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Mild Spoiler Alert
Jackie Chan‘s best films are often about family rather than the action, and when his latest deals with mending hearts, I was immediately hooked! Ride On is quite the emotional roller coaster. This story written and directed by Larry Yang (who made the very pet friendly Adoring) examines the life of Luo (Chan), an old stuntman and why raising Red Hare, his stunt horse, matters more.
These days, he’s past his prime and barely able to make a living as a busker at the studio he once worked at. His accolades also include two individuals learning how to become stunt persons like him. They all know the rewards and the risks, but alas, to create that movie magic sometimes means being prepared for the worst. The team camaraderie they have is like what I fondly recall from the 80s action program, The Fall Guy.
Unlike this ABC series, he’s not a bounty hunter when there’s no job. But when people show up wanting this thoroughbred, he’ll have to prevent his pet from being lost. Legal problems arise, and he tries to ask his estranged daughter Bao (Haocun Liu) for help. The two were once a happy family, but something happened which caused a huge rift. It’s easy to figure out Luo’s job resulted in causing him to not be there for her. There’s other reasons that this film will reveal, but for now she’s really not sure about him.
But there’s more happening as this stuntman’s story unfolds. This movie is also a perfect love letter to the legacy that is Jackie Chan. That’s because we see clips from those movies he appeared in long ago! I suspect the crossing of realities is intentional. That is, what’s written acknowledges his commitment as not only a very skilled martial artist but also in making those scenes really jump. Any fan will know he wants those stunts to be as authentic as possible, rather than digitally enhanced. I’m sure he influenced Tom Cruise to be just as daring when considering how he does those Mission Impossible feats himself!
Yang’s film nicely balances between the two narratives and mixing of genres. There’s one joke I was over the moon with regarding animation, and what’s said is a long-time fan’s dream come true.
As for repairing that relationship between father and daughter, I’m glad what’s presented isn’t straightforward. They have to find a mutual bond. Ultimately, it boils down to whether Bao respects what her baba does for a living, and to understand his world. While she and her wonderfully dorky boyfriend, Mickey (Kevin Guo), a junior lawyer, help him dispute who owns Red, there’s even more humour since this young man has to deal with the parent. I’m sure Luo is wondering why she likes him. And to see them work it out makes up for another amusing aspect of the story.
Jackie Chan has done a lot to bring the magic of Chinese wuxia cinema to audiences world-wide after Bruce Lee. Also, I’m sure part of Ride On‘s message is to let fans prepare for when he’ll truly retire. He can’t keep it up forever. Although he announced his plans in 2012, what he does now is a result from using editing techniques (and more safety harnesses) to make action come alive. These days, a lot of combat choreography is stitched together from multiple camera shots rather than one continuous take.
Thankfully, he should have more years to entertain as the comic martial arts maverick he is. What he agrees to appear in is made differently, that’s all.
5 Stars out of 5
Ride On Movie Trailer
