Chinese Zodiac: CZ12 (Formerly 'Armour of God 3') (2012)

[Grimmjow]

u liked Dragon Squad but thought Fatal Move sucked?

im sorry but Fatal Move is waaay better than Dragon Squad and Wushu...FM might not be the best, but its still a good movie

I did enjoy Dragon Squad yes, haven't watched it in a long time so if you think its that bad maybe I should give it another look. Fatal Move was disappointing to me as I had higher expectations for it given the talent involved, and for various reasons it seemed to take me a long time to see it so the anticipation grew and grew. All leading to more disappointment with the finished product.

[Grimmjow]

Fearless, War, Warlords, Forbidden Kingdom, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Founding of the Nation, The Expendables

King of Kung Fu Cinema? Not even Jack was that as he was an action guy, not a kung fu, fighting guy so to speak. When I see that sentence, the first names to pop in my head are Tony J and Donnie. They are doing the martial stuff. OB2, FP, SPL and DTG. I can remember the action as I type. They are doing "stuff". They are creating. That's the kind of stuff it was. Jet? Personally can't think of sequences or takes from those above. For me, nothing of note to remember, or be drawn in by occured.

I agree with you 100% that Donnie and Tony Jaa are making much better movies and pushing the limits with there fight scenes but as I said before who else has the name value and international recognition of Jet Li?

Fearless is a classic movie and has lots of great fight scenes, Warlords was a good piece of acting and Forbidden Kingdom had some nice fights, in saying that Donnies last 5 or 6 films have been better but my point is to look at a career as a whole and consider who is a house hold name, Jet is the king!

[BaronK]

King of Kung Fu Cinema is what you typed. Not household name. Jaa has been worldwide right after OB dropped. Worldwide. Moreso than Donnie. Strictly on an international level. He is the reason Thai action has exploded, even if he has nothing to do with any of the projects aside from his own.

It doesn't matter how many movies he's made, if that is strictly what his output is. Martial action. That is not what Jet does. To be a King of KUNG FU Cinema, you have to be doing that. Jaa and Yen are and have the highest caliber stuff.

The wushu guys can do it, but it seems the choreographers don't want to do it right. Wu Jing just, ya know, he's a bit odd. It's not right with him. Look at Xing Yu and this guy Wei Yu Hai(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIMn6zNsMZE&feature=channel_page). They move so much better and crisper than Wu Jing. That's my thing with him. His movement bothers me most times. He was fine in Twins Mission though. Admittedly, he looks great here(2003) under Lu Feng's choreography(http://media.wu-jing.org/pafiledb/pafiledb.php?action=category&id=13). I mean great. Much better(imo) than he did/does under The Yuen Clan or Nicky Li. Lu Feng had him moving smooth and the chor is that peking opera heat. Not the wushu base.

[Guest Markgway]

Of the names mentioned Li and Yen are the only ones who have any ability as actors.

[Grimmjow]

King of Kung Fu Cinema is what you typed. Not household name. Jaa has been worldwide right after OB dropped. Worldwide. Moreso than Donnie. Strictly on an international level. He is the reason Thai action has exploded, even if he has nothing to do with any of the projects aside from his own.

It doesn't matter how many movies he's made, if that is strictly what his output is. Martial action. That is not what Jet does. To be a King of KUNG FU Cinema, you have to be doing that. Jaa and Yen are and have the highest caliber stuff.

The wushu guys can do it, but it seems the choreographers don't want to do it right. Wu Jing just, ya know, he's a bit odd. It's not right with him. Look at Xing Yu and this guy Wei Yu Hai(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIMn6zNsMZE&feature=channel_page). They move so much better and crisper than Wu Jing. That's my thing with him. His movement bothers me most times. He was fine in Twins Mission though. Admittedly, he looks great here(2003) under Lu Feng's choreography(http://media.wu-jing.org/pafiledb/pafiledb.php?action=category&id=13). I mean great. Much better(imo) than he did/does under The Yuen Clan or Nicky Li. Lu Feng had him moving smooth and the chor is that peking opera heat. Not the wushu base.

I disagree, just because Tony Jaa and Donnie Yen deliver more action in there recent movies dosn't mean they deserve to be king of kung fu cinema, Jet Li has influenced hundreds of people in to taking up martial arts is a hero to millions of Chinese kids who train at wushu academies to be like there idol and has influenced many hollywood heavyweights like Tarantino and the wachowskis. Sadly Donnie didn't set Hollywood on fire although he may yet get another crack at it and he has only in the last few years had success at the HK box office.

I say again Tony Jaa could be king if he starts cracking out more movies but making 1 every 2-3 years is not gonna make him a bonafide legend he could end up just a flash in the pan

I agree completely about Wu Jing he has so much potential but his movies let him down, he looked amazing in SPL under Donnies choreography but I don't think Nicky Li brings out the best in him as he didn't look as good in there movies together. His films have also been abit too melodramtic for my liking.

I don't want to keep going backwards and forwards with this, IN MY OPINION Jet Li is the king of kung fu cinema, but his crown is there for the taking now he's older and slowing down his martial arts on screen but I cannot see anyone else who yet can claim the title in terms of box office, respect, influence, name value, international recognition and back catalouge of movies Jet is the man!

[VenomsFan]

Listen. JCs Armour of God 3 is not going to set Jackie as the king. That has since passed for him.

As far as Yen. Jet's version of 3 Kingdoms was much superior to Yen's. In acting and fighting.

I don't know if Jaa making more movies in shorter time is too smart. Look at what that did for Jackie? I would rather have a great film every couple of years than 1 bad or so so film every year.

The scene in Ip Man where he's fighting the karate guys and they rip a scene (leg breaking) straight out of Tony Jaa's Tom Yum Goong. That showed me they are running out of ideas and only a matter of time before he, too is surpassed.

Also remember Jaa is doing stuff we haven't seen much in entertainers - live performances and demos across the world. He is also opening a while new culture of the Thai to the world. Jackie, Jet and Yen just road the coattails of Bruce's success and never really grew out of that, respectively.

Reminds me of how Bruce Lee did back in the day - tv interviews and all.

[lillippa328]

Listen. JCs Armour of God 3 is not going to set Jackie as the king. That has since passed for him.

As far as Yen. Jet's version of 3 Kingdoms was much superior to Yen's. In acting and fighting.

I don't know if Jaa making more movies in shorter time is too smart. Look at what that did for Jackie? I would rather have a great film every couple of years than 1 bad or so so film every year.

The scene in Ip Man where he's fighting the karate guys and they rip a scene (leg breaking) straight out of Tony Jaa's Tom Yum Goong. That showed me they are running out of ideas and only a matter of time before he, too is surpassed.

Also remember Jaa is doing stuff we haven't seen much in entertainers - live performances and demos across the world. He is also opening a while new culture of the Thai to the world. Jackie, Jet and Yen just road the coattails of Bruce's success and never really grew out of that, respectively.

Reminds me of how Bruce Lee did back in the day - tv interviews and all.

Jackie did Kung Fu comedy using a lot of animal styles

Jet did Wushu

Yen does Shaolin kung fu, Jujitsu and Tae Kwon Do

they didnt ride the coattails of Bruce just becuz theyre chinese...theyre all waaay different than Bruce

[Guest carsten172]

I´ve got some big news for you. Jackie Chan´s part in the "New Shaolin Temple" will only be a cameo. Because he will start working on "Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac" in January 2010.

It´s great that Jackie is finally working on Chinese Zodiac, but it would be great too to see him in a big kung role in Shaolin Temple.

[sifu iron perm]

Impossible to recapture the craft from the original Armour, but i would love to see a very strong homage to it..the gags, storyline and the old cast? Or something similar..

[AlbertV]

Jackie did Kung Fu comedy using a lot of animal styles

Jet did Wushu

Yen does Shaolin kung fu, Jujitsu and Tae Kwon Do

they didnt ride the coattails of Bruce just becuz theyre chinese...theyre all waaay different than Bruce

I agree and lillippa, Yen started out learning Tai Chi (from his mother Bow Sim Mark) and also studied wushu at the Beijing Wushu Institute right before he was discovered by Yuen Woo-Ping. So Yen knows a variety of martial arts, including MMA under his longtime friend John Salvitti, who was actually the MMA consultant on Flash Point as part of Yen's stunt team.

Each person has his or her unique style.

I got a feeling if Chinese Zodiac is indeed the 3rd AOG film, it may have something along the lines of Asian Hawk/Condor retired and coming out of retirement or possibly one last assignment before retirement.

[AlbertV]

CRIEnglish:

Jackie Chan announced his 100th movie project in Beijing on Wednesday – a collaboration with "Rumble in the Bronx" director Stanley Tong.

"Shi Er Sheng Xiao," literally "The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals", features many intense fighting scenes, almost from the beginning to the end, the super kungfu star said.

A major fight scene of the action movie cost 70 million yuan, or more than 10 million U.S. dollars, Chan revealed.

"I think I won't fight so fiercely as this in the future," said the 56-year-old.

The action movie tells about a Chinese hero bringing back the bronze head statues of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, which were sacked by the French and British armies from the imperial Summer Palace in Beijing in 1860.

"We wanted to make this film as early as six years ago," Chan said. "Last year, the news about the statues' auction struck us and we finally started on it."

Chan's most recent release was the Chinese-language gangster thriller "Shinjuku Incident," in which he plays a Chinese immigrant who becomes a hit man for the Japanese mafia.

His upcoming films are the Hollywood action comedy "The Spy Next Door," about an undercover Chinese spy whose cover is blown, and another Chinese production, "Big Soldier," reportedly about the friendship between two soldiers set in China's ancient Qin Dynasty.

The veteran action star has also been in talks to star as the Mr. Miyagi character in a remake of "The Karate Kid," the 1984 film about a mentor who teaches a youngster how to stand up to bullies.

He explained why he has been focusing on both Hollywood and Chinese films.

"I get a higher paycheck in Hollywood, but I can't get any roles in art house films, such as "Shinjuku Incident" and "Big Soldier." In China, I can choose whatever I like."

[blue_skies]

The first two ARMOUR OF GOD films was Jackie Chan’s response to the INDIANA JONES films. Both have been released in the U.S. on DVD under the title OPERATION CONDOR by Dimension Films but out of order, dubbed and edited. I highly recommend tracking down licensed import versions instead and if you only watch one, make sure it’s the first ARMOUR OF GOD (aka OPERATION CONDOR 2).

what does that mean? is the US dvd of each film labelled incorrectly?

[Asmo]

what does that mean? is the US dvd of each film labelled incorrectly?

Yes. They're reversed.

[Guest Yi-Long]

CRIEnglish:

Jackie Chan announced his 100th movie project in Beijing on Wednesday – a collaboration with "Rumble in the Bronx" director Stanley Tong.

"Shi Er Sheng Xiao," literally "The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals", features many intense fighting scenes, almost from the beginning to the end, the super kungfu star said.

A major fight scene of the action movie cost 70 million yuan, or more than 10 million U.S. dollars, Chan revealed.

"I think I won't fight so fiercely as this in the future," said the 56-year-old.

The action movie tells about a Chinese hero bringing back the bronze head statues of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, which were sacked by the French and British armies from the imperial Summer Palace in Beijing in 1860.

"We wanted to make this film as early as six years ago," Chan said. "Last year, the news about the statues' auction struck us and we finally started on it."

Chan's most recent release was the Chinese-language gangster thriller "Shinjuku Incident," in which he plays a Chinese immigrant who becomes a hit man for the Japanese mafia.

His upcoming films are the Hollywood action comedy "The Spy Next Door," about an undercover Chinese spy whose cover is blown, and another Chinese production, "Big Soldier," reportedly about the friendship between two soldiers set in China's ancient Qin Dynasty.

The veteran action star has also been in talks to star as the Mr. Miyagi character in a remake of "The Karate Kid," the 1984 film about a mentor who teaches a youngster how to stand up to bullies.

He explained why he has been focusing on both Hollywood and Chinese films.

"I get a higher paycheck in Hollywood, but I can't get any roles in art house films, such as "Shinjuku Incident" and "Big Soldier." In China, I can choose whatever I like."

Another Stanley Tong movie

There goes any hope that this might have been a decent movie.

[lillippa328]

what happend to Little Big Soldier? Did it ever get released?

[vbs85]

CRIEnglish:

Jackie Chan announced his 100th movie project in Beijing on Wednesday – a collaboration with "Rumble in the Bronx" director Stanley Tong.

"Shi Er Sheng Xiao," literally "The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals", features many intense fighting scenes, almost from the beginning to the end, the super kungfu star said.

A major fight scene of the action movie cost 70 million yuan, or more than 10 million U.S. dollars, Chan revealed.

"I think I won't fight so fiercely as this in the future," said the 56-year-old.

The action movie tells about a Chinese hero bringing back the bronze head statues of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, which were sacked by the French and British armies from the imperial Summer Palace in Beijing in 1860.

"We wanted to make this film as early as six years ago," Chan said. "Last year, the news about the statues' auction struck us and we finally started on it."

Chan's most recent release was the Chinese-language gangster thriller "Shinjuku Incident," in which he plays a Chinese immigrant who becomes a hit man for the Japanese mafia.

His upcoming films are the Hollywood action comedy "The Spy Next Door," about an undercover Chinese spy whose cover is blown, and another Chinese production, "Big Soldier," reportedly about the friendship between two soldiers set in China's ancient Qin Dynasty.

The veteran action star has also been in talks to star as the Mr. Miyagi character in a remake of "The Karate Kid," the 1984 film about a mentor who teaches a youngster how to stand up to bullies.

He explained why he has been focusing on both Hollywood and Chinese films.

"I get a higher paycheck in Hollywood, but I can't get any roles in art house films, such as "Shinjuku Incident" and "Big Soldier." In China, I can choose whatever I like."

Sounds good. Hopefully there will be a lots of decent fightscenes:smile:

[Asmo]

what happend to Little Big Soldier? Did it ever get released?

It's coming out during Lunar New Year, apparently.

[blue_skies]

Yes. They're reversed.

FUCK!!! I bought OC2 R1 thinking it was OC not AOG:mad:

[AlbertV]

Jackie recently said he plans to shoot the film in May and like the other AOG films, use the international locations, this time including France and the UK. He is searching for a French-Chinese actor who speaks Mandarin fluently for a role.

This was according to SINA, which posted the interview in Chinese but the upshot was translated on http://www.hkmdb.com/news

[One Armed Boxer]

Wow, over 2 years since this thread was posted....Chan sure is taking his sweet time getting this movie into production, if it ever actually gets off the ground. Hopefully this is a sign that is actually going ahead, the guys at twitchfilm posted this latest news -

Kwon Sang Woo To Star In Jackie Chan's CHINESE ZODIAC (OPERATION CONDOR III)

The third entry of Jackie Chan's Operation Condor series has become something of a holy grail among fans - a film that has been talked about for years, one that Chan has always maintained that he wanted to do, and one which has topped the wishlists of Chan fans for a long, long time now. And not only is the film finally happening but word is out that Chan has cast South Korean megastar Kwon Sang Woo in a key role.

Kwon rose quickly to international attention with early appearances in martial arts themed efforts such as Volcano High and Once Upon A Time In High School, but while his martial arts skills impressed his looks meant that Kwon was quickly established not as an action star but as Korea's go-to leading man for romantic comedies. And while his career has flourished in those roles, Kwon has clearly always wanted more.

Very little is currently known about Chinese Zodiac - as Operation Condor III is now known - beyond the fact that it is Chan's next film and will be shot largely in Paris but, speaking to Chinese press on the set of his current film - an international romantic comedy in which he co-stars with Cecilia Cheung - Kwon confirmed to press that he has been cast in the film and will be headed to Paris immediately after his current project wraps production.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Cool news indeed, OAB.

I sort of hope this one will be more in the vein of the 1st AOG action-wise than the 2nd. I love 'em both but I really enjoyed the choreography in the AOG more than AOG2. If Chan will tailor the fights to his abilities and skip on the wire-work I think it'll be better than his last few efforts.

[mpm74]

Why Stanley Tong FFS? He's a great action co-ordinator and lousy director. Jackie made all these films in the 80s and has since regressed in that he's apparently unable to direct a film by himself anymore. Would be cool to see some of the previous cast back (Alan Tam, Lola Forner, Carol Cheng...) but I doubt it'll happen.

[AndyWayne84]

Stanley is one of the better people to direct Jackie outside of Sammo Hung. I've been waiting for Jackie to make this flim since first hearing about it a while back, i have enjoyed Police Story 3 : SuperCop: , Rumble in the Bronx, Police Story 4 : First Strike: , and The Myth, i have a strong feeling Armour of God 3 will be worth the two year wait. I know Jackie isn't getting younger these day's with age catching up to him but i don't see him slowing down 100 percent after Armour of God 3 but who know's, i've enjoyed the first two Armour of Gods since i bought both of them uncut and subbed. The first one will always be my favorite regradless despite seeing the second one uncut which isn't bad, the first one to me is as good as the first Police Story interms of story and action.

[mpm74]

Supercop was good, but Rumble and First Strike was just missing something... those two were the start of "forgettable" Jackie Chan movies.

Don't get me started with China Strike Force. =D

I think the last great Jackie Chan movie was Who Am I?

[Guest Yi-Long]

Supercop was good, but Rumble and First Strike was just missing something... those two were the start of "forgettable" Jackie Chan movies.

Don't get me started with China Strike Force. =D

I think the last great Jackie Chan movie was Who Am I?

Who Am I sucks major monkeyballs...

It's 1 hour of awfulness, lame story, bad acting, nothing worthwhile... followed by a nice half hour in Holland. And a ridiculous OTT ending where we get some kinda of 'parade' by the dutch army...(!)

I think Stanley Tong is horrible. I don't care for him AT ALL, so I don't have any high hopes for this project...

... but I didn't care for Armour of God 2 either.