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A new Jackie Chan film is only worthwhile once out of every five releases, and the Chinese super-spy thriller “Vanguard” is not one of those films. Instead, it’s the latest manifestation of Chan’s outspoken nationalism, which isn’t all that surprising given that he’s repeatedly spoken out against Hong Kong protesters in the past year.
Huanting Tang, the boss of Vanguard, an international security firm whose problem-solving abilities and asskicking abilities are repeatedly conflated with their moral authority in the film “Vanguard.” When Tang and his employees attempt to protect misguided accountant Guoli Qin (Jackson Lou) from the Brotherhood of Vengeance, a Middle Eastern terrorist group that Qin reluctantly assisted in funding and arming with weapons of mass destruction (“by selling oil and artifacts in Europe”), they set a good example for the (just-passed) Lunar New Year.
If the action scenes were more frequent and/or exciting, the film’s off-putting and constantly foregrounded political agenda wouldn’t be quite so unpleasant. Sadly, they aren’t, leaving the majority of “Vanguard” to be carried by impersonal, CGI-enhanced stuntwork, Chan’s tough guy talk, and some fine but unremarkable performances from his younger, less charismatic co-leads, Lun Ai and Yang Yang. Considering that Chan’s latest star vehicle didn’t have to be anything more than a good piece of propaganda, it isn’t even particularly compelling on that level.
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“Vanguard” opens with a lighthearted fight scene choreographed by Guanhua Han (“Chinese Zodiac,” “Police Story: Lockdown”), who has worked with the director on a few occasions previously. Dedicated husband and father Kaixuan (Ai) and devoted bachelor Zhenyu Lei (Yang) work together to prevent a mercenary group known as the Arctic Wolves (“They’ll do anything for money”) from kidnapping and delivering Qin to the Brotherhood of Vengeance. He proves himself in a rare instance of endearingly cheesy fantasy heroism when he yells, “I’m from Vanguard,” just before tackling Qin and smashing his way through a window onto a street where a traditional Lion Dance is being performed several feet below. Then Lei is sent to Africa to protect Qin’s daughter Fareeda, who has been kidnapped (Ruohan Xuo). Due to circumstances beyond her control, Lei is taken hostage by the Brotherhood of Vengeance, igniting an elaborate international rescue operation that begins in London’s Trafalgar Square and proceeds to the fictional Jiadebala Hills (actually Zambia), before concluding at Dubai’s water fountains.
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This type of heart-thumping, globe-trotting anti-terrorism adventure is similar to Chan’s own “Kung Fu Yoga,” which is partly set in and advertises for Dubai, as well as jingoistic Chinese action blockbusters like “Wolf Warrior 2” and “Operation Red Sea,” both of which send Chinese mercenaries and soldiers to fictional countries in Africa and the Middle East for the purpose of removing fictional terrorist threats from their respective countries. These films reduce political theater to a form of sock puppet entertainment, which isn’t surprising considering that all new Chinese films must be approved by the government on the Chinese mainland before being released.
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There have been some exceptional recent mainland blockbusters that serve as both popcorn entertainment and political propaganda (hello, “The Wandering Earth”! ), but “Vanguard” is not one of them. Even if the film’s action sequences were more compelling, they would still be constantly interrupted by dire, momentum-sapping expository dialogue, such as when Arctic Wolves leader Broto (Brahim Chab) inquires of a subordinate, “What is Vanguard?” and is sadly answered with information that could fill a Powerpoint presentation (“Their services include security for shipping, and VIP protection”).
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Throughout the film, viewers are reminded that the primary difference between Vanguard and the Brotherhood of Vengeance is that Vanguard is Chinese: Jiahua (who goes uncredited in even the film’s concluding titles), Kaixuan’s son, compares him to Captain China, who is “mightier than Captain America,” whereas the Arctic Wolves employ African poachers who compare themselves to (computer-generated) hyenas. Aside from that, Tang will not shake hands with Qin because “Greed is the root of all evils” and “protecting the innocents is our foremost responsibility.” In every other scene, “our” is explicitly stated, underlined, italicized, and bolded so that you never have to guess who is speaking.
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There are, however, a few moments of joyous spectacle at the outset of “Vanguard,” such as an early white-water rafting chase involving an expensive-looking jeep that also serves as a watercraft with retractable wheels that takes place early in the film. Generally speaking, this outrageous set piece is the exception that proves the rule, though there is a fun “Fast & Furious”-style car chase later on in Jiadebala involving a couple of hulking SUVs that rocket off of Zambian cliffs and into a couple of buildings.
In “Vanguard,” however, the most memorable Jackie Chan-related scene is when Tang prepares to leap over an indoor mall’s guard rail in order to nab an uninvited suspect, which is a sly wink to fans who are familiar with Chan’s famous Christmas lights mall jump from the film “Police Story.” Tang is stopped just in time by a fellow security guard, who says, “Wait! There are a set of stairs over there.” The rest of “Vanguard” is less enjoyable because it is more expensive-looking than it is actually thrilling, which makes it less enjoyable. Even Chan’s usual behind-the-scenes blooper reel isn’t nearly as entertaining as it usually is because his presence is frequently overshadowed by the moving parts of his various stunts. Let’s hope that in his next film, which may or may not be the best of his next five, Chan will place a high priority on excellent stunt work and action choreography.
For more personality quizzes check this: All My Life Quiz.
