{"id":12228,"date":"2026-06-28T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/?p=12228"},"modified":"2026-06-21T14:57:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T14:57:48","slug":"before-hollywood-knew-his-name","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/before-hollywood-knew-his-name\/","title":{"rendered":"Before Hollywood Knew His Name"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>13 Minute, 23 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>

MOVIE REVIEW
\nJackie Chan's Breakout Hits [Limited Edition]<\/strong>
\n –  <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Action, Comedy, Martial Arts, Crime, Adventure
\nYear Released: <\/strong>1994–1998, 2026 Limited Edition 4K UHD Arrow Video
\nRuntime: <\/strong>10h 42m
\nDirector(s):<\/strong> Lau Kar-leung, Stanley Tong, Gordon Chan, Sammo Hung, Benny Chan, Jackie Chan
\nWriter(s): <\/strong>Various, including Edward Tang, Fibe Ma, Gordon Chan, Stanley Tong, Susan Chan, Lee Reynolds, Yuen Kai-chi
\nCast:<\/strong> Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Ti Lung, Bill Tung, Françoise Yip, Anita Yuen, Jackson Lou, Annie Wu, Richard Norton, Michelle Ferre, Mirai Yamamoto
\nWhere to Watch: <\/strong>available June 30, 2026, pre-order your copy here: www.arrowvideo.com<\/a>, www.mvdshop.com<\/a>, or www.amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

RAVING REVIEW: <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>By the time Hollywood finally figured out Jackie Chan, he’d already spent decades making the argument that he was more than just a clone of Bruce Lee. JACKIE CHAN’S BREAKOUT HITS catches him in that strange, exhilarating stretch where the rest of the world was catching up, but he wasn’t waiting for anyone. These six films, gathered from the mid-to-late 1990s, don’t just show a star on the verge of larger American fame. They show an artist, stunt performer, comic actor, choreographer, and daredevil technician doing what he needed to translate himself for a global audience without surrendering the thing that made him different in the first place.<\/p>\n

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The set begins with DRUNKEN MASTER II, and that placement matters. A film that returns Chan to Wong Fei-hung and lets him move through classical kung fu with absurd comedy, astonishing precision, and a body that seems to understand before the camera does. The fights don’t feel built around impact alone. They’re built around escalation, embarrassment, recovery, timing, and physicality. Chan’s genius has always been tied to the moment after something goes wrong. He slips, ducks, winces, improvises, absorbs, and turns all of that into movement. DRUNKEN MASTER II is where that approach becomes almost musical, especially when Anita Mui storms into the frame and matches his energy without imitating him.<\/p>\n

RUMBLE IN THE BRONX is a different kind of landmark, less elegant and more chaotic, with Vancouver standing in for New York so blatantly that the geography becomes part of the movie’s charm. The story is basically an excuse to move Chan from one collision to the next, but it has the spark of discovery for Western viewers who hadn’t yet seen action staged with this much personality. Every object in the frame feels like a dare. Shopping carts, refrigerators, alleyways, pinball machines, and hovercrafts become part of Chan’s toolset. The movie doesn’t have the control of DRUNKEN MASTER II, and some of its supporting material hasn’t aged particularly gracefully, but its momentum is impossible to fake.<\/p>\n

THUNDERBOLT remains the oddest fit in the set, partly because it shifts Chan into a racing-movie structure that sometimes treats him as one ingredient in a larger package. The car sequences give it a different feeling, and there’s pleasure in seeing this era’s Hong Kong action stretch into another lane. At the same time, it’s the film here most likely to frustrate viewers expecting wall-to-wall martial arts invention. Chan is still Chan, and the set pieces have enough bursts of danger to justify their inclusion, but THUNDERBOLT works best as a snapshot of a star and industry trying to widen the playing field rather than as one of the essential showcases.<\/p>\n

POLICE STORY 4: FIRST STRIKE has the opposite problem. It’s so eager to go bigger that it sometimes trades the urgency of the earlier POLICE STORY films for global chaos. The globe-trotting spy plot gives Chan submarines, snow-covered hills, and that famous ladder fight, and the best moments prove he could scale up without losing his instinct for comedy. The movie gets thinner whenever it leans too hard into espionage. However, the set pieces still have a practical madness that separates them from the safer action filmmaking that would eventually dominate the multiplex. Chan doesn’t look like a superhero in these sequences. He looks like a man constantly negotiating with disaster.<\/p>\n

MR. NICE GUY is one of the collection’s most focused crowd-pleasers, a Sammo Hung-directed blast that turns Chan into a TV chef and then treats the premise like permission to destroy everything around him. It’s ridiculous in the best sense, with Richard Norton bringing the kind of villainous presence that understands the assignment without swallowing the movie. The story is flimsy, and the Australian setting lends it a slightly synthetic flavor, but Hung knows how to arrange it into a unified explosion. The construction-site finale offers that wonderful Chan attribute. Chaos that looks dangerous, silly, and carefully engineered all at once.<\/p>\n

WHO AM I? closes the set with Chan in full everything mode, chasing an identity, conspiracy, and spectacle across a broader display. Its amnesia plot is never as interesting as the physical storytelling around it. However, the movie has several images that stick: Chan stranded in a desert, Chan shouting into open air, Chan turning architecture into a playground, Chan sliding down the side of a skyscraper as though gravity is just another co-star. It’s lighter than the best films here, and the English-language material can feel stilted. Yet, it captures the transitional moment before RUSH HOUR made him a household name for viewers who knew him first as a new Hollywood presence rather than as an already established legend.<\/p>\n

JACKIE CHAN’S BREAKOUT HITS is valuable because it doesn’t pretend Chan’s crossover was a single event or one titular moment. It was a process, messy and thrilling, shaped by dubbing, alternate cuts, retitling, international marketing, and the business of carrying Hong Kong action into a Western market that often wanted the spectacle without always understanding the craft. Arrow’s decision to include multiple versions is more than collector bait. It lets viewers see how these movies were shaped and reshaped for different audiences. A different cut can change the way a joke lands, how a fight breathes, or how much cultural texture remains around the action.<\/p>\n

The extras also give the set a stronger sense of purpose than a simple nostalgia box set. New commentaries, featurettes, interviews, outtakes, archival material, lobby cards, a poster, and a substantial book position the release as a study of Chan’s global breakthrough rather than a greatest-hits playlist. That’s the right approach, because these films sit at a crossroads. They’re entertainment, absolutely, but they’re also documents of an action tradition built on labor, risk, rehearsal, and trust in the audience’s ability to read movement.<\/p>\n

The 90s framing means the films vary wildly in story quality, supporting performances, and tonal control. DRUNKEN MASTER II can make the rest feel smaller by comparison, and THUNDERBOLT, in particular, may play like a necessary inclusion of the era rather than a personal favorite waiting to be rediscovered. The set’s greatest strength is also its built-in unevenness. It preserves a run of films that show a star expanding outward, not always gracefully, but always with nerve.<\/p>\n

Jackie Chan changed action cinema by making pain legible. His stunts aren’t anonymous feats. They have setups, punchlines, consequences, and personality. He lets you see the plan, the mistake, the recovery, and sometimes the bruise. JACKIE CHAN’S BREAKOUT HITS honors that legacy by gathering the years when mainstream Western audiences finally started to understand what Hong Kong viewers already knew. Chan wasn’t just doing dangerous things on camera. He was turning danger into timing, timing into comedy, and comedy into a form of action filmmaking nobody else could duplicate.<\/p>\n

Bonus Materials:
\nLIMITED 10-DISC 4K UHD COLLECTION CONTENTS<\/strong>
\nBrand new 4K restorations of each film from the original negatives by Arrow Films
\nLimited edition packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley
\n160-page perfect-bound book featuring an archive interview with Jackie by Craig D. Reid, plus new writing by Thorsten Boose, Peter S. Bruce, Matt McAllister, Elaine Chung, and Jialu Zhu
\nTwenty-four lobby card reproductions
\nReversible poster with vintage poster artwork<\/p>\n

DISC 1 – DRUNKEN MASTER II<\/strong>
\n4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentations in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of three versions: the uncut 102-minute Hong Kong Cut, the 100-minute International Cut, and the American Cut re-titled The Legend of Drunken Master (102 mins)
\nOriginal lossless Cantonese, Mandarin, and English mono audio for the Hong Kong Cut
\nOriginal lossless English mono audio for the International Cut
\nOriginal English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio for The Legend of Drunken Master
\nOptional English subtitles and subtitles for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
\nBrand new commentary by martial arts cinema experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto
\nBefore the Breakout, a new featurette in which stuntman Wang Yao, academic Dr. Wayne Wong, and critics David West and James Mudge look back at Jackie Chan’s earlier career
\nBreakout! Part 1, a new featurette in which Wong, West, Mudge, and stuntman Mars look back at the film
\nDeadly When Drunken, a new interview with co-writer Yuen Kai-chi
\nTipsy Tribulations, an expanded interview with stuntman Mars
\nPeriod Postures, a new interview with academic Dr. Lars Laamann on the historical context behind the film
\nDrunken Defiance, a new appreciation of the film by martial arts cinema expert Ricky Baker
\nArchive interview with Jackie Chan filmed for the American release in 2000
\nAlternate Mandarin drinking scene (contains standard-definition inserts)
\nTextless outtakes
\nChinese New Year messages recorded by Jackie for the Taiwanese and Malaysian openings
\nTrailer gallery
\nImage gallery<\/p>\n

DISC 2 – RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (HONG KONG CUT)<\/strong>
\n4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
\nOriginal lossless Cantonese\/English (sync-sound) stereo audio and English (export dub) mono audio
\nOptional English subtitles and subtitles for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
\nBrand new commentary by martial arts cinema experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto
\nBreakout! Part 2, a new featurette in which stuntman Mars, stuntwoman Kathy Hubble, martial arts cinema expert Ricky Baker, and critics David West and James Mudge look back at the film
\nRumble Recollections, an expanded interview with Hubble
\nAlternate footage
\nTextless outtakes
\nImage gallery<\/p>\n

DISC 3 – RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (INTERNATIONAL CUT)<\/strong>
\n4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
\nOriginal English-dubbed lossless stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
\nOptional English subtitles for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
\nElectronic press kit interview with Jackie Chan
\nTwo scenes were added for the network TV version, with dubbing unique to this version.
\nUS trailer and TV spots<\/p>\n

DISC 4 – THUNDERBOLT<\/strong>
\n4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of the uncut 110-minute International Cut
\nOriginal lossless Cantonese\/English (sync-sound) stereo audio, English (export dub) stereo audio, and English (US dub) DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
\nOptional English subtitles and subtitles for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
\n97-minute Japanese Cut with lossless Cantonese\/English sync-sound stereo audio (high-definition only)
\nBrand new commentary by martial arts cinema experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto
\nBreakout! Part 3, a new featurette in which stuntman Mars, critics David West and James Mudge, and dubbing supervisor Paul Clay look back at the film
\nA Thunderous Presence, an expanded interview with Clay on his collaborations with Jackie Chan
\nAlternate English export credits
\nTextless outtakes
\nInternational trailer
\nJapanese trailers
\nImage gallery<\/p>\n

DISC 5 – POLICE STORY 4: FIRST STRIKE (HONG KONG CUT)<\/strong>
\n4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
\nOriginal lossless Cantonese\/English (sync-sound) stereo and Mandarin (dubbed) stereo audio
\nOptional English subtitles and subtitles for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
\nBrand new commentary by martial arts cinema experts Frank Djeng and F.J. DeSanto
\nBreakout! Part 4, a new featurette in which critics David West and James Mudge look back at the film
\nTextless outtakes
\nImage gallery<\/p>\n

DISC 6 – POLICE STORY 4: FIRST STRIKE (INTERNATIONAL CUT)<\/strong>
\n4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
\nOriginal English-dubbed lossless stereo and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
\nOptional English subtitles for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
\nStriking Back, a new interview with martial arts cinema expert Frank Djeng
\nScenes added for the US network TV version, with dubbing unique to this version
\nUS trailer<\/p>\n

DISC 7 – MR. NICE GUY (JAPANESE & HONG KONG CUTS)<\/strong>
\n4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
\nOriginal lossless English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and lossless stereo audio for both cuts
\nOptional English subtitles for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
\nBrand new commentary by critic James Mudge
\nBreakout! Part 5, a new featurette in which stuntman Mars and critics David West and James Mudge look back at the film
\nNice Thoughts, a new appreciation by martial arts cinema expert Frank Djeng
\nAlternate English credits
\nTextless outtakes
\nOriginal trailer
\nImage gallery<\/p>\n

DISC 8 – MR. NICE GUY (INTERNATIONAL CUT)<\/strong>
\n4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
\nOriginal lossless English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and lossless stereo audio
\nOptional English subtitles for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
\nUS trailer<\/p>\n

DISC 9 – WHO AM I? (HONG KONG CUT)<\/strong>
\n4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
\nOriginal lossless English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and lossless stereo audio
\nOptional English subtitles for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
\nBrand new commentary by critic James Mudge
\nBreakout! Part 6, a new featurette in which critic James Mudge, actor Glory Simon, and second unit cinematographer Ray Wong look back at the film
\nFrom Drunk to Slam Dunk: Jackie Chan in the New Millennium, a new featurette in which Mudge, Simon, Wong, stuntwoman Kathy Hubble, stuntmen Wang Yao and Mars, critic David West, and others look at Jackie’s career in the years since
\nThe Making of Who Am I?, a three-part archive behind-the-scenes featurette
\nAlternate English credits
\nTextless outtakes
\nOriginal trailer
\nImage gallery<\/p>\n

DISC 10 – WHO AM I? (INTERNATIONAL CUT)<\/strong>
\n4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
\nOriginal lossless English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and lossless stereo audio
\nOptional English subtitles for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
\nWho, When & Where, an expanded interview with Wong
\nJostling with Jackie, an expanded interview with Simon
\nUS trailer<\/p>\n

Please visit https:\/\/linktr.ee\/overlyhonestr for more reviews.<\/p>\n

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. My social media accounts can also be found on most platforms by searching for 'Overly Honest Reviews'.<\/p>\n

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please don't hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.<\/p>\n

[photo courtesy of ARROW VIDEO, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]<\/em><\/p>\n

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\nAt Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive complimentary items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl Records, Books, and more. We assure you that these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to providing unbiased and sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.<\/p>\n

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MOVIE REVIEW Jackie Chan's Breakout Hits [Limited Edition] –      Genre: Action, Comedy, Martial Arts, Crime, Adventure Year Released: 1994–1998, 2026 Limited Edition 4K UHD Arrow Video Runtime: 10h 42m Director(s): Lau Kar-leung, Stanley Tong, Gordon Chan, Sammo Hung, Benny Chan, Jackie Chan Writer(s): Various, including Edward Tang, Fibe Ma, Gordon Chan, Stanley Tong, Susan Chan, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12229,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t