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Jackie Chan is one of the most influential and popular actors in the industry who has had a ridiculously long career. Ever since his cameo as a child-actor in Big and Little Wong Tin Bar (1962), he has been prolific in picking up acting roles. Over six decades later, he shows no signs of stopping as Chan is returning for Karate Kid: Legends in 2025. He's led innumerable action movies and left an indelible mark on the martial arts scene as a man who performs his own stunts and adds his traditional comical twist to daring stuntwork.
However, despite the longevity that has continued well into the 21st Century, whenever he's talked about, people mostly refer to Jackie Chan's best action movies from the 1990s or the best old-school kung fu movies starring Jackie Chan. While he no longer takes on action-heavy roles that involve the most unbelievable stunts, Chan hasn't slowed his roll. He now often plays mentor-like characters in action movies or portrays mature characters in dramas and adventure movies. His work from the past decade and a half includes some compelling movies that deserve more attention.
10 Ride On (2023)
Directed by Larry Yang
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Ride On is a film centered on a washed-up stuntman and his horse who achieve social media fame after their confrontation with debt collectors goes viral. Released in April 2023, the film explores themes of redemption and unexpected celebrity in the digital age.
Release Date April 7, 2023
Runtime 126 minutes
Director Larry Yang
Producers Victoria Hon
Writers Larry Yang
The clip of Jackie Chan watching scenes from his old action movies with his "daughter" that went viral in early 2024 is actually a scene from his 2023 movie Ride On. Actress Liu Haocun plays the daughter in the film to Jackie's character, who is a stuntman at the tail end of his career. If it were Chan's final film, this would pack a stronger emotional punch, as the character's journey is one of reconciliation with his mortality and the inevitable cycle of life that would always put him out of a job as he aged and CGI started taking over.
While the sentimentality can feel tacky, especially given how Jackie Chan is far from irrelevant, even if he's had to stop doing stunts that put his life at risk, as a pet movie, Ride On has its moments. The relationship between Chan's character and his horse along with the father-daughter dynamic add a strong emotional layer to the film. Moreover, for fans of Chan, it's a chance to revisit some of his most daring stunts as the movie features real footage of his movies where he performed life-threatening stunt work.
9 The Karate Kid (2010)
Directed by Harald Zwart
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The Karate Kid is a 2010 remake of the original martial arts drama film released in 1984. Directed by Harald Zwart, this new telling follows young Dre Parker who after a big move with his mother from Detroit, Michigan to Beijing, China, finds difficulty fitting in and manages to get caught in a bullies' crosshairs. Dre is saved by the mysterious maintenance worker named Mr. Han, who teaches him Kung Fu in order to defend himself.
Release Date June 11, 2010
Runtime 140 Minutes
Director Harald Zwart
Writers Christopher Murphey
Studio(s) Columbia Pictures , China Film Group , Overbrook Entertainment , JW Productions
Distributor(s) Sony Pictures Releasing
The showrunners of Cobra Kai may have denounced it as not being canon to the franchise, but the 2010 remake of the classic movie is the highest-grossing of all the Karate Kid movies. While it didn't make Jaden Smith the overnight sensation that his parents had hoped it would, The Karate Kid has memorable moments, especially from Jackie Chan, who plays an unorthodox martial arts mentor to Jaden Smith's character.
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The most glaring flaw in the remake is obviously the fact that Chan's character actually teaches kung fu to his mentee, and the movie features no karate whatsoever. Moreover, The Karate Kid didn't really need a remake and the 2010 film adds nothing of consequence to the story, almost following the original beat-for-beat. The saving grace is Chan's surprisingly emotional performance in the dramatic scenes, which let him demonstrate his range as an actor.
8 The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017)
Directed by Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher, and Bob Logan
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Ninjago is the story of six young ninja tasked with defending their island home, called Ninjago. By night, they’re gifted warriors, using their skill and awesome fleet of vehicles to fight villains and monsters. By day, they’re ordinary teens, struggling against their greatest enemy: high school.
Release Date September 21, 2017
Runtime 101 minutes
Director Charlie Bean , Paul Fisher , Bob Logan
Writers Hilary Winston , Bob Logan , Paul Fisher , Kevin Hageman , Dan Hageman , William Wheeler
The adorably goofy LEGO movie formula, which involves using over-the-top comical characterization, committing to the ridiculous, and surrendering to the unique vibe of the toys, works wonders for The LEGO Ninjago Movie as well. The only problem is that its tone, while reminiscent of the show, which had six seasons at the time of the movie's release, isn't as endearing because it's not able to replicate the strength of the character moments viewers can find in the show.
While Ninjago ran for 15 seasons until 2022, there's a sequel show, LEGO Ninjago Dragons Rising, which first aired in 2022 and awaits the release of its third season in 2025.
Even then, it's a relatively solid entry in the LEGO Movie franchise, and features Jackie Chan in two roles. One of the characters he plays is the customary live-action father figure of the child who is canonically playing with the Ninjago set. The other is the leader of the ninjas, who is almost like a father to them. His voice-acting skills make the character as compelling as he is in the TV series, but the movie would have strongly benefitted from treating the structure of the previous LEGO movies as a blueprint for success.
7 Namiya (2017)
Directed by Han Jie
Based on Keigo Higashino's book Miracles of the Namiya General Store (2012), Namiya is a cute and heartwarming fantasy anthology featuring one of Jackie Chan's most emotional performances. As a book adaptation, the movie really struggles to live up to the source material, but Chan's adorable performance as the old man who saves people across timelines makes it worth watching.
Chan's performance is an endearing improvement, and he makes this Chinese movie immersive with emotive acting.
The Japanese adaptation of the book is a stronger film because it does a better job of conveying the book's message by balancing the various timelines better, and because it features more compelling performances. However, Chan's performance is an endearing improvement, and he makes this Chinese movie immersive with emotive acting that one doesn't usually associate with him. Moreover, the heartwarming story itself is compelling enough to bring viewers to tears at various points during the runtime.
6 The Foreigner (2017)
Directed by Martin Campbell
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The Foreigner, directed by Martin Campbell, follows Quan, a London businessman whose past resurfaces after his daughter dies in an IRA bombing. His quest for justice leads to a tense pursuit involving a British government official, whose own secrets may reveal the identities of the perpetrators.
Release Date October 13, 2017
Director Martin Campbell
Writers David Marconi
Even though he has revived the James Bond franchise twice, first with Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye, which is one of the best action movies turning 30 in 2025, and then again with Casino Royale in 2006, Martin Campbell's most recent movie before The Foreigner was the horrendous Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds. He went on a hiatus from directing for 6 years before returning for the Jackie Chan movie.
His return proved skeptics wrong, as he delivered a poignant revenge thriller with a political theme. Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan both deliver strong and compelling performances. The former blends brooding dramatic acting with quintessentially Jackie Chan action stunts to bring his character's angst and grief to life. It's one of Chan's more underrated movies that would have been appreciated more if it had been made in the '90s. He's played such roles before as well, but for some reason, The Foreigner flies under the radar during discussions about his work.
5 Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni
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DreamWorks’ 2016 computer-animated movie Kung Fu Panda 3 brings back Jack Black’s Po, Dustin Huffman’s Master Shifu, and the Furious Five in a battle against the supernatural warrior Kai (J.K Simmons). Bryan Cranston appears as Po’s father Li Shan and Randall Duk Kim returns as Grand Master Oogway.
Release Date January 29, 2016
Runtime 95 Minutes
Director Jennifer Yuh , Alessandro Carloni
Writers Jonathan Aibel , Glenn Berger
Studio(s) 20th Century
Distributor(s) 20th Century
Easily the weakest film of the trilogy, Kung Fu Panda 3 feels like a forced sequel in some ways because of the innumerable side characters introduced in it, who aren't even properly fleshed out. It builds upon the legacy and the lore of the previous couple of movies, but it has a weaker plot and a weaker villain. J. K. Simmons' voice adds to the gravitas of the villain, but his motivation doesn't have the same emotional relevance or strength as his predecessors.
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However, Kung Fu Panda is still a highly entertaining film, and that's owing to the original ensemble's chemistry with each other. Angelina Jolie as Tigress, Lucy Liu as Viper, Seth Rogen as Mantis, David Cross as Crane, and Jackie Chan as Monkey reprise their iconic roles and bring the unmistakable chaotic but synchronized energy of the Furious Five. Moreover, the compelling drama of Po's biological and adoptive father bonding over trying to protect their son adds an endearing emotional layer that makes the movie memorable.
4 Little Big Soldier (2010)
Directed by Ding Sheng
Jackie Chan's 99th film took him 20 years to get made, and when it finally happened, Little Big Soldier was a box office hit and found critical acclaim as well. Chan's impassioned performance is clear proof of how much he cares about the movie. With fast and memorable action sequences, it features crisp fight scenes, but the focus isn't on the stunt work or on Chan's star persona. Instead, Little Big Soldier is about commentary on the destructive nature of war, which ultimately benefits no one on the battleground.
Chan's acting range is on full display as the disillusioned soldier who's looking for a way out of the army. He leans into his dramatic skills as well as his martial artistry to deliver what is perhaps his greatest performance in the 2010s. One of the few movies with a Jackie Chan character death, Little Big Soldier doesn't shy away from exploring the gritty nature of war.
3 Shaolin (2011)
Directed by Benny Chan Muk-Sing
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Shaolin (2011) is a martial arts drama directed by Benny Chan. The film stars Andy Lau as a warlord who seeks redemption after a tragic turn of events leads him to a Shaolin monastery. Supported by Nicholas Tse and Jackie Chan in key roles, the story intertwines themes of revenge, peace, and personal transformation within the backdrop of China's war-torn period.
Release Date January 27, 2011
Runtime 131 minutes
Director Benny Chan
Writers Alan Yuen , Chi Kwong Cheung , Quiyu Wang
Set in the period of the Republic when warlords were fighting each other all the time to the point that Shaolin monks had to get involved and intervene, Benny Chang's Shaolin tells the story of a warlord, played by Andy Lau, who seeks refuge in a Shaolin Temple. The warlord gradually learns to live differently, accepting the tenets of Buddhism, and preparing to confront and stop the evil warlords.
Jackie Chan appears as a comic relief character whose presence undercuts the drama.
As a period film, the movie's production, costume design, and action set pieces are impeccable. Shaolin is bookended by two brilliant and extensive action sequences that feature stunning martial arts choreography. Unfortunately, despite the compelling nature of the story and the strong performances from the stellar cast, the movie suffers from being tonally inconsistent. Jackie Chan appears as a comic relief character whose presence undercuts the drama, but instead of feeling like a good pacing device, it just breaks viewers' immersion in the movie.
2 Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson
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In this heartwarming sequel, Po now faces his most daunting challenge yet. The emergence of a formidable villain, Lord Shen, who has a weapon so powerful it threatens the very existence of kung fu, propels Po on a journey across China. Alongside the Furious Five, he must confront his past and unlock the strength he needs to defeat his enemies. This animated adventure deepens the lore of Po's world, blending humor, action, and emotional depth.
Release Date May 26, 2011
Runtime 91 minutes
Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Writers Jonathan Aibel , Glenn Berger , Charlie Kaufman (consulting)
Studio(s) DreamWorks Animation
Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures
The original Kung Fu Panda was one of those animated movies that turned out better than expected, because it turns a seemingly silly idea into a compelling narrative. The concept of animals doing kung fu lends itself to energetic animation fight sequences, but what no one expected was the depth of its emotional impact on viewers. So, to live up to that was a tall task, but Kung Fu Panda 2 did just that.
The internet is often divided on who is a better villain between Tai Lung and Lord Shen, the villains from the first and the second movies respectively. While Kung Fu Panda 2 is slower than its previous movie, it is equally rich, if not richer, in emotions. The comedy is almost just as sharp, the fight sequences, though fewer, are even better, and the performances are at par with the original. Jackie Chan reprises his role as Monkey and delivers a similar hilariously goofy energy as a master of martial arts as he did in Kung Fu Panda.
1 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
Directed by Jeff Rowe
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is an animated film in the enduring action-comedy franchise. Directed by Jeff Rowe, the movie follows the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael—alongside their mentor Splinter, as they confront new adversaries and navigate their teenage years. The film combines humor and action while maintaining the core themes of the beloved series.
Release Date August 4, 2023
Runtime 100 Minutes
Director Jeff Rowe
Writers Brendan O'Brien
Studio Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon Movies, Point Grey Pictures
One of the surprise hits of 2023, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is a uniquely animated movie that blends hand-drawn and computer-generated graphics to create a look that's a cross between 3D animation and comic book art. The visual style itself explains why the movie was such a hit with audiences when it came out, but on top of that, the story itself is compelling. With surprising sincerity for a Seth Rogen movie featuring comical characters, it tackles an emotionally deep storyline about the turtles as it revisits the origin lore.
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Jackie Chan plays the turtles' mentor and adoptive father, Splinter. His voice lends an authoritative and calming quality to the character, who's both strict and benevolent. The energetic action sequences, hilarious one-liners, quintessential TMNT shenanigans, and a terrifying villain who almost has horror movie monster vibes to him, all contribute to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem's success. While his role is small, it is Jackie Chan's best movie in the last 15 years.
English (US) ·