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James Marsh

2/5 stars
Opening in Chinese cinemas on April 7 to coincide with star Jackie Chan’s 69th birthday, Ride On, from writer-director Larry Yang Zi, serves as a misty-eyed love letter to the actor and the stuntman profession.
Dedicated to “all the kung fu stuntmen who contributed to 100 years of Chinese film history”, the film sees Chan’s ageing stuntman Luo reconcile with the end of his career, reunite with his estranged daughter, and become embroiled in a bitter custody battle for his long-time stunt horse.
It is somewhat ironic, therefore, that it is Chan’s equine co-star who steals the show, while Chan does little more than confirm our growing suspicions that he is far too old for this gig.


Once the greatest stuntman in the business, Luo is now at the end of his rope. The industry’s increasing reliance upon computer-generated effects over practical stunts, together with mounting debts, means he has been relegated to living in lodgings on the film studio lot, scraping together a meagre living charging for photographs with his beloved horse, Red Hare.
When a corporate dispute, as well as Andy On Chi-kit’s aggressive debt collector, both target Red Hare as the only way Luo can repay what he owes, he is forced to seek legal action.

Luo reluctantly turns to Bao (Liu Haocun), his estranged daughter, who begrudgingly convinces her boyfriend Mickey (Kevin Guo Qilin), a newly qualified lawyer, to come to Luo’s defence.
Simultaneously, Luo is offered work by Shi Yanneng’s successful action choreographer, who is eager to showcase the old-school action performed by Luo and Red Hare in his new movie.
Knowing no other way to live, Luo enthusiastically signs on. What follows is a series of homages to many of Chan’s most memorable action roles, from Police Story and Dragon Lord to Armour of God and Project A.
Vanguard: Jackie Chan in yet another dismal action adventure film
Bao, however, becomes increasingly concerned for her father’s safety, and that of his fiercely loyal horse, whom, she states, never chose to grow up in such a dangerous profession.
Director Yang clearly has the very best of intentions, and with the film arriving in the same year that John Wick is dazzling audiences with its practical stunt work – as will the new Mission Impossible film in July – Ride On might have a valid point.
Yet, even as Luo bemoans his industry’s over-reliance on CGI, Ride On is blatantly guilty of attempting to preserve Chan’s legacy using precisely the same tricks.

Nowhere is this more evident than during the traditional end-credits outtakes, which on the one hand reveal green-screen-suited wranglers standing by to ensure the horse’s safety, but also the humbling reality of Chan’s fading athleticism.
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Ride On movie review: Jackie Chan as ageing stuntman confirms he’s too old for this gig in this love letter to the profession

Jackie Chan in a still from Ride On (Mandarin with English subtitles; category TBC), directed by Larry Yang.

Liu Haocun (left) and Jackie Chan in a still from Ride On.

Jackie Chan in a still from Ride On.

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(From left) Wong You-nam, Teresa Mo, Jennifer Yu and Yeung Wai-lun in a still from Over My Dead Body.

A still from Over My Dead Body.

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Chan plays a kung fu stuntman struggling with mounting debts as the industry increasingly relies upon computer-generated effects over practical stunts
The movie pays homage to Chan’s most memorable films such as Police Story and Dragon Lord – it is ironic, then, that it is a horse that steals the show


A love letter to kung fu stuntmen, Ride On pays homage to Chan’s most memorable films such as Police Story and Dragon Lord – it is ironic, then, that it is a horse that steals the show.


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An assessment or critique of a service, product or creative endeavour.  Film reviews, restaurant reviews, reviews of art exhibitions. (Eg. Crazy Rich Asians: an important film, yes, but a good one?)


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Review | Ride On movie review: Jackie Chan as ageing stuntman confirms he’s too old for this gig in this love letter to the profession