Jackie Chan's Breakout Hits

As an avid physical media collector, lifelong fan of Jackie Chan and, like many, a fanatic for Arrow Video releases, I was very excited to get hold hold of Jackie Chan’s Breakout Hits, the stunning new 4K collection charting the Hong Kong star’s international crossover success with a series of defining films, which would lead to his ultimate Hollywood breakout. For context, this followed a few unsuccessful attempts to break the American market, namely with titles like The Big Brawl (1980) and The Protector (1985), which, for several reasons, didn’t quite land with the intended punch (though they would go on to be more fondly appreciated by fans in the years after).

For the titles featured in Jackie Chan’s Breakout Hits, this run of 90’s bonafide classics, in many ways, rode the perfect storm. Unlike earlier efforts, these actually capitalised on Chan’s carefully honed action-comedy style which made him a superstar, in other words, they were genuine Jackie Chan films. They also benefitted from a rise in cheaper home video technology, with easier duplication around the world, easy access for younger fans (no longer bound by attending movie theatres), all the while riding the surge in popularity East Asian cinema was enjoying by this time. The doors were opening, barriers were down, and fans were taking notice.

This boxset highlights a series of six influential films: Drunken Master II (1994), Rumble in the Bronx (1995), Thunderbolt (1995), First Strike (1996), Mr. Nice Guy (1997) and Who Am I? (1998). An impressive run by any standard, this winning streak would next culminate in Rush Hour (1998), the crossover hit where his Hollywood ascent truly arrived, earning legions of new fans and spawning two sequels.

Finally released together and restored in stunning 4K for the first time, this collection looks magnificent and features multiple cuts (Hong Kong and International versions) with plenty of new and archival extras, featurettes, commentaries, a 160-page perfect bound book (with archive interview by Craig D. Reid plus new writing by Thorsten Boose, Peter S. Bruce, Matt McAllister, Elaine Chung and Jialu Zhu), twenty-four lobby card reproductions, reversible poster with vintage artwork, and all housed in Limited Edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork. For more specific details on the extras across each film, take a look at the Arrow Video store.

Like myself, I expect that many will relish these new releases and relate to how many subpar versions of titles like Drunken Master II and First Strike we’ve (gratefully no less) tolerated over the years, often presented in butchered VHS and DVD prints, just to actually see the films. These new restorations not only present the work better than ever, but offer superior alternate and longer cuts which many may be experiencing for the first time.

A couple of years back, as part of the BFI's Art of Action season, I was thrilled to host a number of special screenings and Q&As. One such event was for Rumble in the Bronx, where I gave an audience talk and fielded questions on the background and impact of the film, and how it served as a major stepping stone for Jackie conquering the global market. So it’s a subject I remain passionate about and this collection of ‘Breakout Hits’ offer both fresh and longtime audiences a chance to wholly enjoy these films, and better understand why they remain so influential. It’s a great time to be a physical media collector.