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06-27-2008 16:32

If Buster Keaton were alive and well and living in Hong Kong, directing and starring in kung fu comedies, the end eroduct would probably resemble the films of Jackie Chan. Chan's action sequences, while at least as thrilling as the very best of Hollywood, are further distinguished by meticulous, witty choreography that transforms potentially lethal action into elaborate clowning. As in Keaton's films, the viewer's laughter is sometimes stifled by awe at the sheer physical prowess on display.

Jackie Chan -- Voice of Master Monkey(File photo)

With his disarming smile and compact (5'9", 150 lbs) yet muscular frame, Chan does not look or act like a traditional action hero. As The New York Post film critic Jami Bernard observed: "Unlike American action heroes, Chan often takes his lumps, takes the easy way out, or even opts to run." Most of the films that built his reputation have the amiable atmosphere of boys' adventures; they are light, good-natured and surprisingly chaste. Chan offers a benign alternative to such macho Hollywood stars as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Jean-Claude Van Damme. What's more, as a trained martial artist, he could effortlessly kick their pampered butts.