
In this article:
- Jackie Chan, born Chan Kong-sang, is a living legend of martial arts cinema.
- Over the last few decades, Chan has given us some of the most memorable action films, earning him a well-deserved place in pop culture and film history.
- Choosing just one film to start watching from his sizable filmography can be difficult, but the list below should help you narrow it down to a movie (or three).
One of the most recognizable faces in film, Jackie Chan has been in the limelight for over four decades now โ from his breakthrough role in 1978โs Snake in the Eagleโs Shadow to the recently concluded Winter Olympics, where he carried the Olympic torch on the Great Wall.
And heโs far from done.
Though producers of his earlier films had tried to make him the next Bruce Lee, Chan chose to make a name for himself and his own creative style of choreography and storytelling. He did this by making it a point to direct and produce many of his own films for the sake of creative freedom. As a result, Jackie Chan movies have since become their own special genre within the world of martial arts cinema.
Collectively, his films have grossed over $2.6 billion worldwide across a dizzying 150 titles. So whether youโre new to his filmography or just looking to relive some of his best work, it can be tough to know where to start.
To help you out, here are some IMDb-recommended Jackie Chan movies to watch.
The Legend of Drunken Master (1994)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
The trailer for this is not the best, but the film itself is well-loved for good reason. Itโs even hailed as one of the best action films of all time by the British Film Institute.
In it, Chanโs character Wong Fei-hung is a martial arts master and a folk hero. He also, as the title makes clear, fights best when drunk. Indeed, he does a lot of fighting here, making complicated choreography a ton of fun as he battles British smugglers trying to take ancient treasures out of China (a habit real-life British people unfortunately have).
Loving alcohol the way Popeye loves his spinach, Chan is at his best and goofiest as a drunken fighting machine in โโThe Legend of Drunken Master with a technique thatโs billed as โfast, furious… and powerfully funny.โ Nevermind that his characterโs liver is also probably fighting its own invisible battle, too.
The final fight between him and Ken Lo as John is probably one of the best choreographies in history, but thereโs plenty else to love in this film, like Anita Muiโs Ling throwing alcohol at Chan mid-fight to help him out.

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Police Story (1985)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

Police Story is the tale of a good cop taking on a drug lord playing the legal system, fighting even as he is framed for the murder of a corrupt colleague.
Itโs also a tale of Chanโs absolute dedication to the craft. He co-wrote, directed, and starred in this film, throwing himself at elaborate stunts that have him racing in wild car chases, dangling from a moving double-decker bus, and jumping from the top floor of a mall and crashing through glass ceilings to get to the bad guys.
These stunts are insane, with the pole scene giving Chan second-degree burns, a back injury, and pelvic dislocation. But the results are nothing short of iconic. Itโs so good that subsequent films drew heavy inspiration from it, like the Sylvester Stallone film Tango & Cash (1989) and Michael Bayโs Bad Boys II (1993), ranking fourth on Time Outโs list of best action films (where The Legend of the Drunken Master ranks 24th).
If youโre looking to do a whole marathon, Police Story was followed by a total of five sequels, released between 1988 and 2013. New Police Story, released in 2004, has an IMDb rating of 7.0.
Project A (1983)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
A classic Jackie Chan movie (but with pirates) this film tells the story of Chan as coast guard cadet Dragon Ma, who must stop a corrupt police department selling weapons to pirates. Chan co-directs and co-writes here, too, sharing the spotlight with Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao.
Thereโs a lot of action to love here, as Chan hangs and falls from a clock tower and evades pursuers while cycling through narrow alleyways. Thereโs also an elaborate bar fight, in which even more alcohol makes an appearance and some more glass is shattered โ just in case youโre in the mood for extra testosterone.
Drunken Master (1978)
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

The prequel to The Legend Of the Drunken Master, this film marks Chanโs first appearance as the well-loved and frequently adapted folk hero of Wong Fei-hung, a Chinese martial artist who was also a medicine practitioner and a revolutionary.
Chanโs portrayal of him in this first film is a bit more irreverent than others, though, with the protagonist being kind of a jerk at the start of the movie. This provides him the opportunity of a nice character arc under the training of Beggar So, who teaches him the ways of a secret style of martial arts in Drunken Boxing.
The final fight, in which Chan faces off with Thunderleg, is a must-watch for any action film fan.
Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (1978)
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
The oldest title on this list, Snake in the Eagleโs Shadow marks a special point in Jackie Chanโs career: It was the first time he was able to embrace his own kung fu style after the poor performances of his previous films, in which producers tried to make him into the next Bruce Lee. This was the film that allowed him to establish a solid footing with his own blend of action and comedy, which he further explored in Drunken Master, released that same year.
Plus, this was the debut film of director Yuen Woo-ping, who went on to do amazing work with The Matrix (1999) and Kill Bill (2003).
As for the film itself, the story is a little on the generic side. In Snake in the Eagleโs Shadow, Chan is an orphan raised at a kung fu school where is badly treated by students. One day, he shows kindness to an old beggar who turns out to be one of the last surviving masters of a style of kung fu known as Snake Boxing. Itโs not the most creative plot, but it does let Chan showcase his trademark precision in both action and comedic timing.
Armour of God II: Operation Condor (1991)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

If Indiana Jones and James Bond movies had a Hong Kong offspring, itโll be Operation Condor.
Directed and co-written by Chan, the film follows the story of Chan as Hong Kong treasure hunter Jackie, also known as “Asian Hawk.” Operation Condor was the most expensive Hong Kong film made at the time, and saw his character traipsing across continents in search of Nazi-stolen gold hidden in the Sahara.
Operation Condor was shot in Madrid, Morocco, and the Philippines a few decades since Chanโs breakthrough film, and he had shared that being recognized even in remote parts of Southern Morocco was a special experience. โWhen I was in Morocco โ middle of nowhere in the desert โ all the children look at me, just, uh, put the drunken master pose,โ he recalled. โI said, ‘Wow…'”
Thereโs plenty of ass-kicking to enjoy in this film, too, with one scene even letting Chan play Superman as he fights bad guys in a wind tunnel.
Dragons Forever (1988)
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
Dragons Forever is the last film that starred the trio of Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, and Sammo Hung before Chan went on to focus on his solo career. Itโs also a film where they all break away from their regular character stereotypes.
Chan, especially, departs from his everyman, happy-go-lucky vibe and plays the role of slick lawyer. So if youโre looking for a protagonist thatโs a little different from the usual Jackie Chan character, then this movie is for you.
Despite the change in characters, all three stars are able to show off their skills both in jaw-dropping martial arts and laugh-out-loud comedy as a lawyer, an arms dealer, and an inventor tasked by a shady chemical plant to try and find dirt on a fishery thatโs suing it in court. They eventually uncover the ugly truth about the plant, though, and lots of fighting ensues.
The Foreigner (2017)
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10

Jackie Chan is already in his 60s in The Foreigner, the youngest film on this list, but the years have given him a wholly new kind of gravitas and an intensity thatโs exciting to see on screen.
In the film, he plays a humble London businessman with a mysterious past. But then, this long-buried past comes crashing up to the surface when his daughter is killed in a senseless act of terrorism and he unleashes hell to get revenge.
The action in this film is not as much of a kung fu showcase as the others on this list, but itโs no less engrossing for it.
Overall, The Foreigner is a bit like Taken, except the daughter can no longer be saved. Plus, Chan โ wrinkles and all โ makes for an effective and darker protagonist you canโt help but root for.
Rush Hour (1998)
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Rush Hour is billed as a comedy where โthe fastest hands in the east meet the biggest mouth in the west,โ and the dynamic between Jackie Chan and costar Chris Tucker makes for a lot of fun. In it, Chan is paired with a loudmouthed LA detective looking to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a Chinese diplomat.
The film marked Chanโs first huge hit in America, though his Hong Kong films had been repackaged for American cinemas before its release. Compared to those films, he doesnโt get to show off as much of his martial arts expertise here (though thereโs still a lot of great action scenes, especially in the finale). However, the comedic chemistry between him and Tucker more than make up for it.
They went on to make two more Rush Hour films after this one, so itโs another movie series to turn to if youโre in the mood for a Jackie Chan movie marathon.
Rumble in the Bronx (1995)
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Leading the set of Hong Kong movies successfully released in the US before Rush Hour is Rumble in the Bronx.
Funnily enough, the entire thing was shot in and around Vancouver, but I guess Rumble In and Around Vancouver doesnโt have quite the same ring to it. But the โrumbleโ part of the title is very much accurate.
In this film, Chan is a Hong Kong cop who travels to New York City for an uncleโs wedding. While there, he gets roped into a fight between a street gang and the mob.
Though he is already 40 in this movie, Chan pulls out all the stops. At one point, he makes creative use of appliances and furniture in an elaborate fight at the gangโs hangout, and that chaotic energy makes for one of the most exciting and memorable action scenes ever.
Sure, the plot and the dialogue may not be the best. But youโre not watching for those. Rumble in the Bronx is a film in which Jackie Chan is being himself and having tons of dangerous funย โย and thatโs more than enough.