The one movie Jackie Chan dislikes the most
Unsatisfied with merely being one of cinema’s most iconic action stars, Jackie Chan continued to broaden his horizons to the extent that he set a world record for wearing the most different hats on a single production, showcasing his versatility beyond acting.
2012’s Chinese Zodiac – also known as CZ12 or Armour of God 3, depending on where in the world it was released, saw him credited as the movie’s writer, director, lead actor, producer, executive producer through his production company, cinematographer, art director, unit production manager, catering coordinator, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, composer, singer of the theme tune, and part of the props department.
So heavily invested in his output that he even decided to shoulder the burden of feeding the cast and crew, maybe it’s not all that surprising to discover that the film from his own back catalogue he dislikes the most restricted him solely being an on-camera performer, albeit an extremely well-paid one.
Although he’d flirted with Hollywood in the past, it wasn’t until Rumble in the Bronx, released in 1996, that he scored a genuine hit at the American box office with his name above the title. It captured the attention of many producers, leading to a lucrative offer reportedly worth $15million to co-star alongside Chris Tucker in Rush Hour.
Chan was already a massive star in his native China and had been for some time, but it was the 1998 buddy comedy that turned him into a worldwide superstar, leading to a hugely lucrative trilogy. From there, the offers to headline films in the United States increased exponentially, with the actor splitting his time between foreign and domestic productions.
However, despite the huge bump Rush Hour gave his international appeal, Chan didn’t care for it much at all. In fact, he was happy to admit he was only doing it for the money, with his creative and artistic ambitions hardly being fulfilled by the string of relatively by-the-numbers English-language buddy comedies that followed in its wake.
“I have reasons to do each film, I have something to say. Unlike Rush Hour, there was no reason, you just give me the money and I’m fine,” he said, “I dislike Rush Hour the most, but ironically, it sold really well in the US and Europe”. His opinion didn’t change over the years, either, with his disdain for the franchise remaining as evident as ever.
“I didn’t like the movie, I still don’t like the movie,” Chan told the Los Angeles Times, “I don’t like the way I speak English, and I don’t know what Chris Tucker is saying”. The financial windfall would have softened the blow somewhat, but it’s strange that his biggest crossover hit would be the one he disliked above all others.
