The Big Brawl (1980)

Directed by

Robert Clouse

Genre

martial arts film, action comedy film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 35m

Rated

R

Rating

5.9 of 10 from 201 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A Chinese American martial artist in 1930s Chicago gets into a conflict with the Mafia. He fights his way through a no holds barred street fighting tournament.

lightheartedenergeticplayfulretrofast-pacedunderdogroughsimple

What happens

The Big Brawl (Chinese: 殺手壕; lit. 'Killer's Trench', also released as Battle Creek Brawl) is a 1980 martial arts action comedy film which marked Jackie Chan's first attempt to break into the American movie Hollywood market. A joint Hong Kong and American co-production, it was directed by American filmmaker Robert Clouse and featured much of the crew from Enter the Dragon (1973), which was also produced by Golden Harvest Studios. The film also co-stars Mako, Kristine DeBell, and José Ferrer. The film is set primarily in Chicago, Illinois in the 1930s (although it was shot in Texas) and follows Chan's character, a Chinese American martial artist, as he single-handedly takes on the Mafia, leading to a no-holds-barred street fighting tournament that culminates in a battle royale survival brawl. While a moderate success in North America and Hong Kong, The Big Brawl was a box office disappointment as it performed below expectations in these markets, though it went on to have more success in other Asian and European markets. The film's disappointing performance in North America, however, led to Chan being advised to try supporting roles such as the Japanese racing car driver in The Cannonball Run. Chan later made another attempt to break into the American market with 1985's The Protector, which performed worse than this film. It was not until 1995 with Rumble in the Bronx that a Chan film showcasing his signature humor and stunt-work was a major hit in American theaters. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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