Jackie Chan meets THREE MEN AND A BABY is basically the plot for this madcap caper film, featuring three thieves, some generic gangster types and one very cute baby who finds himself in all manner of scrapes. It's an out-and-out comedy, a lighthearted family movie in which the focus is on the laughs rather than the stunts, but that doesn't mean it's totally without merit for action fans. As the film progresses it gets better, moving away from the jokes towards breakneck chases and fights, building up to a large scale climax that provides an emotional as well as physical kick.
One of the main draws for me was the presence of Yuen Biao in this movie. Yuen, how we have missed you! Sadly, Biao doesn't bag one of the leading roles, instead playing the minor part of a cop, but he does get involved in one elaborate fight sequence. For me, he's the best thing in the movie. Cast-wise, he's accompanied by a playing-to-type Jackie (good with the baby, but the genuine stunts are few and far between and the wirework is obvious), Louis Koo (mildly funny but better in serious fare like FLASHPOINT) and a minor role for Ken Lo, playing a tattooed thug named 'Baldy'.
The first half of the film contains endless comedy routines and set-ups and is a little overlong, although that's not a problem. Some of the humour doesn't translate very well to Western audiences – is putting a baby in a washing machine and turning it on really that funny? However, things pick up for a bizarre car chase, a nice routine in an apartment filled with a bunch of adversaries, and some more traditional martial arts stuff right at the end. It's not one of the all-time classic Jackie Chan films, but it's far closer to the spirit of a good-natured '80s knockabout comedy like MY LUCKY STARS than the kind of soulless, RUSH HOUR-type films Jackie makes in America.
One of the main draws for me was the presence of Yuen Biao in this movie. Yuen, how we have missed you! Sadly, Biao doesn't bag one of the leading roles, instead playing the minor part of a cop, but he does get involved in one elaborate fight sequence. For me, he's the best thing in the movie. Cast-wise, he's accompanied by a playing-to-type Jackie (good with the baby, but the genuine stunts are few and far between and the wirework is obvious), Louis Koo (mildly funny but better in serious fare like FLASHPOINT) and a minor role for Ken Lo, playing a tattooed thug named 'Baldy'.
The first half of the film contains endless comedy routines and set-ups and is a little overlong, although that's not a problem. Some of the humour doesn't translate very well to Western audiences – is putting a baby in a washing machine and turning it on really that funny? However, things pick up for a bizarre car chase, a nice routine in an apartment filled with a bunch of adversaries, and some more traditional martial arts stuff right at the end. It's not one of the all-time classic Jackie Chan films, but it's far closer to the spirit of a good-natured '80s knockabout comedy like MY LUCKY STARS than the kind of soulless, RUSH HOUR-type films Jackie makes in America.