch and record Natasha’s movements. However, his first mission in watching her is going on the same plane and recording her bathroom time. Apparently she went seven times on this flight.
After Jackie gets off the plane, he meets with the Russians to discuss Natasha’s Bathroom Movements I-VII. Apparently he’s done a fine job and he will get on the first plane to go home. Meanwhile, an Ukrainian strike force has apprehended Natasha and taken her away. Jackie witnesses the abduction and decides to tail her once again. On this occasion, it seems that this was just a ruse to get her back with her boyfriend, Tsui (played by Jackson Lou). Tsui is selling nuclear weapons to the highest bidder and well the Russian mafia is very interested in acquiring these instruments of mass destruction.
Unfortunately, the meeting between Tsui and the Russian Mafia doesn’t quite go as planned. The odds are greatly underestimated as a dozen men were hiding underneath the snow and attack. We get some good gun-play and this is followed up by a rather fun snowmobile chase. In the midst of all of this, Natasha is apprehended again.
A couple of really interesting scenes play through this section of the movie. One involves a snowmobile nearly landing on Jackie but goes sailing over his head. I really wonder how close this was during the actual filming because it looked razor thin. The second has Jackie trapped in the ice water where he has to hide underneath a dead body and use it as a meat shield in order to absorb the bullets. Keep in mind that throughout this entire scene, Jackie is in not enough clothes for the weather and probably suffering from some hypothermia at this point.
Next thing we know, Jackie is in the hospital for his cold related conditions. Afterwards, it’s off to Moscow and then on a secret Russian submarine to Australia. What is Jackie doing there? He’s supposed to find the sister of Tsui, Annie (played by Annie Wu). Annie swims with the sharks. No, she’s not into the stock market. She dons a wet suit and swims with the actual sharks at the local aquarium. Jackie befriends the young lady into thinking that he is actually the sworn brother of Tsui. In the process, they go off to meet Uncle Seven (played by Terry Woo) who is at the hospital and dying. Uncle Seven is a local triad boss and someone the Russians are very interested in. By the Uncle dying, they figure they can drive Tsui out of hiding.
Little does Jackie know but Tsui who is the master of blonde wigs, is hiding here at the hospital. Before he left, he sent the nuclear warhead disguised as an oxygen tank to Annie (who doesn’t realize what it is). Jackie eventually reveals himself and his true intentions to Seven and Annie. But low and behold, Jackie gets caught up in a deadly game of double cross as he has been monitored the whole time by Russian FSB right down to his furry koala underwear. Meanwhile, Seven dies and Jackie is framed for his death.
Jackie goes to the family to tell Annie that he is not responsible for Seven’s death which goes about as well as one would expect. This leads to a spectacular ladder fight between Jackie, Annie’s younger brother Allen (played by Allen Sit) and the family’s bodyguards. Take it from someone who has watched more wrestling ladder matches than I care to count, some of the stunts with the ladders probably did not land on the first take. I’m guessing Jackie was in a lot of pain from the jump through in particular as there was no way he hit that on the first try.
We soon learn that there is a rogue agent within the Russian FSB named Gregor (played by Yuriy Petrov) who has blackmailed Tsui into becoming a double agent (he in reality is with the CIA). Jackie, Annie and Tsui soon come together to take on Gregor. This is highlighted by a very fun umbrella scene that is designed to protect Tsui from being shot. This leads to a final standoff with Gregor at the aquarium where Annie works and let’s just say that a great white shark is involved as we hustle to a finish.
In the end credits, we learned I was quite right about the ladder being way more dangerous than it looked. Even though it’s not in the credits (thankfully), there is a stunt that happens in this film I haven’t really mentioned. During the snowmobile series of scenes, Jackie at one point has to jump off a mountain and grab the landing skids of a helicopter or else risk falling to his death (like one of the snow agents would later do). But this is done seemingly in real time. If he had been too early, then the rotors would have gotten him or the skids would have impaled him. Too late and then he misses the helicopter all together. It’s absolutely terrifying to think about.
Hopefully, I’ve done a good job of explaining the plot. For those who are not aware, the common version seen around the world except for Japan is a 84 minute botch job. Meanwhile, the Japan version runs 107 minutes and change. This international version, pretty much everything was cut. But the major thing missing was anything related to how the story went. As Jackie goes from locale to locale, we as the viewing audience are left to grasp at straws and put the pieces together ourselves with sources probably outside the movie itself. One major plot point that is horribly frustrating is how Jackie gains Annie’s trust to the point where she is thinking sure I’ll take you to see my dying uncle. Completely missing except for maybe a few seconds.
Furthermore and a little surprising, there is a lot of action cut. A second here, and a second there. The shootout at the end of the film has a lot of shaved seconds as whole people being shot are simply gone in the blink of an eye. Did you know that there was an entire fighting scene underwater? Nope, I didn’t either. That’s because the whole thing was cut. Much more of the underwater scenes were also removed. It’s all of a confusing mess because some corporate exec thought it was a good idea to cut 25% of the finished movie.
For those who want to see all of the cuts in detail, head on to https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=1809
This is why I was so frustrated over the incident with the Amazon third party seller. The uncut version at this point in time only exists in this Japanese DVD or if you feel adventurous enough, the Japanese Laserdisc version. Warner Bros who owns the rights in most countries has seemingly no interest in releasing a proper copy of this film on any format. If they do release it, it would probably end up on Warner Archive similar to Legend of Drunken Master 2 or Mr. Nice Guy. The latter of which does have multiple cuts so it’s not completely out of the question. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
Even in this shortened, butchered form, the movie is enjoyable to watch. It was Jackie Chan’s best theatrical film gross, and remains one of the top films of all time in Hong Kong. The film was also nominated for several categories at the 1997 Hong Kong film awards for Best Picture and Actor. It ended up winning Best Action Choreography. It’s a darn shame that for home video viewers, probably 98% of the audience isn’t even aware a longer cut exists.
Anyway, enough of my frustration about a longer cut. This film was the closest we got to Jackie trying to be an Asian James Bond. In the process, this film lost a lot of character for me. For people who have followed the saga of Police Story so far, Uncle Bill was barely in the film, May is completely gone and the funny bits are embarrassing rather than hilarious. I still like the film, but maybe that was one thing that the international cut got right. It’s no longer Ka-Kui, it’s just Jackie being well…Jackie. I suppose it’s off to the 21st century and New Police Story then. Until next time, enjoy.
