Police Story: Lockdown (2013) User Reviews (41)

Not a Typical Jackie and I Liked It

[libraryguru · 7/10 · 19 April 2014]

The reviews I have seen that rate this really low mostly have the same complaints. "Not enough action," Not enough humor." Personally I liked the fact that Jackie is going in a different direction. He is admitting that he's getting older. Instead of pretending he can still kick ass like when he was 30 ( *cough* Stallone, Schwarzenegger *cough* ) he is following more in the steps of Clint Eastwood.

In a way he reminded me of Robin Williams. When Robin gives up his clown persona and makes a movie like One Hour Photo, he shows he can really act. Well Jackie is moving away from his Kung Fu Clown persona and relying more on his acting. And he's showing that he has the chops.

I originally rated this movie higher, because I was unfairly judging it as a Jackie Chan movie.But I changed my score to a seven because I think that is a more objective rating. The movie does have some problems with the script, directing and editing. But it is by no means horrible. Perhaps some of the problems could have been fixed with a bigger budget. But then again, Hollywood size budgets are certainly no guarantee of quality either.

In short. If you do not require constant impractical martial arts action, or silly slapstick, then you will enjoy this for what it is. An action-drama, with enough action to satisfy your blood lust, but also an attempt at telling an interesting story.

HK Auteur film review - Police Story 2013 警察故事2013

[hkauteur · 7/10 · 23 January 2014]

It must be said that the anticipation for a Jackie Chan film has changed over the years. Chan himself had announced in last year's Chinese Zodiac 12 to be his last film with major action in it. We cannot go in expecting to be wowed by death-defying stunts or exhilarating fight choreography anymore. Instead of fights, he has chosen to switch into the dramatic.

Police Story 2013 is not a continuation of the original Police Story series, the title is in name only. Chan's character Zhong Wen is not Chan Ka-Kui, Jackie Chan's Supercop character from the original Police Story series. Zhong Wen is not hotheaded, not prone to solving conflicts with violence or even a great hand-to-hand fighter. The only similarity both characters share is their whole-hearted belief of the law and their obligation to do the right thing. Otherwise, Zhong Wen is a dramatic character exploring themes of old age and dealing with the consequences of being a poor father, and therefore it is a role that the older Jackie Chan naturally fits into. In comparison to Chan's dramatic turns in The Karate Kid remake and The Shinjuku Incident, this performance is the most honest.

The fights, which are not choreographed by the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, are shot close and choppily edited. And sadly, there are not that many of them. For Jackie Chan fans that are hungry to watch a good fight or a stunt will be disappointed. Originally there were not going to be any fights in the film.

Director Ding Sheng, who previously worked with Chan on Little Big Soldier, constructs some tense moments and keeps the audience guessing with red herrings. Liu Ye plays the villain in true scenery chewing fashion, the cat-and-mouse game between Liu and Chan is the price of admission. Jing Tian, having been played the most annoying female police officer in Donnie Yen's Special ID earlier this year, fares much better in a more fleshed-out role. I'm curious to see what part she will play in the upcoming Chow Yun Fat-Wong Jing God of Gamblers rehash From Vegas to Macau.

As for the hostage situation itself, the bickering hostages are very annoying and it begs to question how they would be able to yak on the way they do without risking execution. The final reveal in the mystery plot is pedestrian, as one would expect a more epic conflict. Immense effort has been made to shift things to a ground level and while it succeeds at creating a gritty realism, it works against the film in terms of payoff. With a back catalogue full of dangerous stunts and action scenes, who could imagine a Jackie Chan movie made so humbly and low- volume?

Police Story 2013 ultimately is an incidental addition to the Jackie Chan canon and does not hold a close candle to the original Police Story series -though much better than the awful New Police Story-, but I did not expect it to be either. It was entertaining for its running time, but I won't watch it again. The 3D is a shameless cash grab as minimal design has been put in and it is counter-productively dulling down its colorful cinematography. Overall the average Jackie Chan fan might be happier to see it as a rental. Nothing here is worth being angry or disappointed over.

You might be thinking, why am I being so forgiving? Why am I giving Police Story 2013 a pass? The answer: I am not ready to live in a world without Jackie Chan movies in it.

For more reviews, please visit my film blog @ http://hkauteur.wordpress.com

Jackie is getting too old for this...

[d_man1890 · 6/10 · 2 February 2014]

Police Story 2013 follows Jackie's character in a Die Hard scenario. A bunch of cage fighting criminals have taken hostages in a fortified building, one of them is JC's daughter and he must find a way to save them all by himself.

The premise itself is pretty interesting but the execution is sloppy. The movie takes forever to begin and spends way too much time on introducing unimportant characters instead of building on Jackie's relationship with his daughter. Then it relies on flashbacks which seems at first as an interesting plot device until you realize that they're there just for show and don't contribute to the plot itself. When finally we discover what the bad guys were after, it seems highly unlikely and ridiculous.

Low production values and lack of action turn this movie into more of a drama, but with Jackie being the only credible actor the result is cringeworthy. This movie, just like last year's CZ 2013 are a sad reminder that Jackie has aged, long gone are the days of crazy stunts and wild fights. Jackie's fights are short, over edited, CGI'd and even it's apparent that he uses stunt doubles. I know that he's not young anymore, but it's apparent that he's still in great shape and could've done a lot more if the crew knew what to do with him.

Overall, an interesting premise that is ruined by a lack of direction and relying too much on cheap tricks as flashbacks, CGI, Slo-Mo and fast cutting. Watch this only if you're a big fan of JC.

Heroic and Bravery of Man not by using mere action

[garywongkleek · 28 December 2013]

We had seen Jackie doing incredible stunts in his career and it is time for him to move on doing something different. While the movie opening was quite loose and uninteresting, as the story slowly unfolds, it captured my heart and emotions. I must admit that Jackie actually act better than many action stars. I personally think that he has quite successfully transform himself to an actor not merely good at action but convincing in his role as well. This is not the usual good-and-bad-guy movie, and fighting scene is really minimal. There are many moments in this movie that clearly demonstrates a bravery of man and heroic act without expressing though action scenes with huge budget and CGI. It is so natural that fighting is really unnecessary in this movie. I am happy that Jackie has found a new way to blend his action talent with drama, only if the script is good, and this is a better one than Shinjuku Incident.

Editing was too frenetic...

[celluloidkiwi · 7/10 · 18 April 2014]

As a long time JC fan and movie buff, I found the fast paced editing too distracting. Why the editor decided to hack even dialog sequences into constantly shifting angles and tiny bits is beyond my knowledge of film making. The director and photography certainly covered ALL the bases, but editing tried too hard to evoke or imply action where it was not needed, or, at other times, cover for poorly directed choreography. I do understand JC is not a spring chicken and that plays a role in edits. Still...could be handled more concisely without jumping edits. Seemed as if the editor was a character at times. Hmmmm.

The story was fairly solid, production values were very high. Acting was spotty at times due to seemingly weak characterizations in the script. The premise had merit, though the finale was not entirely consistent to such.

Again, it was the frenetic editing and confusing camera direction that distracted from the core elements of the story/narrative and knocked two stars off the review. At the same time, two stars added for seeing JC in a serious role and incorporating family values regarding a single father trying to amend his relationship was great. There is, as always, tremendous talent there. As to those that criticize JC for this effort, I'd suggest they be more gracious toward a man that is evolving on personal levels, and one who strives to entertain at all costs. Go Jackie!!

A disappointing action drama thriller

[YJLcool · 6/10 · 28 December 2013]

Although Police Story 2013 (警察故事2013) stars Jackie Chan and shares the same name as the first three 'Police Story' films that got him famous, they're unrelated and very different in tone. Similar to the unrelated New Police Story (新警察故事) released in 2004, this film uses a serious, darker and gritter approach as well.

The story is about a group of people gets kidnapped at a nightclub, all seemingly unrelated, until it is revealed that is not the case and Jackie need to save the victims and his own daughter as well. The first half of the film is slightly boring and uneventful for an action thriller. Some plot events that happens in the film are unnecessary to the story.

Despite Jackie's great performance in the film (especially the emotional ending scene where he's willing to do whatever it takes to save his daughter), the film greatly suffers due to its lackluster plot and lack of memorable strong developed supporting characters.There's aren't enough action sequences in this film and most of them were normally out of focus and hard to really see what is really going on at times, especially the brutal cage match between Jackie and a Thai fighter.

The film also lacks a compelling villain, his motivations for doing the kidnapping are very personal but the film doesn't provide any scenes for the audience to empathize with his loss. A great villain normally have a plan that is well thought-out and precise. They know when should they strike and where it hurts the most. They have a goal and clearly knows the best way to accomplish it. This one doesn't.

Furthermore, the Cantonese-dubbed version I've watched in the cinema ruined the experience as well. I would really prefer that they use the original Mandarin version instead. A disappointing film.

Rating: 6.5/10

A fresh take of 'Police Story'

[helmutty · 7/10 · 8 February 2014]

When the first trailer was out, it confirmed the gritty tone that is different from the franchise. The movie is dark, gritty and humourless which made the audience and critics disappointed. What's my take? No doubt was I entertained by it. The 2013 version may be smaller scaled but it still manages to entertain and thrill by its decent pace and the mysterious motives of the villain.

The story: The plot and action are grounded. It works more to a crime thriller rather than an action thriller. Jackie Chan plays a new character, detective Zhong Wen. He enters a nightclub in search for his daughter. Little did he know, the nightclub owner hatches a plan to take the customers as hostages. But things are not what they seem to be. There are things that may be a little too coincidental. The whole movie is set inside the nightclub aside from some flashbacks and does seem a little low- budget.

There is still action. However, the action is different from the action in the franchise. It is grounded and the choreography is nothing fanciful. The few brief action scenes consist of car chases and brutal fight scenes. The explosive action in the climax seems a little forced; explosions out from nowhere and for sake of explosions. At least, Jackie Chan performed his own stunts. Acting wise is okay for a Chinese movie. Jackie did his best emoting the necessary emotions. The rest are border-line okay.

Overall: It is worth watching it, seeing a fresh take. Even Benny Chan's New Police Story is nowhere as dark as this is. Although this is smaller scaled and delivers less energetic action scenes, it is still entertaining to see Jackie Chan fighting his way to save the hostages. Would I want to see another Police Story? Sure, I doubt future movies will be as action-packed as the older movies. It is clear that Jackie Chan is ageing.

I expected much better

[death_line02 · 6/10 · 4 January 2014]

I like Jacki Chan Movies but I don not Know why he not produce it in Hollywood.

I've watched all police story and this one is worst. the events very slow, direction and the story bad and silly. the only advantage of this movie, Jacki Chan name in the beginning.

MANY MISTAKES in the directing and there is no realistic on it. there is some funny shots but not reach the desired expecting. fighting and action of the movie generally not bad but some times be a stall and u will dislike and bored..

I like Jacki act and how he acts in his face and u fell his emotion

Mixed bag results in Jackie's hostage thriller

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 15 March 2017]

POLICE STORY: LOCKDOWN is a mixed bag of a movie for Jackie Chan fans. He gets a lot of screen time here and has a chance to act rather than fight for most of it, but the film itself is quite messy in places and doesn't really convince in its depiction of a hostage scenario. It's never quite suspenseful or exciting enough to succeed.

The setting is an elaborate multi-storey bar in which bad guy Liu Ye, from CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, and his handful of goons are located. They take Chan and various others hostage for reasons which are made apparent via some cheesy and slightly unbelievable flashbacks. It all feels rather melodramatic when it comes out, however the worst thing about this production is the direction.

My heart sank when I realised this film was from mainland China rather than Hong Kong, as China doesn't have the best movie-making record in recent years. Thankfully the bad CGI is kept to a minimum here but the direction is quite awful and the director's refusal to hold a shot more than a few seconds is more likely to provoke a headache than excitement. The cameraman feels more like a hyperactive child than anything else. Sheng Ding's previous film LITTLE BIG SOLDIER was more impressive than this.

It's also worth noting that this film has no connection to Jackie's previous POLICE STORY movies, all of which are considerably more interesting, well-made, and entertaining. The only connection is that Rongguang Yu is back from NEW POLICE STORY although he and Jackie play different albeit similar characters. Jackie has a family in this one. The action is limited and Jackie is unforgivably doubled for some of the fights, and even worse some of it is shoehorned into the story for no reason (an early fight and car chase are included in flashbacks that turn out to have no relation to the main story). On the plus side, it does have a very fast pace to take your mind off all the problems with the story, and it's fitfully entertaining, just a far cry from the fantastic films that Jackie used to make. He really spoiled us with those.

some kind of little bad production

[fluffset · 6/10 · 8 January 2014]

I watch this movie because of Jackie Chan, I and a lot of people from all around the world love him, we have watch a lot of movie with him. But... I don't know man... looks like something wrong with this movie, firstly what annoying me the most is the background music, that music effect! Its so loud and so off! Sometimes its not suitable with the situation, too exaggerated! This movie can be better if they change the music effect, why they never notice this obvious stuff? I don't know man, then the script is really.... not so bad but just weird. I never felt asleep while I'm watching any Jackie's movie and this is my first time! I never really sleep but I'm trying to not fall asleep because I'm still hope something good will appear from this movie, and yes! They fulfilled my wish, the story and the sound getting better till the end and makes me wonder if they are some high school production who just learn some skill little by little, they never notice this "little" thing in their post-production process, I don't know man. What can I say is for the first 1 hour this story is so bad but getting better in the last 1 hour. Weird isn't it? Oh, I want to sleep right now. If you love Jackie you might love this but just don't expect too much from this some kind of little bad production. Just be patient like me.

Wasn't Up to the Same Standards of a Jackie Chan Movie

[Uriah43 · 5/10 · 17 December 2015]

Because of his dedication to duty and the demands of his job "Senior Inspector Zhong Wen" (Jackie Chan) has essentially neglected his wife and daughter for years. As a result, when his wife is seriously injured in a car accident he arrives at the hospital much too late and this causes his grief-stricken daughter "Miao" (Tian Jing) to want nothing more to do with him. However, sometime later things seem to change when Miao calls him and sets up a meeting at a night club. Unfortunately, when he gets there he is knocked unconscious and is taken hostage along with his daughter and several other people. It soon transpires that the kidnappers want more than just money and Senior Inspector Zhong Wen is the key to their plans. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this is yet another movie which focuses on the serious side of Jackie Chan. And while he certainly performs well enough I believe that this trend has somewhat diminished the overall entertainment value of his films. It's just not the same without the humor that normally accompanies the martial arts and action. Likewise, the technique used to tell the story resulted in a slow pace which didn't help either. In any case, this wasn't necessarily a bad film by any means but it clearly wasn't up to the typical standards of a Jackie Chan movie and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Jackie Gets Serious

[3xHCCH · 8/10 · 23 January 2014]

I have watched many of Jackie Chan's films in the past. I am a fan of how he combines his awesome martial arts skills and stunt work with precise comedic timing. We see a different Jackie Chan in "Police Story 2013", he gets darkly serious here.

Sad to say, I have not seen any of the five other Police Story films of Chan before. Not even the first one, which Jackie himself considers his best in terms of the action. This Police Story is not really related to the other films, so it does not really matter if you have seen the others or not.

The film opens with a shocking scene of Jackie Chan actually pulling the trigger of a pistol to his temple. From there we will get pulled into a tale of Captain Zhong Wen, a man torn between his dedication to his duty as a policeman and his duty as a father.

Zhong's rebellious daughter May introduces him to her boyfriend, Wu Jiang, who runs a very popular avant-garde bar. What was supposed to have been a family meeting turned out to be an elaborately-planned violent hostage-taking drama borne out of a tragic incident that happened five years ago.

Jackie Chan is much older now, but his action skills are not diminished. He gets to fight with a champion mixed martial arts fighter in one very long and brutal one-on-one fight scene. Awesome fight scene. His dramatic acting skills are wrung out here as well because of the dilemmas and tough decisions his character had to face. There was no hint of comedy in this Jackie here. We only see the old Jackie Chan smile and laugh in the outtakes over the final credits.

His daughter May was played by pretty young actress Tian Jing, whom I just saw in "Special ID" just last week. Too bad she did not figure in a fight scene in this film. But she was much better here in terms of her acting because of her character's arc. Tian actually looked a lot like Filipina actress Kim Chiu in this film.

The villain is played by award-winning Chinese actor Liu Ye. He plays his disturbed and vengeful character with much depth, with so many intense confrontation scenes with Jackie.

The direction by Sheng Ding was a little sloppy, with a lot of off-focus shots left in the final print. The story-telling and the script were quite neat in terms of the details, considering this tale went back and forth from previous events interjecting into present scenes. There were some welcome moments of comedy but they were not from Jackie.

Overall, this is a very good action film held together by an excellent dramatic story, with just the right amount of comedy to keep things interesting. Jackie Chan is really still at the top of his game, even at this age (he turns 60 in April this year). He should not be retiring soon. We still expect a lot from this talented man.

One trapped cop, and a whole bunch of criminals...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 15 August 2016]

I happened to come across "Police Story: Lockdown" (aka "Ging Chat Goo Si") by sheer random luck while searching for Asian movies on Amazon. And being a fan of Jackie Chan, then it was instantly purchased, of course.

I must admit that this is one of Jackie Chan's more mature and serious movies in a while. There are some like this is seriousness, but it is still quite nice to see Jackie Chan step up and perform in a serious movie such as this.

The story is a fairly generic police vs. bad guys kind, in terms of it being a group of criminals having fortified themselves inside a bar and having taking bar patrons hostage. And it is up to the police to gain entry and save the hostages without casualties. But there is a twist to the story, but I will not give any spoilers. And it was also a nice way that director Ding Sheng had opted to go in terms of how more and more bits of information was revealed to the audience. It was a good way to lure people in and keep your attention focused and determined.

Unlike most other Jackie Chan movies, then there is not the usual slapstick action comedy in "Police Story: Lockdown", so if you sit down to watch this movie hoping for it to be a usual Jackie Chan movie, then you will be disappointed. There is but a bit of humor to this movie, and it is subtle and well-used in the movie.

Jackie Chan performs well in a serious role, and he does so with his usual grace and charisma. And the action sequences are performed with Jackie Chans usual delivery of excellence, grace and unique style.

The title "Police Story: Lockdown", seems somewhat of a cash-in on the previous successful "Police Story" movies, because it is totally different police characters that Jackie Chan portrays. But still, it is wholesome entertaining.

This is a good movie if you enjoy police action dramas, and it doesn't really matter if you are a fan of Jackie Chan or not to enjoy this movie. I am rating it seven out of ten stars.

JUSTICE OR REVENGE

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 9 August 2018]

The film opens with Jackie Chan meeting with his estranged daughter and her boyfriend Wu at his bar/club. It starts out with a hostage situation as father tries to save daughter, but not nearly as good as "Taken." The film ends up with a classic mystery ending where all the suspects are assembled in one room. The whole premise of the film was inane. Who does this to get information and revenge?

Much of the film consisted of flashbacks. Chan managed to get in a "Rocky" scene, but for the most part, his abilities were not used. The film started out good, but started to bore me at the flashbacks.

We're already hoping there's gonna be a Police Story 2014!!! Jackie Chan proves why he's still the best! Read on for more!!!

[bobbystryker · 28 December 2013]

Jackie Chan is back in what I would consider his best serious role to date.

New Police Story (2004) was a disappointment for many. It did not feature the same character nor have any continuity to the previous Police Story movies and left people wondering why it even carried the Police Story name. In hindsight, however, I think it wasn't actually that bad. It's on TV fairly frequently over here in Singapore and regardless of how many times I've seen it, I still find myself watching it to the end. Of course it pales in comparison to the gold standard set by the first 2 Police Story movies, but those 2 classics put most action movies to shame. But what New Police Story does deserve credit for is that it set the ground and expectations for subsequent Police Story movies. I went into Police Story 2013 not expecting Police Story 1 or 2 but something darker, grittier and more serious and that's exactly what I got.

Jackie has been hit and miss with his serious roles. Shinjuku Incident was just not that good a movie and although Little Big Soldier was good, it was not here nor there in terms of its dramatic tone – it still felt part serious and part comedy but never really embraced either genre completely. Police Story 2013, from Ding Sheng, the director of Little Big Soldier, hits the proverbial nail on the head and destroys it! This movie is badass!!

The movie starts with Jackie, a decorated police veteran, on his way to meet his estranged daughter in a nightclub in China (that's right – not Hong Kong). Ever since the loss of his wife, things have clearly been turbulent between the pair and his daughter (Tian Jing) appears to have become quite rebellious against the father she felt was never there for her.

Things take a quick and unexpected turn for the worst when the nightclub is locked down and Jackie, as well as other patrons in the club, are taken hostage.

Henceforth, the movie turns into a gritty cop thriller as we join Jackie in his efforts to try and figure out who the bad guys are and what their motives are. The plot is twisted and turned and intertwined, making for some pretty good and dramatic cinema. This is definitely not the Police Story we have come to know and love. It is, however, a darn good story about police.

Those expecting Jackie's trademark brand of ultra fast perfectly choreographed fighting will be left disappointed. This is definitely not a kung fu / martial arts movie. There are only a handful of fights and they are kept very real and visceral. Jackie, possibly for the first time in ages, looks like he can do serious damage. A cage fight in particular is very brutal but fits the tone of the movie perfectly.

Remember, first and foremost this is a cop thriller and it's a tense one at that, especially as the story turns into a 'who done it' sort of detective movie.

I enjoyed this movie a lot. A great story, a fine thriller and characters we grow to really care about as the story unfolds. Sure it's not for everyone. If you're an action junkie or have traits of ADHD then you should probably look elsewhere. Also noted that replay value is probably not that great.

But those looking for a tense thriller to sink their teeth into, something that will keep you thinking and on the edge of your seat, then you need not look any further.

A great night at the movies and Jackie's best performance in a serious role to date! Highly recommended! Check it out!

Rating 8 out of 10

Jackie is back!

FOR THIS AND OTHER REVIEWS CHECK OUT MAXIMUMEXTREME.NET

I used to be a huge Jackie Chan fan.

[Hellmant · 7/10 · 28 July 2015]

'POLICE STORY: LOCKDOWN': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A reboot to the popular Chinese action flick series 'POLICE STORY', starring Jackie Chan. In this film, also known as 'POLICE STORY 2013' in China (where it was released two years ago), Chan plays a mainland Chinese police officer (rather than a Hong Kong one); who's trying to protect his rebellious daughter, from a hostage situation at a local bar. The movie was directed and written by Ding Sheng and it costars Liu Ye and Jing Tian. The film is quite a bit darker, and more melodramatic, than other 'POLICE STORY' movies; and for that reason (among others) I didn't enjoy it as much.

Detective Zhong Wen (Chan) is a veteran mainland Chinese detective, who's visiting his daughter, Miao Miao (Tian), at a popular nightclub. Wen is angered to learn that Miao Miao, who hates him, is dating the owner of the bar, Wu Jiang (Ye). After a heated argument, Wen is also troubled to discover that the club has been taken over by terrorists; he's knocked out and held hostage as well. Wen also soon learns that he's part of the criminals' revenge plot. Things become more complicated from there, as Wen desperately tries to save his daughter.

I used to be a huge Jackie Chan fan, when I was younger; I've since grown a little tired of the lack of diversity, and originality, in a lot of his films (I also really don't like him as a person, anymore, or his politics). The first three 'POLICE STORY' movies were some of my favorite martial arts action flicks though, and this installment definitely doesn't do them justice. The action scenes are OK, and Chan does give a good performance in it, but the serious dramatic tone definitely doesn't help the film out; it usually makes it seem a lot more cheesy. I was willing to give the movie a chance, despite my recent disgust for Chan (due to his personal views), but the film is definitely a disappointment; for fans of the series or Chan.

Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40tcsSNoQmo

Good

[manitobaman81 · 7/10 · 22 August 2014]

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?

Full Metal Jackie

[danielharden · 6/10 · 18 July 2016]

Police Story (1985) marked the start of Jackie Chan's adventures as Captain Zhong Wen and the many other names his character has gone by. Now in the 2010's Chan is back in a one-man-versus-gang hostage situation in Police Story: Lockdown.

The films plot and story is intriguing, a Die Hard hostage movie with a touch of mystery as the film keeps you guessing as to what the villain, Wu Jiang's motive is. The mystery of the motive and enigma's of the film are interesting enough to keep you watching but the reveals and answers to those enigmas aren't delivered as well. It's not that the resolve is bad its just a tad confusing, but maybe if you have seen and remember the past films of this series, or you are fast enough to read all of the subtitles, you may understand everything that happens in the end. My confusion was that everyone in the film seemed to know more than I did and so I think I probably got lost in translation with this one.

Jackie Chan is great in this film. Hong Kong's best known actor plays a gritty and at times emotional character. Chan brilliantly breaks away from the happy and smiley Jackie Chan role he has been some what type cast as. As well as delivering a serious performance, the 62 year old still impresses as he is able to perform the stunts you expect. Jackie shows no sign of slowing down.

Speaking of stunts, there aren't that many in this film. Those expecting a 2 hour martial arts fight sequence where Jackie Chan runs, jumps and fights to the death will be disappointed. Don't get me wrong there are fight scenes in this film and they get quite brutal at times, such as the cage fight. My point being that this is a Chinese, mystery, thriller with a lot of talking, so if you enjoy watching mysteries unfold and reading subtitles (if you don't understand Manderin) then this film is for you.

Which brings me to an issue of mine, the subtitles come and go far too quickly. This may just be me being rusty at my subtitle reading as its been a while since I've seen a foreign language film, but there are times where the subtitles appear and suddenly disappear again almost in a blink of an eye. This is especially noticeable in back and forth short bursts of dialogue between characters but I understand the subtitles have to translate what is being said at the exact moment, but nevertheless you do need to be on you toes with this one.

Overall Police Story: Lockdown is an average hostage movie with a great performance from Jackie Chan. Its a film for fans of Chinese cinema, mysteries and of course, Jackie Chan. If you are a fan of the Police Story series then I am sure you will enjoy this grittier instalment to the Action Comedy saga. But for me, I'm waiting on Rush Hour 4.

Jackie Chan needs to call it quits for the Police Story series

[sheriefryan · 7/10 · 18 June 2014]

I liked Police Story 2013 and it was a good adaption to the series, however Jackie Chan needs to call it quits with the police story series. There are six installments to it, and the last two lead to a more darker tone for the story. However the 2013 version looks like a rewritten version of New Police story (2002). Just like new police story the antagonists threaten to bomb an area with hostages to kill people,the only difference is in the 2002 version, the killers proceed with the bombing and the story begins from there. The 2013 version is about stopping the victim to prevent the bombing and nothing else. Despite the characters back story from both versions in the 2000's the story itself isn't much of different. I feel like Jackie Chan is pushing his luck with this series by rewriting the story three times. First time the story was written it involved making four sequels installed to it, then came new police story which is completely re-imagined and rewritten, and then comes police story 2013, which to me seems like just a rewritten version of new police story. I think it's time for him to move on from this series and go on to making something that isn't action. Give us something new.

Jackie does Die Hard in a night club, but without the humor

[a_chinn · 5/10 · 5 February 2018]

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.

Far too elaborate but kept me watching up till the last scene

[etann-36707 · 6/10 · 24 May 2022]

The set was like a parkour stage for Jackie Chan, the bizarre layout of the club made sense once he started to move around. I was hoping the movie would have moved on from that set but clearly it was designed wholly for every scene in the movie. It was like a compact set for it's purpose and that was off-putting plus it was annoying with all the obscured camera angles early in the movie that seamed to be for no reason at all. It started to bother me when I noticed it. But got used to it. But beyond getting bored with the set, the plot got worn thin toward the end and at the end I just lost interest in seeing the final moment play out and just stopped watching it, I just couldn't care less how it ends. It went from a decent action/drama to "here we go again...and again...and again". If they cut 20 minutes from this it would have been better and I'd have likely finished watching it.

Not a typical jackie chan movie

[rohith-gm · 1/10 · 9 April 2014]

If you are looking forward for a jackie chan movie where the fights are pretty much dynamic, don't bother watching this one. The rest of the movies in the series were that good, which compelled me to watch this . There is not even a good fight sequence in the movie. The story goes like as in a drama without any life. I was so disappointed to see such a movie in theatres to be honest.

Maybe jackie chan should really retire, he cant even move with pace, he is too old for that. The plot looks like it has been taken from some old block busters like die-hard. Like the last police story, this one is kind of a serious movie, but that was pretty awesome compared to this.

They couldn't bring up a good impact with the story ( or whatever) they were working on .

Amazing Film! (Except For The Editing)

[Adam_venedam · 8/10 · 14 February 2014]

This movie was great! Bottom line it is nothing groundbreaking but it kept me entertained the whole way through! I'll start with the positive first! The story I thought was great, the characters were awesome, the setting was awesome, action was awesome (although its nothing as crazy what were used to from Chan for the type of film the fight scenes are very well suited) and best of all I thought Jackie did an amazing job at being serious and exploring different areas.

the only things that were negative about it was surprisingly THE EDITING.

The editor tried way to hard to make it fast and crazy (this was only for the action scenes, most notably in the car chase scenes), but the truth is, it is just way to damn fast, the cuts are incredibly fast and also you can notice tons of jump cuts (look that up if you don't know what that is) which as many filmmakers know is a no no, on top of that too I love the fact that things happened throughout the film that trick you and it turns out its just an alternate scenario, but there are some pretty cheesy editing going on here sometimes for example when they freeze the frame (to me this felt extremely amateurish.

My final conclusion I cannot stress enough how much the editing bothered me, and about 10 percent of the special effects shown. I am literally serious but if the editing was great then this would be an easy 10/10 for me, there honestly isn't anything at all I didn't like about it other than the editing overall.

Jackie deserved better than this...

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 8 March 2014]

To date, Jackie Chan has appeared in over 100 movies and is an international super-star. Because of this, I really felt confused as I watched Police Story (2013). After all, with his clout, you'd think he'd get the best of scripts…but this film is a muddled mess of a film. This does not mean some die-hard Jackie Chan films won't like it—the film has plenty of action to keep them happy. But the script is poor, the number of flashbacks boggling (and often irrelevant to the plot) and the film isn't fun—and most Chan films are fun. It also, inexplicably, has absolutely nothing to do with his previous films called Police Story!

The film begins with Captain Zhong (Chan) going to a very strange place, the Wu Bar, to meet his estranged daughter. She apparently has hated him for years because he's always working. She also blames him for not arriving on time at the hospital as her mother (his wife) was dying. The daughter is angry—and introduces Zhong to her fiancé, Mr. Wu—a man she hopes will irritate her father. However, out of the blue, suddenly Wu and a group of his men take the pair hostage—along with more than a dozen others. Now Wu informs the police that unless they deliver a certain prisoner to the Wu Bar, the captives will all die. But, instead of explaining WHY all this is happening, lots of filler occurs in between—some of which just seemed irrelevant. For example, there is a UFC-inspired cage fight right there in the middle of Wu Bar with Zhong and one of the kidnappers (????). There are also LOTS of flashbacks—many of which turn out to have nothing to do with the plot!! And, when the big finale finally comes, it feels that it is about half an hour too late. And speaking of the finale, as I watched it unfold, parts of it made no sense whatsoever. In particular, Wu that done unspeakable acts of brutality, yet the Captain risks his life to save Wu at the end—even as Wu fights tooth and nail to die! Think about it—the super-villain WANTS to die and risk your life to keep him alive?! On what planet does this make sense?

In many ways, Police Story seems like a film that went to production way too soon—well before all the bugs were worked out of the script. At quite a few points in the film, instead of the film being action-packed, it sometimes was incredibly talky and padded. And, instead of the film being fun like most Jackie Chan films, it just seemed oppressive and anything but fun. In fact, that is THE biggest problem with the movie—there is none of that usual tongue-in-cheek fun and there were less stunts and more explosions, blood and breaking of bones. This is not the sort of Jackie Chan film I would want to see again—and the guy deserves so much better.

A Poor Imitation of The Raid

[ratchet573 · 3/10 · 15 May 2016]

Police Story is Jackie Chan's second biggest franchise next to Rush Hour. The first entry in the series is one of his finest films ever; one that helped define his entire career. It's only natural a new Police Story movie would be released in 2013 to capitalize on the series' fame, even at the expense of everything that made the other movies so entertaining. Though to say that is to generalize too much about a franchise that has so many tones it's hard to pinpoint the one that truly defines it.

Police Story Lockdown finds our hero reuniting with a daughter who has grown quite distant from him. She's dating the owner of a ridiculous nightclub, has tattoos, and wears her hair in a punk style. Jackie's character is, of course, a police officer. Seeing his daughter in such a state makes him rather angry, though those feelings quickly change when he learns the entire situation is a setup for a hostage situation. A case in Jackie's past is connected to the owner of the club and he's used the officer's daughter as elaborate bait.

Suspension of disbelief is usually a must in a Jackie Chan movie. He's not known for well-written scripts or unique plots. The idea that a guy opens a club, stalks a guys daughter, and then exacts revenge is a little out there. And on top of that, the layout of the club is so ridiculous. It apparently used to be a factory of some sort, meaning the only reason it looks the way it does is for visual appeal and the thought that it would work as a great action set piece.

I could attempt to suspend disbelief if that was true. But instead the action of the first half of the film is lame and underutilizes Jackie's unique style and humor. It's too gritty for being so stupid and when there are hand-to-hand fights, the level of brutality isn't there. Which means that the edgier tone isn't justified. In a martial arts movie, if you want to be dark and edgy, you need to be brutal and violent. Holding back on that leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

I liken the main idea of this movie to The Raid, which I assume was the inspiration. And I believe the mood was meant to emulate the inspiration. But, I can safely say, Lockdown is nowhere close to as good as The Raid.

As the film went on I grew more and more bored, realizing that this supposed "action" film was rather light on the action. Even the final battle felt rushed, lame, and underwhelming. It, truthfully, doesn't ever feel like a Jackie Chan movie. There's no humor, no outstanding action…about the only way you can tell its a Jackie Chan film is the outtake reel during the credits.

None of these things are Jackie's fault though. As he grows older, he's going into more mature roles and, of course, can't do all the stunts and action he used to. He's still damn impressive though. One of the failings of the action sequences comes not from the choreography or lack of intensity, it comes down to the editing and directing. The editing of this movie is awful and spastic. It's that modern summer movie style that takes you out of the action by relying too much on camera movement and changing angles every five seconds to keep the viewer visually occupied. Something I always enjoyed about Chan's movies was that the editing during the fights allowed you to see the hits and reactions.When editing so haphazardly the intensity of the violence is quelled and we're instead treated to questioning what the hell we're watching. There's a "dream" sequence at one point where SWAT breaks in and everyone is shooting at each other. It is put together so slipshod that I couldn't tell what the hell was going on. And that sums up the entirety of the film sadly.

So in the grand scheme of things do I feel like this is a movie worth sinking your teeth into? Not at all. This is a poor attempt at a cop movie, a martial arts movie…just a movie in general. There's really no redeeming factor to it aside from the club set looking neat (though its underused). Not even Jackie Chan fans will find this a palatable watch; leaving me with the sad decision to give Police Story Lockdown a measly one and a half stars.