Chan falls in 'Nice'

Jackie Chan as a chef? Come on, at least make him a secret agent or something along those lines so it's at least a little bit believable that he could possess such martial arts talent.

Unable to overcome a dreadful and predictable story, Chan suffers through his role as an acclaimed chef in the mediocre "Mr. Nice Guy."

The movie's beginning kicks off with an unnecessary and goofy scene that involves Chan preparing pasta for a cooking show. After an over-the-top scene that feels like a late-night infomercial, the film cuts to a crime boss, Giancarlo, knocking off his girlfriend, and his subsequent dealings with a gang called the Demons.

Chan stars as Jackie (original), an innocent bystander who's drawn into a conflict between warring gangs and a reporter. Diana, the reporter, tapes the gangs during their illegal dealings and bumps into Jackie with the hoods in hot pursuit. Chan jumps into the fray and annihilates every bad guy with a variety of original moves. The plot thickens as various characters, including Jackie's girlfriend, Miki, are kidnapped by the gangs, leaving you-know-who to save the day.

Courtesy of New Line CInema Jackie Chan gives his enemy a huge wah-chah in "Mr. Nice Guy."

The main asset that Chan brings to this movie is his performance during the no-holds-barred action scenes for which he has earned international acclaim.

The most awe-inspiring thing about these scenes is the well-known fact that Chan does all of his own stunts. His amazing physical talent is on display throughout the movie, including a spectacular scene where he jumps from escalator to escalator in a crowded department store. Whenever Jackie steps into a room, it is loaded with levers, boxes and other props for him to use in his assault on evil. And when he stumbles into a massive motorcycle wedding, everyone knows it's just a matter of time until the enormous multilayer cake comes tumbling down.

Unfortunately, Chan gets zero help from his horrendous supporting cast. Miki Lee brings little to the role of Miki (very original) as her character does little more than stand in the shadows and let out an occasional "Jackie!" Miki speaks very little English, so most of her dialogue is in Mandarin and she doesn't have the acting skills to express what she's feeling.

REVIEW
	Mr. Nice Guy At Showcase 2 stars

Although Gabrielle Fitzpatrick is unproductive in her role of Diana, she may have started a new trend for the sassy sidekick role. Eschewing the typical wet T-shirt, the director has Diana do an all-out sprint through the streets of Melbourne wearing only her underwear and a flapping pink robe.

The villains in the movie are nothing more than exaggerated takes on what has become the standard for members of the evil side. They dress in silk shirts and gold jewelry, slick their hair, and try to act ruthless and cool yet fall miserably short. They are not intimidating and often serve as nothing more than punching bags for Chan to whip during the fight scenes.

The bad acting in the movie is accentuated by the terrible script. The story is old and tired and there is never any doubt how things will end up. The conversations between the characters are at times painful to watch and include such barn-burners as "Captain, we've got the evidence to put Giancarlo away for good." Such lines would seem more at home in a Saturday morning cartoon than a major motion picture.

"Mr. Nice Guy" has some funny moments and interesting scenes in it, all of which center around Chan. Although he seems at home in these movies, Chan needs to find a movie that combines action with a smart script. Anyone who is this talented and willing to do his own stunts deserves something better than this.

Strangely enough, one of the most enjoyable parts of the film, a roll of outtakes, comes after the story's conclusion. Showing botched scenes and Chan's preparation for a particular stunt helps give the audience a better idea of what Chan goes through to do every single stunt.

Overall, "Mr. Nice Guy" is strictly for Chan fans and will give the viewer a few good laughs, some intended and some not.

04-01-98