Ride On gives Jackie Chan one of his best roles of recent memory as an aging stuntman and his horse trying to find meaning in a world of CGI-created action scenes. New to Blu-ray from Well Go USA.
The Film
There’s a moment within Ride On that will tell you if you will be fully invested in the film. Chan’s old school stuntman Lao Luo flashes back to the moment that he essentially rescued Red Hare – the stunt horse he shares the screen with. It’s filled with sentimentality and heartache and a type of feel-good wholesomeness that Chan has always had in his films. Though here with the aid of Writer/Director Larry Yang, Chan and Co-create a valentine to not just Chan’s own career but all the stunt performers, human and animal alike.
The story is simple; Master Lou (Chan) is a washed-up stunt performer, in debit, legally in trouble, and estranged from his daughter (Liu Haocun). Master Lou and his stunt horse Red Hare, spend their days eking by. It is only when his daughter and others try to intercede in helping the stubborn and proud man do we see him begin to drag himself out of the self-imposed exile he has been in. Though the help isn’t enough for Master Lou, he must find it in himself to move away from the stubbornness of “the old ways” and ego and learn to “step down” and not “jump down” any longer.
Any Jackie Chan film is as much a film by Jackie Chan as it is by the directors, writers, and cast and crew. Here it feels like Chan has been inspired by a look back at his career, to give us a look at the work that goes into making action films. Though an action film and a comedy of sorts, this is more of a family drama whose heart is as big as they come.
Yes, there is a sentimentality to it all, but it works. Those who have followed Chan’s career will be well versed in this fascinating and adroit Roman à clef. The result is one of the best films of Chan’s career and a heartfelt ode to the type of films that Chan has made for more than fifty years.
The Transfer
Well Go USA continues to provide fans of their genre output with some of the best transfers currently on the market. The care they’ve taken in the transfer for Ride On befits the way Well Go USA and their understanding of the importance of any Jackie Chan entry but one as special as this one. The transfer is at the very edge of what is possible with the Blu-Ray format. The razor-sharp image has zero defects or issues. Even during the most chaotic scenes, there’s plenty of the horse rampaging through various film sets the Blu-Ray handles those would-be issues with ease. Color reproduction, contrast, and black levels are flawless. In short, this is one of the best transfers from Well Go USA.
The Extras
They include the following;
Behind the Scenes
Oh My Horse
Trailer
Behind the Scenes (8:49) – a nice look at the making of and look into the story of Ride On. Some excellent b-roll footage of making of the film along with interviews with writer/director Larry Yang and Star Jackie Change. In Mandarin with English Subtitles.
Oh My Horse (2:55) – a brief featurette looking at the Horse(s) that helped make Ride On and their relationship with Jackie Chan. In Mandarin with English Subtitles.
Trailer (1:27)
The Final Thought
Ride On is worthy of purchase for any Jackie Chan fan. Highest Recommendations!
Ride On gives Jackie Chan one of his best roles of recent memory as an aging stuntman and his horse trying to find meaning in a world of CGI-created action scenes. New to Blu-ray from Well Go USA.
The Film
There’s a moment within Ride On that will tell you if you will be fully invested in the film. Chan’s old school stuntman Lao Luo flashes back to the moment that he essentially rescued Red Hare – the stunt horse he shares the screen with. It’s filled with sentimentality and heartache and a type of feel-good wholesomeness that Chan has always had in his films. Though here with the aid of Writer/Director Larry Yang, Chan and Co-create a valentine to not just Chan’s own career but all the stunt performers, human and animal alike.
The story is simple; Master Lou (Chan) is a washed-up stunt performer, in debit, legally in trouble, and estranged from his daughter (Liu Haocun). Master Lou and his stunt horse Red Hare, spend their days eking by. It is only when his daughter and others try to intercede in helping the stubborn and proud man do we see him begin to drag himself out of the self-imposed exile he has been in. Though the help isn’t enough for Master Lou, he must find it in himself to move away from the stubbornness of “the old ways” and ego and learn to “step down” and not “jump down” any longer.
Any Jackie Chan film is as much a film by Jackie Chan as it is by the directors, writers, and cast and crew. Here it feels like Chan has been inspired by a look back at his career, to give us a look at the work that goes into making action films. Though an action film and a comedy of sorts, this is more of a family drama whose heart is as big as they come.
Yes, there is a sentimentality to it all, but it works. Those who have followed Chan’s career will be well versed in this fascinating and adroit Roman à clef. The result is one of the best films of Chan’s career and a heartfelt ode to the type of films that Chan has made for more than fifty years.
The Transfer
Well Go USA continues to provide fans of their genre output with some of the best transfers currently on the market. The care they’ve taken in the transfer for Ride On befits the way Well Go USA and their understanding of the importance of any Jackie Chan entry but one as special as this one. The transfer is at the very edge of what is possible with the Blu-Ray format. The razor-sharp image has zero defects or issues. Even during the most chaotic scenes, there’s plenty of the horse rampaging through various film sets the Blu-Ray handles those would-be issues with ease. Color reproduction, contrast, and black levels are flawless. In short, this is one of the best transfers from Well Go USA.
The Extras
They include the following;
Behind the Scenes (8:49) – a nice look at the making of and look into the story of Ride On. Some excellent b-roll footage of making of the film along with interviews with writer/director Larry Yang and Star Jackie Change. In Mandarin with English Subtitles.
Oh My Horse (2:55) – a brief featurette looking at the Horse(s) that helped make Ride On and their relationship with Jackie Chan. In Mandarin with English Subtitles.
Trailer (1:27)
The Final Thought
Ride On is worthy of purchase for any Jackie Chan fan. Highest Recommendations!
Well Go USA’s Blu-Ray edition of Ride On is available October 24th
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