Second Term Paper Outline

I - Introduction

Growing up as asian, I've endorsed myself in many action films involving creative and good fight especially in films that were acted out by Jet Li, Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan. However, Ever since I started doing animation, I've been noticing some mistakes of action/reaction in theThe Master, Flash Point and Thunderbolt that were acted out by my three favorite action heroes.

Usually, the main mistakes that I saw were weak action that created stronger reaction. 

II - Body

A. The Master

a. In one of Jet Li's film, The Master. At the beginning when Jet Li master was in a fight with his old student, the jump kick of the student shouldn't send the master flying that far towards the screen. 

b. At 20:24, part two of the movie, In a fight scene of the caucasian girl. One of the guy lifted her up and threw her on a table yet she flew over so easily that it seems unconvincing. 

c. In part three of the movie, at 13:53, the master was in a fight with a bunch of caucasian kung fu fighters. However, the kick that he did to one of the fighter didn't seem strong enough to cause a major reaction. 

B. Flash Point

a. In the chase scene of FlashPoint 28:43, Donnie Yen caught up to one of the gangster brother but he was held back when the gangster caught a kid as hostage and threw her from the kitchen to the street. The action or strength that it took to throw a kid even with a muscle man wouldn't throw her about ten feet long. That's even more than olympic record.  

b. At 1:17:13 when Donnie Yen had to fight the last Vietnamese-Chinese gang brother. During the submission scene, the brother lifted Donnie up without needing any strength at all. The obvious part is that the brother was on one knee and lifted Donnie up high in the air while he also stands up at the same time. 

c. 1:20:43 Donnie Yen did a leg grab submission to the gang brother but the leg grab didn't seem that convincing. Usually, it you want to take down a person who's standing using your legs, you have to at least grab some where above their knee to actually trip them. Donnie in this scene was barely grabbing the gang brother's shoes yet the brother fell down immediately. 

Jackie Chan's Thunderbolt

When Jackie kick the pervert at the beginning in scene 10:21 Most of the kick now doesn't seem real as well. The actor reacted before the kick even touch their face

C. Thunderbolt

a. In 10:22 Jackie follow up a round house kick with a spinning round house kick to the other pervert . Once again, the actor reacted before the kick comes straight at him. The camera angle made it seem as if they were hurt by the kick. 

b. At 10:25 - 10:26, Jackie punched the first pervert twice and he faked it twice by moving his head back and forth. The fast forward of the fight scenes made it seem more believable but the amount of the punch didn't seem strong enough. 

c. At 33:44 One of the gang member jump from the top of the stairs to kick Jackie but jackie kicked the gangster feet in midair which in turn changed the direction of the gangster's fall. It wasn't believable at all that a kick which seem that weak could have change the direction of someone jumping at you. In reality, the gangster might have turn but the way he jump toward Jackie should have had some more forward movement that pushes him forward as well. 

III - Conclusion

Most of Chinese Action movie doesn't show the reaction by cutting it out while adding in new shots. They also fast forward the action shots and it helped made the movie more believable in an intense way. However, no matter how fast or slow they can cheat movement, the eyes is the beholder of reality. The Master, Flashpoint and Thunderbolt acted out the by Jet Li, Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan show some of these subtle physics mistakes of action/reaction  in their fight scenes. Although most of the time it was entertaining, sometimes even one mistake of physics would made it easy to pick on even if these movies were A movies.