10 Jackie Chan Movies With His Most Intense Stunts

Summary

Jackie Chan’s stunt work and humor set him apart as an actor, showcasing his bravery in dangerous and thrilling stunts.
Movies like “Winners and Sinners” and “Project A” highlight Chan’s ability to perform impressive stunts independently.
From “Police Story 2” to “Who Am I?,” Chan’s dedication to his craft and physical comedy shine through in his memorable and risky stunts.

Jackie Chan is one of the best-known stunt actors, if not the best, and has appeared in dozens of movie projects that demonstrate his talent. His use of stunt work and physical humor has set him apart as an actor and has turned him into one of the most recognizable names in the world. He is best known for using comedy throughout his movies, all while showing off his footwork or outwitting bad guys through physical means. But besides his comedies, he is also known to perform dangerous and thrilling stunts. In fact, some of Jackie Chan’s best stunts were also his most dangerous.

Chan may make the stunts look easy, but they all require a combination of perfect timing, skill, strength, and motivation, not to mention fearlessness. Besides Chan’s skills in fighting and his quick movements, the most important skill he possesses to complete the stunts is arguably his bravery. Jackie Chan’s upcoming movies also showcase his long-standing dedication to his craft. However, while there are multiple examples of his commitment to stuntwork from across is career, there are 10 movies that showcase his abilities the best.

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10 Winners and Sinners (1983)

After Opening A Cleaning Company, Ex-Convicts Find Themselves In A Gang War

While Winners and Sinners is not one of Chan’s most well-known movies, it does showcase early examples of his skills in stunt work and fearless moves. In the movie, Chan has a minor role compared to his other well-known works, but his police skills in the movie lead to impressive stunt work nevertheless. Chan plays CID 07, a police officer who in one classic scene is seen in pursuit of thieves that have stolen counterfeit US currency. Chan follows their car on roller skates, weaving through traffic while managing to avoid being hit.

In the movie, Chan has a minor role compared to his other well-known works, but his police skills in the movie lead to impressive stunt work nevertheless.

The highway sequence where Chan is seen moving through traffic is an impressive example of the stunts Chan is capable of. The scene is enthralling to watch as Chan moves in and out between vehicles. The most impressive stunt in Winners and Sinners is when Chan must lie down under an eighteen-wheeler truck to avoid getting run over. Since the movie, Chan has completed bigger stunts as the main protagonist, but the sequence in Winners and Sinners can’t be overlooked.

9 Project A (1983)

It’s Up To Dragon Ma To Protect The Seas Against Pirates In The 20th Century

Project A is another one of Jackie Chan’s earlier movies that still features great stunts by the actor. Chan plays Dragon Ma, a lieutenant of the Hong Kong Marines who hopes to defeat the villainous pirates who have been causing problems both in the water and on land. The movie is filled with impressive stunts, footwork, and martial artsmoves, but there is one stunt that specifically sets this movie apart.

While trying to escape bad guys trying to murder him, Dragon Ma escapes onto the ledge of the clock tower and, in a turn of unfortunate events, one of the bad guys kicks out the clock and forces Dragon Ma to grab onto the minute hand to avoid falling to his death. While impressive on its own as a stunt in a fictional movie, Chan brings the move to the next level by letting go of the clock and falling down an impressive three stories before getting up and running again.

While impressive on its own as a stunt in a fictional movie, Chan brings the move to the next level by letting go of the clock and falling down an impressive three stories before getting up and running again.

The movie and Chan’s physical humor reference the American silent film Safety Last! from 1923. But while Safety Last! used a camera trick to achieve the stunt, Chan actually physically held onto the clock and fell, which showed both his dedication and his fearless strength. Fans of Chan will also know that the stunt was recreated again in Chan’s later comedy film Shanghai Knights featuring Owen Wilson in 2003.

Project A (1983) PG-13

Director Jackie Chan Release Date December 22, 1983 Cast Jackie Chan , Sammo Hung , Yuen Biao , Dick Wei Runtime 106 minutes

8 Police Story 2 (1988)

Inspector Chan Ka-kui Must Prevent A Series Of Bombings While Dealing With Personal Struggles

The sequel to the very popular Police Story features even more stunts and impressive action scenes by Chan. In the movie, Chan plays Inspector Chan Ka-lui who was recently demoted due to the way he behaved in a previous case that led to the arrest of crime boss, Chu Tao. Things heat up as Ka-lui must prevent a series of bombings while also dealing with the kidnapping of his girlfriend, May, played by Maggie Cheung. Cheung is also one of Chan’s most frequent co-stars and has appeared in seven movies with Chan.

Police Story 2 features a series of impressive stunts, including one where Chan is seen jumping onto a moving truck and jumping into a pane of glass shortly after. Unfortunately for Chan, the move did not occur without any mishaps, as one take led to Chan dealing with a face full of cuts from the stunt. While the move caused some temporary damage, it has earned its place as one of Chan’s most impressive stunts and has earned Police Story 2 its place as one of Chan’s most impressive movies.

Police Story 2 PG-13 Where to Watch

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*Availability in US Director Jackie Chan Release Date August 13, 1988 Cast Jackie Chan , Maggie Cheung , Kwok-Hung Lam , Bill Tung , Benny Lai , John Cheung Runtime 101 minutes

7 Police Story 3: Super Cop (1992)

Inspector Ka-kui Faces Prison To Infiltrate A Cartel

Police Story 3: Super Cop from 1992 is another classic Jackie Chan movie. The Police Story franchise in particular is excellent at showing off Chan’s skills in stunt work. In Police Story 3: Super Cop, Chan’s Ka-lui goes undercover in a prison in hopes of infiltrating an infamous cartel. Chan stars alongside Michelle Yeoh, who plays another undercover cop. Chan’s stunts in the movie are particularly memorable due to their jaw-dropping nature.

Perhaps the best stunt in the movie is when Chan jumps off a building and grabs onto a ladder hanging off of a helicopter. The move is dangerous enough, but Chan follows it by immediately jumping onto a moving train. The movie shows off Chan’s dedication and his perfection to his craft. It is another excellent movie that features some of Chan’s best stunt work. The movie and its franchise also helped define Chan’s career as an actor.

6 Armour Of God 2: Operation Condor (1991)

A Search For Stolen Gold And Lots Of Martial Arts Fighting

Armour of God 2: Operation Condor is another one of Chan’s most memorable movies. Beyond the usual choreography and impressive action that defines Chan’s career, the movie also features several incredible and dangerous stunts. In the movie, Chan plays Asian Hawk, an agent that has been hired to recover gold stolen by the Nazis. In a sequence of brilliant fight scenes, Chan fights them off in his classic style.

Jackie Chan is known for risking injuries for the sake of completing stunts, but one stunt in
Armour of God 2: Operation Condor
actually left Chan with a broken sternum.

One of the best stunts in the movie shows Chan and his co-stars fighting while balancing on moving platforms. In choreography and circumstances that can best be described as cartoonish and amusing, it can be hard to remember that Chan and his co-stars are completing all these stunts in person and in real-time. The movie remains one of Chan’s most memorable movies and with good reason.

5 Rumble In The Bronx (1995)

A Wedding Soured By A Street Gang Fight

Just like all Jackie Chan movies, Rumble In The Bronx is another movie that features amazing stunt work and martial arts fighting scenes. Chan plays Keung, a Hong Kong police officer who has traveled to New York for his uncle’s wedding. The plans are soured when Keung must fight off a local gang with his impeccable skills in martial arts. Chan is best known for his martial arts skills, but the movie also features one of his most famous stunts, jumping onto moving vehicles.

Jackie Chan wore a painted sock to cover his cast in several scenes in
Rumble In The Bronx
. The cast and his wheelchair can be seen in some outtakes at the end of the movie.

One of the most impressive scenes in the movie shows Chan jumping off a pier to grab onto a flying hovercraft. The jump is one of Chan’s signature stunts, but it left Chan with more than just a cool shot. While shooting the scene, Chan broke his ankle and had to use a cast for the rest of the movie. In some scenes, he is even in a wheelchair, but the close-up shot of the scene hides it from the audience. Chan’s dangerous stunts are one way he has stood out among others, and Rumble in the Bronx represents one of his riskiest.

4 Armour of God (1986)

A Kidnapping, A Cult, And An Armour With Magical Powers

In Armour of God, Chan travels through Europe to help a kidnapped woman and discover a mysterious and magical treasure. In isolation, the movie may sound broadly similar to any number of Jackie Chan projects – albeit with a Western spin. However, not only does Armour of God feature yet another impressive collection of stunts, but it was also the cause of Jackie Chan’s worst stunt injury. Yet even this moment wasn’t as shocking as the movie’s most impressive stunt.

One scene in particular shows Chan jumping out of a cave and free-falling onto a hot air balloon. The wide shot of the scene shows the extent of the danger of the stunt. One wrong move and Chan could have fallen to his death in a terrifying disaster. The scene is also an example of how many of Chan’s most dangerous stunts only use one take. The hot air balloon stunt simply could not have had a second take because it would have meant Chan missed his landing the first time. His skill also lies in his precision.

3 Who Am I? (1998)

An Agent Loses His Memory And Must Rediscover Why Agencies Are Chasing Him

While Chan’s stunts are known for being dangerous, there is one particular stunt in Who Am I? that really pushes boundaries. Directed by Chan, Who Am I? is an action comedy that follows Chan’s character as he tries to remember why agents are chasing him since he lost his memory following a crash. The movie has all the hallmarks of a classic Chan movie, with brilliant fight scenes and stunt work. The most memorable one from the movie takes place on a rooftop and involves a makeshift bungee cord.

While trying to escape the agents that are after him, Chan finds himself trapped on a rooftop, but luckily for him, there is some loose rope he can use for his benefit. In the scene, Chan wraps the rope around himself and jumps off the roof as the rope unravels and spins out before Chan lands on the ground, unharmed. With one wrong move, the stunt could have gone horribly wrong. The visual is terrifying but, as always, Chan is able to escape the bad guys unharmed.

2 Drunken Master II (1994)

Martial Arts Fighting And Hot Coals

Drunken Master II is another action comedy that stars Jackie Chan and features some of his best stunt work. The fight scenes in the movie and its predecessor, Drunken Master, may seem too good to be true, but the Drunken Master fighting style is real, and it is based on a specific martial art style called Zui Quan. The comedy follows Chan’s character Wong Fei-hung as he tries to prevent foreigners from stealing Chinese artifacts, all while dealing with personal family issues.

The fight scenes in the movie and its predecessor, Drunken Master, may seem too good to be true, but the Drunken Master fighting style is real, and it is based on a specific martial art style called Zui Quan.

Drunken Master II features one of Chan’s most dangerous stunts. The stunt in question shows Chan crawling over hot coals in a terrifyingly slow-motion scene. There was no movie magic in the scene and Chan actually crawled over the hot coals in his typical fearless manner. The move proved once again Chan’s dedication to his craft and his ability to do the seemingly impossible in the name of physical comedy.

1 Police Story (1985)

A Police Officer Must Clear His Name In This Breathtaking Sequence of Stunts

Police Story from 1985 is arguably the movie with the most intense Jackie Chan stunts. It is also credited as one of Chan’s best movies. The movie kicked off the Police Story franchise’s reputation as having excellent stunts, since it featured some of the more dangerous stunts of Chan’s career. The movie features incredible fight scenes with Chan and his co-stars that show off Chan’s footwork, fighting skills, and evasion skills. Chan also directed the movie, which perhaps gave it that extra push to show off just how skilled Chan is at stunt work.

Towards the end of the movie, Chan is seen sliding down a string of lights and falling into glass. The lights in the movie were real and hot and, as part of Chan’s dedication and fearlessness, Chan went through with the move even though he suffered burns while filming, almost dying while completing the stunt. The movie and Chan’s stunt work cemented Jackie Chan as an incredible actor and stuntperson, even as early as 1985.

Police Story PG-13ActionComedyCrimeThriller Where to Watch

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