- Title: City Hunter (1993)
- IMDb: link
Adapted from the manga of the same name, 1993’s City Hunter is an odd flick. Over-the-top, wacky, and more live-action cartoon than anything else, the closest comparison is probably 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. In a film more notable for its comedy, fight sequences, and stunts than plot, Jackie Chan stars as private eye Ryo Saeba. The womanizing star hits on every woman he meets except for his former partner’s younger sister (Joey Wang), now his partner, who he swore never to pursue.
Most of the film’s scenes take place on a cruise ship where Ryo Saeba (always referred to by his full name) tracks runaway Kiyoko Imamura (Kumiko Goto). After sneaking aboard the ship, and running from the ship’s crew every time he sees them while desperately seeking a meal, our protagonist eventually catches up with the girl only to be distracted by a growing hunger, other women (most notably Joey Wang and Chingmy Yau, also onboard the ship), and armed robbers led by his old nemesis Colonel “Big Mac” MacDonald (Richard Norton).
With much of the actual dialogue improvised on the fly, the film’s more memorable moments center around its elaborate sequences and stunts which is never more evident than in an extended Street Fighter sequence with Chan and others taking on the physical appearance of various fighters in the game, other dream sequences from the hero’s wild imagination, and the final battle with MacDonald. It’s far from great, and it can overstay its welcome in places, but the film is certainly a cultural curiosity for the right kind of fan (along with a chance to see Chan’s old-school stunt style in high gear).
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