The Protector 4K 1985

The 1985 film The Protector represents an intriguing yet controversial phase in Jackie Chan’s career, resulting from an ill fated collaboration between the Hong Kong star and American director James Glickenhaus. The plot revolves around New York police officer Billy Wong, who travels to Hong Kong to investigate the kidnapping of a local crime boss’s daughter, where he is forced to work alongside a rough and tumble partner. The film’s main problem is the stark dissonance between Chan’s signature style and Glickenhaus’s ponderous, static direction, which causes the film to suffer from drawn out dialogue, a formulaic script, and a lack of spectacular fight scenes, especially in the American cut. Nevertheless, for fans of the actor, the film remains a must see thanks to several impressive stunts, including the final fight on the construction site, and the unique atmosphere of the mid 80s. It’s important to note that when watching, it’s best to seek out the Hong Kong version of the film, which contains more action and humor than the heavily cut American theatrical release, and existing 4K releases are most often software upscales, as no official restoration in that quality has been released.