Police Story 4: First Strike (3 Stars)

"Police Story 4: First Strike" (1996) is a strange entry in Jackie Chan's most famous series because it barely resembles a Police Story film at all. The gritty Hong Kong police work of the previous films has disappeared, replaced by an international spy adventure involving the CIA, Russian agents, nuclear warheads and globe-trotting locations from Ukraine to Australia. It's closer to a light-hearted James Bond film than anything suggested by the title.

The biggest problem is the screenplay. Jackie spends the film chasing one person after another, yet it's surprisingly difficult to understand who's working for whom. Double-crosses, secret agents and smugglers are introduced so quickly that the story becomes little more than an excuse to move Jackie from one spectacular stunt to the next. Even by the end, many viewers may struggle to explain exactly why half the fights happened.

Fortunately, Jackie Chan's action choreography is as inventive as ever. The ladder fight in the warehouse is one of his greatest comic action sequences, the underwater shark encounter is unforgettable and the film rarely goes more than a few minutes without another dazzling stunt. Stanley Tong directs the action with tremendous energy, even if the plot never catches up.

"First Strike" is entertaining if you stop worrying about the story and simply enjoy Jackie Chan risking his life for your amusement. As a spy thriller it barely makes sense. As a Police Story film it feels completely out of place. It's an action spectacle held together almost entirely by the charisma and athletic brilliance of its star.