Jackie Chan's 100th Movie is from '1911′
Monday, October 17, 2011Omoba
Usually
when you hear the phrase "Jackie Chan movie," you either think of an
action film, or an action/comedy film. The "historical drama" genre
doesn't really come to mind.
But
Chan is getting older now, and a bit more serious. He's co-directed a new film
with Li Zhang, and the first trailer for it is below. 1911 tells the story of a
historical rebellion in Chan's native China, and though there is definitely
action involved, it's not Chan's usual fare in any sense.
Check
out the minute long spot for the film below, and under that there's the
official full length plot synopsis if you want to know more.
At
the beginning of the 20th century, China is in a state of crisis. The country
is split into warring factions, the citizens are starving, and recent political
reforms have made matters worse, not better.
The
ruling Qing Dynasty, led by a seven-year-old emperor, and his ruthless mother,
Empress Dowager Longyu (Joan Chen) is completely out of touch after 250 years
of unquestioned power. With ordinary citizens beginning to revolt openly, the
Qing Dynasty has created a powerful, modern army (the "New Army") to
quash any rebellion.
But
weapons are expensive, and desperate for cash, the Qing leaders are trading
anything they can get their hands on with foreign countries… and selling
China's future in the process. Huang Xing (Jackie Chan) has recently returned
from Japan, where he has studied the art of modern warfare.
When
he finds his country falling apart, he feels he has no choice but to pick up
the sword, leading an increasingly desperate series of violent rebellions
against the powerful Qing Dynasty and the New Army- several with tragic
consequences. From the walls of the Forbidden City to the battlefields of
China, with no expense spared in production and no detail ignored in its quest
for historical accuracy, 1911 is a true epic in every sense of the word.
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