Jackie kicks Turkish butt! (And saves a few, too.)

Starring the irrepressible Jackie Chan! He appeared in this Asian film in between two of his "American" films, Shanghai Noon and Rush Hour 2. The film was released theatrically in most of the world, but in the United States came out only on DVD and videotape. I only caught less than the last hour, but from what I saw...

Sure, it's got the typical Turkish clichés on hand... like Jackie in a Turkish bath, Jackie watching the whirling dervishes, the covered-up fundamentalist women encountering a naked Jackie on the street; the plot has Chan as a salesman who gets mixed up in international intrigue, and he finds himself searching a deadly toxin... which is also being sought by Koreans and Turks. There was a line in the film attesting to the crime organizations from both countries having something to do with opium (Hey, the poppy is also a flower! Is the opium subject still relevant to Turkey?), and in one fight scene, Jackie faces a tough Turk who brandishes a... sword!

Saving a little kid

Regardless, there was no ill will... and at least Turkey did not come across as an "evil" country. In fact, it was refreshing to see modern Turkey represented in a film, and not since FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE has the alleyways of the historic city of Istanbul been used to good effect to convey a mood of intrigue and danger, so essential to a story dealing with espionage.

 

A female cop

In the thrilling "SPEED"- like conclusion involving a runaway gasoline truck, Jackie saves a child, his mother, and then the Turkish driver. The Turkish police are on all sides lending a hand, and when Jackie needs a helmet... the motorcycle cop who pulls up turns out to be a woman. What a contrast to most cinematic endeavors that always prefer to showcase the nation as a backward, poverty-stricken ancient land. It was really pleasing to get a portrayal that shows Turkey as a modern European country.