Fun, Not Good, But Fun. There is more wrong here than right, but it has a fun tone and a lot of action. Jackie Chan is Always fun to watch regardless of the vehicle. This is true even as he ages, and even as the project is not great. He is fun here. John Cena is larger than life. This is part of the charm and appeal of the pairing; however, it is also part of the problem. He is too animated for what should be a more serious tone to this action thriller. The special effects are good, although too much computer generation at times. The fights are decent. Always something interesting with Jackie Chan. There is a problem with the balance of violence here. There is a lot of violence but there is a real aversion to killing which doesn't really fit the otherwise violent tone. There is stuff here for young people, but many missed opportunities for sure.
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tkdlifemagazine29 July 2023
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Jackie Chan has had some unwatchable stinkers as of late. Movies where it physically pains you to sit through. And having judged this movie by its trailer, it seemed the perfect movie to follow suit. Well, turns out it's not as bad as I expected it to be.
Hidden Strike has one massive plus and a lot of minuses. The plus is obviously its action choreography; which was very well done with nods to Chan's signature style of action-comedy. It seems to work when it hasn't in any of Jackie's recent movies. Anyone remember Vanguard?
The minuses are plenty. First off, and what's obviously striking about this movie is how fake the whole movie looks. The CGI looks dated and it severely hinders the movie's enjoyability. The second is the very thin plot, but then again, hey, it's a throwaway action movie... What could I even expect? Forgettable plot, forgettable villain, poorly written characters; especially the daughter... I mean, what's up with Jackie Chan movies and poorly written father-daughter relationships huh? It of course wasn't as bad as Ride On, but still... Just put in a little bit more care into your writing, people!
As much as I genuinely like John Cena, it feels like he just lacks the chemistry that Chris Tucker and even Owen Wilson had with Jackie Chan. The "bro"ness of the movie didn't seem too organic and that's a shame, because John Cena is a pretty good actor as he is a worker. For John Cena to come across as lacking in chemistry is something I never thought could happen.
In any case, Jackie Chan's Hidden Strike... Is it worth your time? Well, if you're a die hard Jackie Chan fan like me, then yes, absolutely... Why wouldn't you want to watch a Jackie Chan movie that's not the literal worst like all of his recent stuff these past 10 years? But if you're just a casual fan... Then it might or might not work depending on your taste of action movies. If you don't mind generic mindless action with a lot of guns and explosions, then maybe check it out. -
dannar-leitmaa11 July 2023Do You remember all these B-side strange ones from 80's? Like American Ninja IV and all the other no brainers from long time ago when You watched movies from VHS?
Well, this movie is exactly like these ones. So plain stupid, so badly acted, but all in all same fun. Chan and Cena are chinese and american operating in Iraq, where local people are basically some second grade background people who are not able to do anything by themselves without two major countries.
Some actionsequences are so boldly drawn it makes you cringe and laugh in the same time. Romantic line is plain stupid, rocket-truck is there for reckoning and Jackie Chan and some crazy fudgehead Knox are fighting in bathfoam.
Utterly unbelievable chinese production. But, hell, it was fun as hell also. -
johreh31 July 2023Be aware, this movie is sooooo bad. Stay away. CGI horrible. Acting horrible. Story horrible. There is very limited (if existing) logic. Why would you send helicopters to fly ahead and not escort the buses? If the road is so dangerous, why not fly the people out? Why are you using a machine gun as a sniper rifle against a helicopter? Why does someone do a forward roll on the ground to get to cover when you can just crouch? Why are everyone shooting singles with their automatic rifles? How did he know there are no mines under cars standing across the road? Would anyone drive ten meters behind a bus in a sandstorm while driving at least 60 mph? I can go on and on and on? John Cena, you really need the money so badly? Y'all have been warned.
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nathanfranson29 July 202380' style plot? Check. Schlocky dialog? Check. Bad CGI? Check. World's greatest martial artist showing he still has it? Check. Pro wrestler-slash-action star whipping up on the bad guys? Check. It was cheesy and campy and I liked it! Expecting a thought provoking thriller? Go see a Christopher Nolan film. Want a Friday night popcorn / check brain at door movie that's just fun to watch? Stop browsing what's new to stream and enjoy this guilty pleasure. Jackie Chan and John Cena have some surprisingly good and funny chemistry. Much better than I expected, but then I didn't have super high expectations. Glad I didn't, because this film delivered.
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haroot_azarian29 July 2023Now I am both a Jackie Chan fan and John Cena fan, so naturally I had to see it. The first thing that striked me was the sheer number of companies that were in association with making this movie. I mean it was no Lawrence of Arabia, or Avatar or anything huge like that, so why so many particpants? Were they that short of cash and resources?
Anyway both the leads in their own right are superb comedy/action movie stars. Senn both of them in many movies. But unfortunately in this movie I did not see the usual click or bonding that Jackie makes with other Hollywood names he has starred with.
In most part they both looked uncomfortable and just following the script. The action and stunt sequences were very good. And I disagree with one contributor saying the CGI was poor. I have seen a lot of movies where the CGi has been comically terrible, this was not one of them.
Anyway I still enjoyed the movie, and hats really off to Jackie for still doing what he loves and does best at his age! Let's see if Tom Cruise can keep it up when he's Jackie's age and do breathtaking stunts in the Mission Impossible movies. -
This was incomprehensible garbage. After seeing this, I can't even imagine how bad this director's Expendables 4 is going to be.
John Cena's jet black hair dye was hilarious. It looked ridiculous, worse than anything Travolta has used over the last 20 years.
I like Cena and you can't blame him for this. Daniel Day Lewis could not have rescued this dreck
Then there's the CGI. You would think they borrowed the technology from the mid 90s. It was beyond bad. There is no chance they spent 80 million on this. I just saw the new Australian horror movie "Talk to Me" which was shot for 4 million and that looks 10 times better than this garbage.
Stay away, stay far away! -
Luigi Di Pilla30 July 2023Finally a top funny action movie with some never seen stunts or combat scenes before.
I didn't expect such an entertaining evening.
I mean this is a good example how they can fight without killing always with full of bullets or never ending boum boum. The result was a really creative thriller without.so many brutal numbers as we can see in John Wick or other similar movies.
The special effects were well done and the dialogs weren't so serious but just amusingly.
A nice enriching production on Netflix in this category. The filming locations offered the right atmosphere and it was fast paced so that you can't look away and doing other things. It's captivating and surprises as I mentioned with original ideas. I hope there will be a sequel. 6/10. -
ala5656-229-6642131 July 2023Like Jackie Chan. I like John Cena. But they were not good in this. I would liken it to a James Bond movie with Rodger Moore. It was...bad. Just all levels of ridiculousness, and not in a good way. Also, wow, Jackie Chan has really messed with his face too much...
The humor was really forced...The plot didn't make sense and also felt very rushed? I'm sure they had fun making this but it's one of those things where I spent less time focusing on the movie than wondering who came up with the idea for this and how did they get the buy in to move ahead with actually making it? I guess watch it if you're bored or want something on in the background... -
tvanish6 July 2023I went in the movie thinking it was some big shot Hollywood movie, boy was I wrong!
For a 100min movie, it fails to write up a good backstory for chan and Cena.
The plot is nonsensical and the acting sub-par. Infact so sup-bar it was funny at times.
Not gonna lie, the only thing I enjoyed was chan and Cena's duo performance.
Furthermore, the story has no soul, and jackie chans acrobatic performance carried the movie to a 6 from a 4.
IMDB says Stallone was supposed to be with chan instead of Cena. That would've been a career disaster.
Watchable, but only at home when you can spare an hour and a half. -
tinkyawoo-3483828 July 2023I don't understand why Chinese sci-fi movies use too many non-realistic CGs. Camera angles keep changing every 5 seconds to force viewers to see their non-realistic CG perhaps. It's really non-watchable. I would rather watch Jackie's old Kunfu movies without any effect for hours. Is the director thinking his CGs in the movie are so good viewers would not notice if he didn't force-feed every 5 seconds? I tried to watch the movie just because Jackie is there and I don't care about anything these other actors are talking about and making cheap jokes about. What a waste of time. Just go make another Drunken Master fight flicks.
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mamh_31616 July 2023Engaging action, nice story, all brought down by less than ideal chemistry between the two lead players and poor direction.
The action has a Fast and Furious vibe, mixed with some Jackie Chan style sense of humor. It is a blast of fun if you enjoy either (or both) of those styles.
The storyline, while not totally innovative, is relatively fresh still. It is also quite convincing enough for this genre.
What brings the movie down is the lack of chemistry between the characters including the Cena and Chan. The pairing is brilliant; you just hope a little more time was invested in nurturing their relationship on and off screen.
While the story was good, and the action was engaging, the transitions from one stage to the next needed better coaxing and smoothing. Something better direction can fix.
Overall, I am left highly anticipating the teased sequel! -
uchesylvester28 July 2023I love Jackie and John Cena, but the two just doesn't seem to work together. The humor seems very forced. The story would have been a whole lot better with just one of the lead actors story arc.; A father trying to rescue his daughter or a man trying to avenge his brother.
The story is just a huge mess. The fight scenes are mid at best. I don't recommend it.
It started on a very promising note but seemed to pivot towards a rather underwhelming and undeveloped arc. I expected a lot when i watched the trailer but i was greatly disappointed. I don't blame the actors though. I blame the directors and producers. -
smrocktown12 July 2023I was very doubtful before going in. But somehow ended up going anyways. What followed was two hours of bore fest with 10 minutes of content which may have been somewhat enjoyable.(spread out through the movie ).
I hope this review will help anyone who is deciding whether to go to the cinema and watch it. The answer is a hard NO! Dont waste your your money and time going to watch this.
Here is a quick recap,
Unrealistic meaningless story. Extremely poorly written without any attention to detail.
CGI is BS. Bad camera movements. Bad action sequences. The talent of the actors were not utilized by the director.
Cinematography? Whats that??
Grand visuals? Whats that?
Good car chases? Nope. Physics does not exist in this world.
Poor sound design.
Poor story pacing.
Poor everything.
The good?
A few good jokes and 5-10 minutes of acceptable cinema.
So avoid at all costs unless you just don't care and don't mind watching poor cinema. -
paul_haakonsen29 July 2023Of course I had to sit down and watch this 2023 Jackie Chan action comedy, as I stumbled upon it by random chance on Netflix. Actually, I didn't even know that the movie was out, so it was a nice surprise finding it whilst browsing the Netflix catalogue of movies.
The storyline in "Hidden Strike", as written by Arash Amel, definitely was an archetypical and classic type of movie for Jackie Chan, and as such, then of course he was right at home, doing what he does best. And that definitely was something that made the movie all the more enjoyable.
There is a good amount of action throughout the 102 minutes that the movie ran for, and I have to say that I was definitely entertained throughout the course of the entire movie. And the storyline is spruced up with a fair amount of well-used and timed comedy as well; again, something very archetypical for Jackie Chan movies.
The acting performances in "Hidden Strike" were good. Of course you know what you get with Jackie Chan at the helm, and while I am not overly much a fan of John Cena, he was adequate enough in the movie, though it would have been more enjoyable had they gotten Sylvester Stallone for that part instead, which was the initial plan. And of course having Pilou Asbæk in the movie was good as well.
The action looks good on the screen, as does all the fighting - both hand to hand and firefights.
"Hidden Strike", from director Scott Waugh, is an enjoyable movie, and a good addition to the Jackie Chan catalogue of movies.
My rating of "Hidden Strike" lands on a seven out of ten stars. -
darth-moose7229 July 2023The last 10 years of Jackie Chan movies have been pretty average compared to what he used to do and this one was just as bad.
I thought I'd give it a go as John Ceena normally isn't that bad.
I turned it off after 10 minutes.
The CGI was about the level of a 1990s movie (or worse).
The first 3 minutes was taken up by promoting all the Chinese media companies. We then cut to the first scene which is all spoken in Chinese but is so fast I couldn't even read the subtitles they flashed past so fast. My wife had a similar issue and she can speed read.
Then all the parts about the Chinese being the big hero's and thats before John ceena comes on the screen.
Basically it's just a big propaganda show by the Chinese government and very poorly made.
Don't even bother. -
coburnb-3621313 August 2023Don't listen to everybody destroying this film, because its not that bad! Sure, the first 30 minutes may be slow and mid CGI, but once it gets going, it's great fun.
When John cena and Jackie Chan meet each other, I knew that they'd have great chemistry. The conversations they had would always make me laugh.
And the action was pretty good too! It's not your 'Rumble in the bronx' or your 'Police story' but Jackie is still holding up! The fight scenes in this film are your typical Jackie fights, and they are great. Even Cena gets in on the fights, with him being more of a brute sort of fighter.
So, is this movie terrible? No. Is it amazing and a 10/10? No. Is it good fun for 1 hour and 40? Yep. Is it worth watching? Yep. -
mysaturnday30 July 2023Jackie Chan's recent films is more a disheartening testament to his submission to the CCP than a triumph of creativity. The influence of an authoritarian government on the narrative is painfully evident. Despite massive earnings and local praise, the movie's quality is alarming - it's riddled with outdated CGI, subpar acting, and a propagandistic plot devoid of purpose.
This film, while financially successful, stands as an unfortunate symbol of a once-iconic actor's decline, a grim reflection on the status of creative freedom under repressive regimes, and a stark reminder of the extent of control exerted over the Chinese population.
It woefully fails to offer a memorable cinematic experience. -
Watching this reminded me of being a teenager in the mid-nineties, hunting down Jackie Chan movies on the shelves of Virgin Megastores. This is very much a throwback to JC's heyday; a ninety minute action flick with a cartoon villain, several big setpieces and bloopers playing over the end credits. It's not one of Chan's best, but it's not one of his worst either. It doesn't reach the highs of classics like Project A, Police Story or Drunken Master, but it doesn't plumb the depths of Rumble In Hong Kong either.
Set in a war-torn Middle East filled with mercenaries and burned out helicopters, Chan stars as a Chinese Special Forces operative. He and his squad are sent to rescue the civilian workers of an oil refinery who keep getting attacked by a militia group. They have to travel down the 'Highway of Death' to escape to safety, but needless to say, things go wrong.
So far, so very functional, but Hidden Strike has an ace up its sleeve. Roughly forty minutes into the film, Chan crosses paths with John Cena's retired mercenary and their destinies become intertwined. And if you had 'John Cena And Jackie Chan Having Impeccable Onscreen Chemistry' on your bingo card, prepare to cash in. The two stars gel instantly. Their bickering bromance turns an average action movie into an entertaining, light-hearted romp through the desert. Never in a million years would I have put these two together, but they're great as a duo.
There's a few other moments worth mentioning; the explosive finale is pretty impressive and Game Of Thrones' Pilou Asbaek is delightfully slimy as the villain, but this is the Chan/Cena show and everything else is just background noise. The CGI landscapes are off-putting (a literal uncanny valley) and Chan isn't as convincingly fleet-footed as he once was, but otherwise this is a fun, throwaway ninety minutes. It's also his best onscreen camaraderie since Rush Hour. -
What a joke, a crap with an aging jackie chan who does '80s jackie chan' but less flexible, slower, John Cena plays it up with lines whose humor smells of the 80s.. hope he got a big check for it.
As for the story....written by chinese communiste party, i sum up, the nice chinese who are kindly exploiting the oil have to leave the refinery because some evil "western terrorists" want to kill everyone and appropriate everything. Oil ... fortunately Jackie is there, to save the workers, prevent theft and help the local populations because it is well known the Chinese "help the local populations"...... Seriously how Netflix can promote such crap.... not to mention that it's super badly played, the special effects are really rotten..... Again an other crap from netflix. -
wjbbb28 July 2023What's not to like? Jackie Chan? Action? Stunts? Really. If you were looking for one of those "arty, farty" movies. Then you went to the wrong thing. This is a Jackie Chan Film. We know the stunts are "Not Normal." We know that the story is weak. Not only that, but we know that, in the end, the good guys win. At the end of the day. This is just pure escapism. I don't care if the CGI wasn't "spot on." I don't care if the story didn't make sense. It was a good, "all round" brilliant movie... And leaving the possibility of a sequel... As old as he is. Jackie chan is still turning out films that are worth watching.
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ishk-417834 August 2023Regardless of all the negative comments against this movie, mind you, this is no.1 on netflix as of date. It wasn't the greatest movie however I enjoyed what I saw, their not going over the top here, it's a decent flick and am always happy to see Jackie on the big stage, busting out his karate moves for us once again.
John cena also wasn't too bad, he played his part well, a brute of a man and at the same time a gentle giant with a soft spot for the kids! This movie broke barriers that many fail to see. An American residing in a remote location in the middle east, in a random village with the aim of ensuring the security and sustenance of the village, a true hero. Jackie, a simple man, with the aim of completing the mission, at the same time wanting what's best for the people around him. -
tdtjmfgxj29 July 2023The movie is overall bad, the CGI is awful and looks like it was produced to washface the atrocities the CCP committed. Don't waste your time in watching this low cost production. Action scene don't look serious and funny scenes are bored. You will fall asleep. The plot is not interesting at all. Is a shame that John Cena accepted to participate in this production.
The movie is overall bad, the CGI is awful and looks like it was produced to washface the atrocities the CCP committed. Don't waste your time in watching this low cost production. Action scene don't look serious and funny scenes are bored. You will fall asleep. The plot is not interesting at all. Is a shame that John Cena accepted to participate in this production. -
johanf-8592229 July 2023No. Don't waste your time. Neither Cena nor Chan can save this really bad, and so very predictable, film. This is nowhere near something that looks as being made from what kind of money they spent on it.
What is supposed to be funny is not, what is supposed to be emotional is just tiresome if not embarrassing. The action is not very exciting, you can get that and much better elsewhere. And the the acting is oh soo stiff. The CGI is just too much of the wrong stuff.
Considering how much Chinese is spoken and how China is showcased as being the good guys, it seems to be made just to make money from the Chinese audience. -
asadcholo12 August 2023Ok so here's the deal.
Its a movie , action packed and probably good for the theaters.
Good acting from John cena and Jackie chan.
Good moments in film like emotional and etc.
Maybe weak in ways but definitely a film a film that is a film not a reality check.
P.s. The c g i isn't that bad and the plot is okay its goo enough.
Remeber this is a film but not sure if people hating on it saying "china" film only.
There are weird parts for me in the movie like dialog ues but the jokes are okay too some are not needed maybe I could agree lol.
The film is nothing crazy its just fun ride film and yeah
FORGET EVERYTHING JUSF WATCH QND HAVE FUN.
UNless you think too much.