Critic Reviews
78
Metascore
Generally Favorable
positive
8(89%)
mixed
1(11%)
negative
0(0%)
Showing 9 Critic Reviews
100
Police Story is one of the great 1980s action films. It’s also one of the most 1980s action films.
May 18, 2019
90
A brazen mix of head-through-the-glass violence and pie-in-the-face slapstick, with a dash of Capra-esque working-class comedy for good measure, Police Story is remarkably seamless in tone and execution.
83
Action geeks who rented Police Story on VHS back in the early ’90s could tell when the good parts were going to start, because that’s when the tracking would get fuzzy, from all the previous renters rewinding and re-watching the same scenes, over and over.
80
The likeable and graceful Chan directs, sings and performs jaw-dropping stunts. Few of his American or Austrian rivals attempt a fraction of that.
80
The film that made Jackie Chan an international star, Police Story fully embodies the martial artist’s spirit of entertainment – equal parts endearing, goofy and packed with eye-popping kung fu action.
75
Like many of the most compelling martial-arts movies, the Police Story films more closely resembles a dance picture than any kind of action blockbuster, with meticulously choreographed fight sequences standing in for fan-baiting musical numbers.
70
Chan seems to do everything he can think of to ingratiate himself with viewers.
70
Police Story is of principal interest as a souvenir of another culture.
60
The fantastic action scenes featuring Chan in his pomp are slightly let down by comic overkill.
