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Jackie Chan trains a horse in "Ride On." Photo courtesy of Well Go USA
LOS ANGELES, April 5 (UPI) -- Ever since Clint Eastwood arrived in Unforgiven at age 61, he's been the epitome of an aging action hero. Now 68-year-old Jackie Chan is bringing his sense of humor to the Chinese-language film Ride On, which opens in theaters on Friday. Luo (Chan) was currently a stuntman selling photos to tourists riding the Red Hares. When Luo and Red Hare fight over a loan shark (Andy On) dummy, the video's viral feud opens the door to the film industry.
Chan has found a way to stay in the action by sharing the burden in his latest films. He led a group of young action heroes in Vanguard , but still went on missions with them, passing the baton and continuing the action.
Red Hare shares the stunt load with Chan in Ride On . Chan is a skilled horseman who seemingly knows how to play animal driver, finding clever ways to incorporate the horse into complex comedic scenes.
When the company that bought Luo's old studio accuses him of owning the Red Rabbit, Luo turns to his daughter Bao (Liu Hukou) for help. Bao has not yet graduated from college, but her boyfriend Mickey (Kevin Guo) is a potential partner who can take over the business.
Ride On's dramatic plot is universal and keeps the story simple yet exciting. Luo meets his fatherless son who is constantly traveling to film sets.
The relationship between Luo and Red Rabbit is truly emotional, as the animal relationship has proven to match in films from Old Yeller to Willie's Liberation . Then there's the understudy struggling past his glory days and trying to find his place.
Chan can sell being an idiot father and Liu can sell trying to prove himself to his father. Ride On may be as silly as Hollywood dramas, but the conflict is worth it.
Luo doesn't know how to show his emotions, so Bao finds out how much he cares in a ridiculous way. In the end, will Luo choose a new competitive opportunity or leave it to his daughter?
This Chan-starrer drama features ground-breaking action scenes and behind-the-scenes stunts. Although written and directed by Larry Young, the dual story is clearly one of Chan's passions.
The fictional Luo allows Chan to take credit for the memories Chan nurtured in the previous films, but also thanks the entire team for making him look good while sacrificing the safety of others.
There are cinematic stunt montages as Luo takes more and more risks for himself and Red Har. Luo revealed that he had a life-changing injury in the past.
Chan was able to return to work even after suffering serious injuries. But the play and the film convey that it could have been the failure of any sane person in an instant.
Fans of all of Chan's action movies will be delighted to see the actual scenes performed by Chan or the easter eggs that are part of Luo's stunts in these films.
Luo, an overprotective father, worries that Miki's company is not physically ready to protect his daughter. Luo then proceeds to train Mickey, something fans realize Chan has done in his previous martial arts films.
Dami also keeps coming back, so Luo and Red Hare have to fight him and his minions on the road or in their own cage. Chan uses restaurant tables, nearby spikes, stairs, and the Red Rabbit himself in battle.
"John Wick 3" featured a more brutal horse show, but Chan found light comedic banter. Luo can climb out of the red rabbit or duck below him, or even out of the ladder. Chan is even willing to go deep and wear a red necklace on his face.
The red hare is clearly a CGI effect in some of the more serious scenes. The visual impact is more obvious than the animals in RRR , but at least they don't pose a threat to a real horse.
Fortunately, Ride On's credit scores mostly show missing clues and glitches, not serious damage. They also show Chan riding a blue dummy with a real horse for some visual effects.
Chan sings the music in the credits, as he has done in his films since the 1980s. The film may be about movie veterans finding new ground in their careers, but the fact that Chan continues to do all this is perhaps most inspiring. The message of the film.
Fred Topple, who attended Ithaca College's film school, is an entertainment writer for UPI in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes reviewer since 2001, a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012, and a member of Critics' Choice since 2023. Learn more about his work in entertainment.
