Weak fifth Police Story film, has Jackie as yet another police detective and in a film with a decidedly darker tone. The first Police Story was a departure for Jackie by having a contemporary setting and less slapstick. The next three films got progressively more silly, but the fifth film in 2004 rebooted the series with Jackie playing a different character and had a more serious of tone. This sixth film again reboots the series with Jackie playing yet another different police detective and an even darker and more serious of tone. The story here has a glum Jackie negotiating a hostage situation in a nightclub that happens to have his estranged daughter inside and a villain who has a personal vendetta against him. It's a very contrived and unbelievable story that's made worse with absurd set-pieces involving torture chairs, cage fights, and exploding collars. These would work in a typically lighter Jackie Chan vehicle, but it doesn't in this decidedly grim action film. Still, who really watches a Jackie Chan film for the story? It's all about the fights, action, and stunt work, right? Jackie does deliver some solid action sequences, but there's a dearth of action sequences compared to most of his films, and it's much to the detriment of this film. I'm fine with Jackie taking time out for some drama ("Heart of the Dragon" is a terrific film!), but it has to be interesting and somewhat grounded in reality. This Die Hard revenge film manages to be plodding, unbelievable, and way too dialogue heavy, with characters launching into boring monologues far too many times. Still, there's enough action to make this overly serious mess worth watching for Jackie fans.

When I think Jackie Chan, I think cool fight scenes and humor. This movie has one of the former (sort of) and none of the latter. The setting has been switched to mainland China because... soft power campaign? The plot was convoluted and not engaging. This film didn't even keep me engaged enough to finish it.

A man looking for the release of a long-time prisoner takes a police officer, his daughter, and a group of strangers hostage. While there is some strong personality being displayed, it is done in a way that is truthful to human nature. There is a real duality to all the characters. The star strikes a rhythm with his role and it combined with the entertainment of a drama that feels real, makes the movie go at a good pace. All the characters struggle against a system that has perpetuated falsehoods. There are fisticuffs back and forth between those who claim to work for justice. It gives a picture of a backwards society that diminishes reality... but what else is new?

Starting good, the pros: good writing, good acting, good direction, good character, good action. There is nothing really wrong with this movie(except for a few times where the shaky cam is just too much). However, it could've turn into an exceptionally amazing film, but the director/writer/producers/studios played safe on the ending. All this movie, the dark, gritty tone and the characters, builds up to the final showdown(gunshot on the train-track). It made me feel the same feeling(kudos to the director and writer) as I did with Se7en's showdown: the moral conflict within the character. Could've gone Se7en's route and leave an emotional impact on the viewer by killing off Chan's character, but they instead backs away, and instead gave us a minor fight and a happy ending. What a wasted opportunity.