Jackie Chan’s Last Dance At Action Comedy With PANDA PLAN Review
On 17th January the Martial Arts action legend Jackie Chan’s final outing in an action comedy film “Panda Plan” hits cinemas in the UK. I was honoured to be invited to the UK Premiere at the Vue West End and here is what I thought of JC’s last dance in action comedy.
The film starts out with a bang indulging us with high tempo action sequences which leave you with hopeful thoughts for the remainder of the film. However, your bubble is burst when it is revealed this is just a movie set and Jackie is playing another re- incarnation of himself in the film. The plot is quickly explained in that he is adopting a social media famous Panda, however a rich Arab has other plans and enlists a group of mercenaries to capture the Panda for his own gains. Jackie arrives at the Zoo and has the opportunity to meet the Panda that he is adopting. This is when the silliness and slap stick comedy starts to bleed through. Jokes are made about his own appearance i.e. big nose and the overacting from the supporting actors is quite cringeworthy at times. It feels as if they are trying to implement the 70’s Hong Kong comedy which worked back then but not in a major modern day feature film. 
Film Still Courtesy of Cineasiauk
When we are introduced to the mercenaries tasked to kidnap the Panda, there is nothing new that we haven’t seen before with one pulling off a Mohawk, their leader with a bald head and full of tattoos. However what really lets this film down is the bad CGI animals including the main character the panda itself eventually named “Hu Hu”. some moments are bareable but others are hard to watch, takes you completely out of the story. When the mercenaries arrive there is a comical moment when they realise they are facing the action move star legend that is Jackie Chan who is one of their own idols. Question arises can he really fight? And YES he can!
Film Still Courtesy of Cineasiauk
What follows are action sequences and fight scenes which are fun to watch but never reach the Jackie level of action we learned to love from his older film’s Meals On Wheels to his Hollywood hits such as Rush Hour, Tuxedo and Shanghai Noon. However, respect must be given when earned and at the age of 70 he is still kicking butt maybe not in the way we would like him to but it is still entertaining. The modern day use of CGI and heavy use of wire work really puts a downer on proceedings throughout.
Film Still Courtesy of Cineasiauk
There is a moment when Jackie Chan and his team of Panda rescuers escape the main holding area and need to find milk to feed the hungry Panda. Not sure whose idea it was to have a scene of Jackie milking a Rhino but doesn’t pay off very well, it feels they are forcing the comedy at this moment. It is too predictable that the male Rhino realises what is happening and storms after JC. I think leave the Rhino gags to Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura for me.
Film Still Courtesy of Cineasiauk
Captured once again Jackie and his team need to find a way of stopping the Panda being shipped off to the rich Arab. At this point I would like to mention two characters who seem to be made up to be a comedy duo like Laurel and Hardy throughout with very few lines but all the acting on the face. These two bring some funny moments. One in particular is of adult humour. Jackie is put in a cell with these two and they start to undress themselves, Jackie thinking the worst “what are they going to do to me?” but then realises they are his biggest fans with tattoos of him on their bodies. It is a funny gag and one that pays off. They have been turned from enemies to allies. 
Film Still Courtesy of Cineasiauk
The final showdown is at the rich Arab’s house where it is Jackie’s last ditch attempt to save the Panda from the clutches of evil. This fight scene is flamboyant, based around a winding staircase with wirework throughout. Once the police cavalries arrive the story is not what it quite seems. The Arab explains the reason behind his want for the Panda and empathy is shown. Now whether this is meant to be the pay off I am not too sure. In the final scene of the film where “Hu Hu” the Panda is now fully grown and Jackie is now a fully fledged Panda father, there is just something missing which could have sealed the deal better for the audience. 
To wrap up my review, if you are a hardcore Jackie Chan fan hooked on his action films from the past I would recommend you watch “Panda Plan” with a different outlook and open mind. This film’s demographic clearly is for children, even the colour grade pops like a Nickelodeon series. It is a light hearted affair with Jackie bringing his own enthusiasm and optimistic attitude to proceedings. If you have children and want to introduce them to your favourite action star then this is a perfect introduction. However if you are expecting an action adrenaline fuelled outing then you will be disappointed. The balance of action and comedy really fall in favour of the latter and it doesn’t hit all the right notes in my opinion. The English dubbing was an interesting choice on some of the characters especially the actress Ce Shi who was high pitched and whining. I am a huge Jackie Chan fan, he is one reason why I started training in Martial Arts in the first place and will always enjoy his films regardless of the quality. He is now bowing out of the action comedy genre because he states it takes more out of his body than standard action films. I think this is the right decision, let us remember the great times.
I give Panda Plan 3 / 5 Pandas
Note – 1 Because it is Jackie Chan, 2 Because he is still kicking butt at 70 and 3 because some scenes made me chuckle. The following evening I watched 2023 “Ride On” which reinstated my faith in JC, definitely worth a watch.
