Project A Part II (original) (raw)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1987 Hong Kong action film by Jackie Chan

Project A Part II
Hong Kong film poster
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese A計劃續集
Simplified Chinese A计划续集
TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinA Jìhuà XùjíYue: CantoneseJyutpingA Gai3 Waak6 Zuk6 Zaap6
Directed by Jackie Chan
Written by Jackie Chan Edward Tang
Produced by Raymond Chow Leonard Ho Edward Tang
Starring Jackie Chan Maggie Cheung Bill Tung Rosamund Kwan
Cinematography Cheung Yiu-tsou
Edited by Peter Cheung Yiu-chung
Music by Michael Lai
Distributed by Golden Harvest Media Asia
Release date 19 August 1987 (1987-08-19)
Running time 106 minutes
Country Hong Kong
Language Cantonese
Box office US$18.7 million (est.)
Project A Part II
Traditional Chinese A計劃續集
Simplified Chinese A计划续集
Literal meaning "Plan A – The Sequel"
TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinA Jìhuà XùjíYue: CantoneseJyutpingA Gai3waak6 Zuk6zaap6

Project A Part II (Chinese: A計劃續集; aka Jackie Chan's Project A II; released in the Philippines as Super Fighter) is a 1987 Hong Kong action film starring and directed by Jackie Chan. It co-stars Maggie Cheung, Bill Tung, and Rosamund Kwan. It is the sequel to the 1983 film Project A. Chan plays Sergeant Dragon Ma once again, but his co-stars from the previous film, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, are both absent. The film was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 19 August 1987.

Continuing from where the first film left off, the pirates vow that they must kill Dragon Ma for revenge. On recommendation of the Chief of Marine Force, Dragon Ma is transferred to be in charge of the district of Sai Wan after the Superintendent, Chun, is thought to be staging his arrests. Though Chun has an excellent record, the "criminals" he has been engaging are shot and killed, so there is no evidence against him.

Dragon Ma and his subordinates meet Yesan and her cousin, Carina, at a teahouse. He learns that Carina is a member of the Chinese revolutionaries headed by Dr Sun Yat-sen. Dragon identifies himself as the new superintendent of Sai Wan Police Station, after realizing that all of his policemen except one has been taking bribes. Ho, the only upright policeman around, tells them that a gangster named Tiger Ow with gambling dens and other illegal businesses is the kingpin of the town.

As his men at the police station are too cowardly, Dragon is forced to confront Tiger with only Ho and the three friends he brought with him from the Marine Police. Following a big fight where the policemen are badly outnumbered, the Marine Police show up with guns and force the gangsters to surrender. After one last fight with Ow, all the gangsters are sent to prison, inspiring the police at the station to do a better job.

Dragon is put in charge of the Governor's security for a birthday ball he is throwing for his adopted daughter. Chun collaborates with a group of revolutionaries to implicate Dragon in a theft of the Governor's diamond pendant, and Dragon is arrested. After the ball, Carina is kidnapped by agents of the Empress Dowager, who are working with Chun; they trap her in a wardrobe at Yesan's house. Yesan, Li, Ma, and Ho arrive. Li hides but ends up threatened by one of the imperial agents. Ma and Ho, who are handcuffed together, enter the bathroom. While they are in the bathroom, the commissioner arrives.

As Yesan hangs up his uniform, Ma and Ho see the keys to the handcuffs. They break free and hide under the bed, losing the key to the handcuffs. They see the Imperial Agents with Carina in the wardrobe. Yesan and the commissioner sit down to talk. The Commissioner demonstrates how to handcuff two people by handcuffing himself to the armchair but can not break free. Chun arrives to visit Yesan, and the commissioner hides under the bed, where he sees Ma and Ho. Yesan finally gets Chun to get out of her house, when Ma, Ho, Tung and Yesan defeat the Imperial agents. Eventually the Imperial Agents are arrested, the revolutionary chief escapes, and Dragon is handcuffed by Chun so that he can be brought to the main prison. Carina flees town with the help of the revolutionaries. Chun arranges for Dragon to be killed by a prison warden.

The pirates attack both Dragon and Chun with axes, but they are eventually driven off after the police show up. Dragon is handed over to the prison warden, tied up in a sack, and thrown into the sea. The revolutionaries save Dragon and take him back to their hideout above a medicine store, where they try to enlist him. Dragon refuses to actively help them, saying that he is just a Hong Kong cop. The head of the pirates falls sick and the pirates enter the medicine store to ask for some herbs. Dragon intervenes and offers to pay for their medicine, causing the pirates to think much better of him.

The Imperial agents arrive and apprehend most of the revolutionaries, to gain possession of the black book. Dragon helps Yessan and Miss Pak escape while safeguarding the book. After a frantic run and fight, he defeats them with the help of the pirates. The Police Commissioner arrives with a huge police cohort and orders the arrest of Superintendent Chun, now fully aware Chun is trying to murder Dragon. Chun tries to run, but a large bamboo-and-wood stage facade falls on Chun while he attempts to retrieve his moneybag. Dragon, on order of the Commissioner, takes charge of the police.

At the Hong Kong box office, the film grossed HK$31,459,916[1] (US$4,034,357).[2] In Taiwan, it was the fourth highest-grossing film of 1987, earning NT$19,936,980[3] (US$697,097).[4]

In Japan, it was the sixth highest-grossing foreign film of 1987,[5] earning ¥1.91 billion[6] (US$13.2 million).[2] In South Korea, it was the second highest-grossing film of 1987,[7] with 176,273 ticket sales in Seoul City,[8] equivalent to an estimated ₩616,956,000[9] (US$750,036).[10] This adds up to an estimated total gross of approximately US$18,681,490 in East Asia.

The film was released in the Philippines by Asia Films Exchange as Super Fighter on 3 December 1987.[11]

Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 71% of seven surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating was 6.5/10.[12] David Beamish of DVDactive rated it 6/10 stars and recommended it to fans of the first film.[13] J. Doyle Wallis of DVD Talk rated it 3.5/5 stars and called it one of the better films in his career.[14] Mike Pinsky of DVD Verdict called it a "time filler" for Chan that does not live up to the previous film.[15]

  1. ^ "Project A II (1987)". Hong Kong Movie Database. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average)". World Bank. 1987. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  3. ^ "1987 Taiwan Box Office". National Chengchi University (in Chinese). 1987. Archived from the original on 19 February 2001. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Historical currency converter (TWD)". fxtop.com. 31 December 1987. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  5. ^ "1987年（1月～12月）". Eiren. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  6. ^ "【ジャッキーチェン興行成績】 第12回：日本での興行収入" [(Jackie Chan Box Office Results) The 12th: Box Office Income in Japan]. KungFu Tube (in Japanese). 7 September 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  7. ^ "【ジャッキーチェン興行成績】 第10回：韓国での興行収入". KungFu Tube (in Japanese). 5 September 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  8. ^ "영화정보" [Movie Information]. KOFIC (in Korean). Korean Film Council. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  9. ^ Park, Seung Hyun (2000). A Cultural Interpretation of Korean Cinema, 1988-1997. Indiana University. p. 119. Average Ticket Prices in Korea, 1974-1997 [...] * Source: Korea Cinema Yearbook (1997-1998) * Currency: won [...] Foreign [...] 1987 [...] 3,500
  10. ^ "Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) - Korea, Rep". World Bank. 1987. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Opens Today". Manila Standard. Standard Publications, Inc. 3 December 1987. p. 11. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  12. ^ "Jackie Chan's Project A2 ('A' gai wak juk jap) (Project A, Part II) (1987)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  13. ^ Beamish, David. "Project A Part 2 (UK - DVD R2)". DVDactive.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  14. ^ Wallis, J. Doyle (30 May 2003). "Jackie Chan's Project A 2". DVD Talk. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  15. ^ Pinsky, Mike (5 June 2003). "Project A 2". DVD Verdict. Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  16. ^ "List of Award Winner of The 8th Hong Kong Film Awards". Hong Kong Film Awards. Retrieved 21 April 2015.