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When lovable Hong Kong martial arts star Jackie Chan’s name is attached to a film—no matter where it was filmed or which language it’s in—there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll get a whole lot of action with a sense of humor, too. And though he’s past the age where he could understandably retire from action movies, he’s still punching and kicking and playing up the laughs in Vanguard.
Vanguard follows the adventures of a private security company as they work to keep a client and his family safe. When Mr. Qin (Jackson Lou) is kidnapped, it becomes clear that he’s not just a mild-mannered accountant. He reveals that his former business partner was a dangerous man—and while his partner is no longer living, the man’s son, Omar (Eyad Hourani), is convinced that Qin knows the location of his father’s hidden fortune. So the Vanguard team travels the globe to save Qin, his family, and the other lives that are in danger.
From London to Dubai to the savannas of Africa, this highly-skilled team races from one over-the-top fight sequence to the next. There’s a showdown involving a poacher, tranquilizer darts, and a lion in Africa. They fight through city streets and inside massive aquariums. They travel by amphibious car and sleep in mechanized nests high above the jungle. And there’s just one member of the Vanguard team who, inexplicably, flies through battles on a jet-powered hover board like some kind of Silver Surfer ninja.
With all of these action sequences, there isn’t really a whole lot of time for plot—yet, somehow, the small bits of story that are squeezed in there are incredibly complex. And, without the time to flesh any of it out, it’s almost impossible to follow. This poor accountant is being hunted down by his former partner’s vengeful son who apparently runs an organization of mercenaries. He’s somehow connected to arms dealers and the African poacher. And he’s determined to get his hands on his late father’s fortunes—though it seems as though he’s got more than enough of his own. Meanwhile, Vanguard’s team travels the world, getting themselves into and out of all kinds of ugly situations. It’s all laughable—and not necessarily in a good way. Mostly, it’s just plain perplexing.
Jackie Chan has made some fun-filled martial arts films through the years—but this definitely isn’t one of his better ones. There may be plenty of action to keep you entertained, but the story will leave you scratching your head.
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