Bullet Points: Vanguard (2020)
I don’t believe anyone can argue that Jackie Chan is a living legend in the movie industry. And the fact that Jackie Chan is still living after all the death defying stunts he has performed over the course of a career that is approaching six decades has more than earned Jackie Chan his legendary status.
And when you are a living legend like Jackie Chan you get top billing in movies like 2020’s Vanguard, even if you aren’t necessarily the star of the film…
- Happy New Year: The movie starts off with a lengthy pre-credits scene as Lei (Yang Yang) and Zhang (Lun Ai), two off-duty agents with the covert security company known as Vanguard, are pressed into action when an accountant and his wife are abducted. This opening scene sets the tone for the rest of the film and gives us a taste of the kind of action we can expect including Zhang in a kitchen fight, Lei and the rescued accountant crashing a Chinese New Year parade (LITERALLY) and some limousine stunt driving.
- Background: We find out that the accountant, Qin (Jackson Lou), was unwittingly in business with Maasym, the head of a ruthless group of mercenaries known as the Brotherhood of Vengeance. After Maasym was killed in a military operation, Maasym’s son, Omar (Eyad Hourani), assumed command of the Brotherhood and blamed Qin for providing information to the authorities that led to his father’s death. You would think that would make Qin as good as dead but Omar needs Qin alive, since Qin is the only one who knows where Maasym stashed his fortune. But with the abduction attempt on Qin failing… Qin fears that the Brotherhood will go after his daughter, who is currently in Africa. Sounds like another job for Vanguard…
- Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls: Jackie Chan plays Tang, the head of Vanguard. Given his character’s position of power, I assumed we wouldn’t get much Jackie Chan physicality in Vanguard, but I was proven wrong as Tang travels to Africa to get Qin’s daughter, Fareeda, before the Brotherhood does and he is quickly figured into the action… including facing off with some CGI lions and some white water river mayhem involving an amphibious jeep, a jet ski and a waterfall!
- Chabtastic: Leading the charge for the Brotherhood is Omar’s right hand man, Broto, played by Brahim Chab (Boyka: Undisputed). Broto and his guys hook up with a group of poachers who have a pre-existing beef with Fareeda and her viral videos calling them out for their animal cruelty. I would like to take a moment to commend Brahim Chab for being the modern day equivalent of a Bolo Yeung or Al Leong. Action movies need these character actors/stunt performers that can play the heavy and be a legit threat to the heroes. Brahim has a distinctive look and the right mix of arrogance and menace that makes him a perfect action movie villain.
- Off With Their Heads: The fallout from the safari adventure finds Lei and Fareeda taken prisoner by Broto. Omar uses his captives as pawns, threatening to behead them unless Qin shows up and tells him what he wants to know… this leads to Vanguard planning an assault on Omar’s fortress in the Middle East…. which I figured would be the movie’s final showdown, but my assumption was wrong once again and the globetrotting action spills over to Dubai for the movie’s legit action packed finale!
Vanguard felt like a live action cartoon. Ironically, there were moments where Vanguard felt more like a G.I. Joe movie than any of the actual G.I. Joe movies that have been released…. there was the over the top action, the camaraderie amongst the heroes, the advanced technology used by both sides and a colorful assortment of villains.
I have a colorful assortment of Bonus Bullet Points ready to wrap this review up…
- Three Word Spoiler: Gold Plated Cars
- Reunited: Vanguard marked the sixth time that Jackie Chan worked with Director Stanley Tong. Chan first worked with Tong back on 1992’s Supercop.
- Three Word Spoiler: Guy on Hoverboard
- Quality Scheduling: Vanguard was originally scheduled to be released on January 25, 2020 which was the first day of the Chinese New Year. Considering the Chinese New Year references found throughout Vanguard, I would say that was a solid game plan. Those plans fell through however, due to the Coronavirus… 2020, am I right?
