PANDA PLAN (熊猫计划) (2024)

Genre: Action/Comedy
Director: Zhang Luan
Cast: Jackie Chan, Wei Xiang, Ce Shi, Han Yanbo, Jia Bing
Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 17 October 2024

Synopsis: Jackie Chan, the legendary Kung Fu star, is invited to adopt an adorable panda cub named Huhu. Known for his unique charm and distinctive mismatched eyes, Huhu catches the attention of a notorious international crime syndicate. Determined to capture the panda, they place a massive bounty on Huhu’s head. Faced with this sudden crisis, Jackie teams up with his savvy agent, David, and the fiercely dedicated panda caretaker, Xiaozhu. Together, this dynamic trio uses their skills and clever tactics to outsmart the villains and keep Huhu safe. Get ready for an unforgettable adventure filled with unexpected twists, plenty of laughs, and the ultimate battle for the cutest treasure in the zoo!

Movie Review:

 For the record, Jackie Chan is 70 years old. He has been involved in many aspects of showbiz since he stepped into the entertainment industry in the 1960s. Many know him as an actor, martial artist and stuntman. Besides his screen kung fu persona which has won him many fans, Chan is also a director, writer and producer. The man has appeared in more than 150 movies throughout his career, and while his recent works (Ride On, A Legend) are nothing like classics such as Drunken Master (1978), Police Story (1985) and Amour of God (1986), you can feel his passion for making movies at this age.

So it is with this mindset that we are reviewing this lightweight action comedy that sees Chan playing a fictionalised version of himself. The Mainland Chinese production starts off with Chan fighting off terrorists, before revealing that he is on a film set. Things get meta when his assistant (Wei Xiang) checks in with him which public engagement he’d like to take up. It’s no surprise that he chooses to adopt a baby panda (it is Mainland Chinese production after all). We’re also told that this panda is rare because its eye patches are of different sizes – we aren’t sure whether that’s the best way to explain why baddies want to get their hands on the cutie.

Anyway, we next see Chan scooting off to a location named Noah Zoo (like the ark, get it?) and he receives a very warm welcome by guests and staff. Heck, there’s even a catchy song to go with this sequence. There are shots of Chan on a jeep as it passes by CGI generated animals. It is also at this point you realise that filmmaking is no longer like before.

The female protagonist of the movie is a panda caregiver (Ce Shi), and as you’d have it, she is a great fan of Chan. What naturally happens is next is a cat and mouse game where the bad guys come after the panda and Chan tries to fight them off. And yes, the panda is also created by CGI. To prepare you further, there is also a scene with CGI rhinoceroses which we felt could have been omitted.

The 99 minute movie is a fluffy affair, and it should adequately entertain the family. There are some fight sequences that remind you of Chan’s greatest moments in past action blockbusters. The way action is combined with slapstick humour can still be seen in these scenes, but they definitely are less intense given Chan’s age. Regardless, this formula still works because there were many moments where audiences broke out in laughter during the preview screening.

One particularly sweet moment in the movie sees Chan (the fictionalised version) talking about why he is still making after all these years. He mentions that he is like us mere mortals who feel fear and uncertainty, but the director’s “Action!” will make him an on screen superhero. You can feel that Chan (the actual one) is speaking from his heart during this scene.

As with most of Chan’s movies, this one directed by Zhang Luan ends on a happy note. Too bad we don’t get to see the NG takes, but we have to understand that the man has contributed more than half a century to entertaining audiences, and there are just some things which will never be the same anymore. 

Movie Rating:

(Martial arts superstar Jackie Chan is 70 years old, and we applaud him for still starring in action comedies like this to entertain the masses)

Review by John Li