|
|
|
|
|
GOLDSEA |
ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
JET LI vs JACKIE CHAN: DUELING IMAGES
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:56:22 PM)
n late July 2001 the world's two top martial arts stars announced a deal to co-produce and co-star in an action flick to be filmed in late 2002 for a 2003 release. The question naturally arises: what kind of movie could do justice to two such divergent types? Jackie Chan is a highly acrobatic clown who has built his following on a self-effacing counry bumpkin image. Jet Li is a deadly serious warrior who finds it easier to crack a man's neck than a smile.
Now that both global megastars are releasing big-budget Hollywood films at a breakneck pace for seven-figure salaries, they are the most visible Asians in the American filmgoing consciousness. Whether we Asian Americans like it or not, our image is shaped more by the screen exploits and antics of these two broken-English speaking foreigners than by any dozen Asian American actors. In the filmgoing psyche the sober, chaste and deadly-efficient Chinese cop in Kiss of the Dragon is pitted against the nimble goofball in Rush Hour 2.
Which Hong Kong star is better for the image of Asian Americans?
This interactive article is closed to new input.
Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
CONTACT US
|
ADVERTISING INFO
© 1996-2013 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.
|
|
|
|
WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
Bruce Lee would kill them both....
One True Master
Monday, October 08, 2001 at 12:10:19 (PDT)
Jet Li COULD beat up Jackie, but Jackie knows more martial arts and is stronger, also I go with Jackie Chan on the brains department.
MXT
Monday, October 08, 2001 at 00:41:08 (PDT)
My opinion is that Jackie Chan is better for the image of Asian Americans. He has that loose personality and that smile that makes him so likeable. Sometimes it is so funny watching him in a movie. It is so easy for him to be smiling and acting like a clown. Jackie Chan is also more famous than Jet Li who is more of an unknown. Jet Li really was not well known until he burst on to the scene in Romeo Must Die. I give my vote to Jackie Chan. This does not mean that I do not like Jet Li. He just needs a little more time to get better.
Andrew Hong
Saturday, October 06, 2001 at 09:45:13 (PDT)
i'm not sure my first letter was posted , so i'll write another one . in my first letter i talked about how jackie chan was better than jet li or any other matial artist alive for that matter and i will stick by my opinion . have none of you ever seen jackie chan or jet li fight . it's clear that jet li is no match for jackie chan he would have him beat in a few seconds . the only reason any of you think jet li is better than jackie chan is because you have seen jet li's stupid flying movies and can't exept jackie chan's good clean fighting methods . those of you who think that jet li is better than jackie chan need to realize the differance between a fighter and a flyer .
samo walker
thursday, october 04, 2001 at 19:52:26 (pdt)
i support jet li becauce he can make more kung fu styles than jackie.
no
italyroberto@hotmail.com
Sunday, September 23, 2001 at 00:19:16 (PDT)
there´s no cuestion, Jackie Chan is the master; Jet li is a very good martial artist, but in all of his movies, he uses especial efects that make the scenes unrreal and desapoint´s all spectatios; on the other hand, I´ve never seen Jackie Chan put something on the screen that he can´t do on real life; problably the age has something to do now, but I dont think that Jet Li can ever match the glory that Jackie has achived, for the reason I alrready gave.
Other thing, I didn´t like the word "clown" for Jackie, to combine humor with martial arts, especially the way jackie does it, its not only hard, but an art... I´ve seen Jackie Chan fight serious, and he looks invincible, and I dont think that Jet Li can such a good work in comedy.
I don´t want to Jet Li to look worthless, I´m only saying that for what I´ve seen, Jackie Chan is better martial artist than Jet Li.
Rodrigo Alejandro Rodríguez Izaguirre
ALEX_13RI@YAHOO.COM
Saturday, September 22, 2001 at 11:13:56 (PDT)
the two actors have trademarks in the action industry field. jackie performs his own stunts and shows a vulnerable side while jet's trademark is the serious action type one punch killing effect (simillar to bruce's) to his enemies on screen. i think the script has to made specifically to showcase their skills at the same time not overshadowing each other but synergistically working to uplift their own talents to the public.their chemistry must work, the script mustnt be boring, and the action sequences must be new/interesting not the common boring type of action movie you see.this must not be rushed.....it must be very well prepared.i don't usually log on the internet...for those fans who want to give their comments just e-mail me. im a more of a jackie chan fan but i also love movies done by jet li. i also like sammo hung.i vote for jackie...
aj
ajolqt@edsamail.com.ph
Wednesday, September 19, 2001 at 05:46:20 (PDT)
jet li because jet li can beat up jackie chan, so on the basis of power, jet li is better
passer by
Tuesday, September 18, 2001 at 03:08:37 (PDT)
JET LI!!! Come on! Jet Li was the 1975, 1977, 1978, and 1979 Gold Champion at the Chinese National Martial Arts Competition. Jackie may look good on the screen but Jet can kick his ass any day.
Fantasy85k
Saturday, September 08, 2001 at 14:15:26 (PDT)
You asked: Which Hong Kong star is better for the image of Asian Americans?
My opinion:
Both are actors, who know Martial Arts. Both of are in the business of entertaining people through their craft.
I so sick of hearing people complain this star is hurting [insert gender or race or ethnicity] by playing this [insert gender or race or ethnicity] they way they did in a movie.
HELLO!! IT IS JUST FICTION!!
It is commonplace nowadays that people end up overanalyzing the movies, shows, or music to death. People need to stop and actually concern themsevles with the real problems of the world.
unknown
Friday, September 07, 2001 at 22:08:05 (PDT)
Well I think if they come together, they should prolly come in Rush Hour 3, with Jet as a bad guy. Jet cant act but can sure as well kick ass better than Jackie.
Amol
Wednesday, September 05, 2001 at 12:37:45 (PDT)
I say jet li. He is a much more serious martial artist and thats what I admire. not just jumping across buildings. Jet Li all the way
Kevman
dbkevman87@aol.com
Tuesday, August 28, 2001 at 23:40:21 (PDT)
For me, I strongly believe that both action movie superstars will be successful in this upcoming movie. Each of them are supported by many fans all over the world. We know very well that Jet Li is the serious type but fast in his fighting instincts, while Jackie Chan, the entertaining stunt man. I think that if both of their characteristics will combine, hopefully they'll end up with a good image. This future movie would probably be a big hit since they're the two top asian action stars!
bearycool
Monday, August 27, 2001 at 05:03:26 (PDT)
I Love Jackie Chan but i like Jet Li more. Jackie Chan acts like a white boy when he's on american soil. Jet Li is real, he acts like a Chink
Manchu wei
Wednesday, August 22, 2001 at 01:23:27 (PDT)
mr. black man, that was quite a shift of attitudes in your two posts, but perhaps i've misunderstood the first time around.
"As a matter of fact, this argument could be made toward many, many entertainment outlets that blacks dominate"
NO, this only goes for the "comedians" who use the "race shtick" in their work. to this day i still don't find margaret cho funny. i admire many, many of the black artists ranging from armstrong to zora neal hurston, but specifically when race is used to be made a mockery of i don't think it's very appropriate. check out www.suntimes.com/ebert for a very good review of rush hour 2 and why it's not funny.
the "race schtick" tends to get old real fast. there are other more creative and meaningful outlets for these like tony morrison's novels...
perhaps this clarifies my position: i probably don't understand chris rock, but from my viewpoint, anybody's already a sellout to the hollywood system if they're appearing in the oscars. i've got very low opinions of the pop-culture... so i'm an elitest, but i don't find racial humor funny.
"while there haven’t been any yellow-face-painted Asians in the media, there have been Asians who have had to cover up their face."
there's been a long history of the negative asian image that is best left for another time. that cover-the-face so ratings won't be lowered is still prevelant in terms of casting asians... again a long topic for another time.
there are lots of asian producers/directors/et all working except for the SPECIFIC asian presence in FRONT of the camera. in part i DO blame these producers/directors for not taking a more proactive stance rather than perpetuate the chop-socky stereotypes...
it's not necessarily within the community that artists need to break first, take your rap artists example, what market do NEW rappers hope to breach? the 60% suburban teenagers of course. ("who let the dogs out," anybody?) i'm not at surprised at the general population's shallow taste of entertainment, but some artists like louis armstrong and langston hughes have wide appeal for the reason listed above of "universal art" that appeals to people everywhere. and i don't think rush our 2 appeals to many asians except those media brainwashed kids...
"What I meant was, that they can, just like anyone else, and that it is an opportunity that noone, including Asians, should pass up."
hear, hear. agreed. it is not meant to be the absolute that when i stated that asians go to civil rights protests and not wise versa. i'm sure many, many other minorities have in the long past of the movement. but from my perspective of recent media events, like i just saw the "ito dancers" on leno being voted one of tv's funniest moments, there is little support to promote asian awareness by other ethnic groups, mainly because everybody's trying to get ahead on their own. but from an asian perspective, the culture stresses deference and helping out others and so i've seen asians at these civil rights movements but little in terms of support for asians. that's in some part to be blamed by the "quiet and rserved asian" stereotype as to some degree it is true that asians are less voiceferous about negativity and tend to internalize rather than express feelings of anger.
but for racial epitets in comic routines, there is such a thing as taste and sophistication and not taking the easy way out of taking cheap shots at making "race" such a target of what is thought of as "funny."
again, check out www.suntimes.com/ebert for rush hour 2 review.
so i'm a little bit of elitest, but that's called having artistic integrity and not being cheap to satisfy mass media and pop-culture.
thanks for lsitening and i think we're on the same page for a lot of views.
villageidiot
Thursday, August 16, 2001 at 19:51:17 (PDT)
NEWEST COMMENTS |
EARLIER COMMENTS
|