Movies

Jackie Chan’s Nightmare: The 1985 Movie That Tried to Make Him Bruce Lee

BBG News

As a movie enthusiast, I found myself revisiting Jackie Chan’s groundbreaking 1980s cop film, “The Protector.” This gritty production was meant to catapult Chan into the limelight of American audiences, but it left him displeased as it sought to recast him in the mold of a new Bruce Lee.

After achieving initial triumph in Hong Kong with martial arts films like “Drunken Master,” Hollywood couldn’t resist the allure of Jackie Chan’s talent. Some of the early instances of his Hollywood ventures include the Cannonball Run duology and 1980’s The Big Brawl, which marked his first significant role as a leading American actor.

Frustrated by the lack of attention given to intricate fight scenes, Chan found it difficult to continue working on these projects. His aspirations for Hollywood stardom waned in the mid-80s, but he eventually broke into the market through the “Rush Hour” films. The movie that disillusioned the action legend about Hollywood was the 1985 thriller “The Protector,” which attempted to transform him into a Dirty Harry-like character. This film is drastically different from Chan’s usual work, featuring excessive violence, language, and scantily clad characters.

Jackie Chan Hated Making The Protector

Chan and The Protector’s director did not get along

In the 1980s, although Chan had a modest following in America, mainstream films hadn’t quite grasped his unique blend of martial arts and physical humor. Interestingly, Golden Harvest believed that James Glickenhaus, director of the gritty vigilante film “The Exterminator“, was the right man to transform Chan into a leading American star. Notably, Glickenhaus and Chan had a strained working relationship, with Chan finding the production disorganized and struggling to deliver lines due to his limited English proficiency at the time.

In a different phrasing: Glickenhaus aimed to create a grittier thriller, and he let Chan and Golden Harvest know about it given his past works. However, Chan strongly disliked working on the film titled “The Protector” to the extent that he tried to get rid of Glickenhaus and even considered quitting the project. As expected, Chan wasn’t fond of the final version, and later for the Hong Kong premiere, he re-edited “The Protector” to exclude some explicit content; additionally, he inserted a fresh storyline into it.

Despite the Hong Kong style of the project becoming more similar to his own, Chan has essentially distanced himself from it. He gained valuable insights from this experience, primarily understanding that producing exploitation films didn’t align with his preferences. However, the film remains intriguing in Chan’s body of work, serving as a unique deviation from his usual, family-friendly mold.

Jackie Chan Was Right, The Protector Didn’t Suit Him At All

Jackie Chan’s Clint Eastwood impression is lacking

In his memoir titled “Never Grow Up,” Chan elaborated on his time spent working on the film “The Protector.” He disliked the fact that producers were attempting to mold him into a Bruce Lee-like figure. However, Chan’s character Billy Wong blends elements of both Bruce Lee and Clint Eastwood, with the lead generally maintaining a serious demeanor and keeping his humor in check. Interestingly enough, it is Chan who doesn’t seem suitable to carry the film, while co-star Danny Aiello gets to deliver over-the-top performances. Despite “The Protector” having an endearing charm that can be considered a guilty pleasure, Chan may not have been the best actor for its lead role.

In certain scenes, he seems extremely uneasy, and with just a slight adjustment, it could have become a Chuck Norris film. It’s not hard to understand why Chan had difficulties accepting the final product, as it’s quite harsh and unrefined compared to movies like “Project A” or later works such as the “Police Story” series. It’s a brutal B-movie that indulges in its own excesses and consistently clashes with its leading man’s abilities. The Hong Kong version offers a more tamed experience, but interestingly, removing the grittier aspects didn’t help clear up The Protector’s tonal inconsistency.

The Protector Explains Why Jackie Chan Avoided American Movies In The 1980s

Chan was disillusioned with American productions after The Protector

Jackie Chan found only modest success with the film titled “The Protector“, which proved to be a disappointing addition to his career, given the considerable effort and hardship he endured during its production. After a strenuous five-year endeavor aimed at breaking into Hollywood, Chan grew disenchanted with the industry’s attempts to redefine him, forcing an unwelcome transformation. For the subsequent decade, the star redirected his focus towards film projects in Hong Kong, maintaining his status as an action legend overseas. Despite the efforts of stars like Sylvester Stallone, who attempted to persuade Chan for collaborations on movies such as “Demolition Man“, he remained committed to his Hong Kong-based productions.

Initially, the role in “The Protector” left me hesitant to return to America. However, I decided to dip my toes back into the water with “Rumble in the Bronx” in 1995, which unexpectedly resonated with audiences. This was followed by “Rush Hour,” another unforeseen success that offered me a suitable platform to connect with American viewers. Over the years, I’ve found myself alternating between Hong Kong projects and American productions like the upcoming “Karate Kid: Legends” in 2025.

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2025-05-25 16:41

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