Chinese Reviews Reviews

Film Review: Bleeding Steel

Photo by Ajale / License

The 2017 Chinese/Australian film, “” is a sci-fi action film starring the legendary actor . Chan plays the lead character Lin Dong, a special agent from Hong Kong who right at the beginning of the film must decide between seeing his dying daughter and protecting a critical witness.

Fast forward 13 years and Lin Dong must investigate the sources of an author who publishes a book called “Bleeding Steel,” which has a storyline that bears a resemblance to the real events in Hong Kong. Lin Dong later discovers his daughter has had a biochemical device fitted, a device invented by the witness he tried to protect. He then must connect the dots between his daughter, his enemies and the “Bleeding Steel.”

The film, which is set in Australia and China, saw its star, Jackie Chan, filming a fight scene on top of the Sydney Opera House. As expected, there is plenty of action that sees Chan in chases along the streets and rooftops of Australian cities. A chunk of the film takes place in the Australian capital, which is a cultural and sporting hot spot, playing host to several regular sporting events like the disputed Golden Slipper Stakes, National Rugby League games and the Sydney International Rowing Regatta. The city has also featured in a plethora of other films, including “Two Hands,” “Little Fish” and “Garage Days.”

“Bleeding Steel” saw Jackie Chan filming a fight scene on top of the Sydney Opera House.

Photo by pattyjansen, License

Jackie Chan Doing What He Does Best

Often, people say that even mediocre films are good by Jackie Chan, and this seems to be the case with “Bleeding Steel.” It packs with all the hand-to-hand combat fighting, slapstick comedy and special effects that many come to expect in any Jackie Chan film. You can see his unique ability to make a fight scene funny throughout the film, with two separate crotch-kicking gags to appeal to a younger viewer. Also, per the usual, some of the fighting stretches the bounds of believability, but so do most action films.

Overall, the film does not set any records and doesn't break any ground. Its story is cheesy, to say the least, and a lot of the plot is deliberately tongue-in-cheek. It keeps the viewer in the dark for a significant portion of the film before revealing key elements of the plot, which for some, may be off-putting. In parts, there are crude English language translations from its native Mandarin, which can cause a few laughs and raised eyebrows. It may not be one of Chan's greatest films, but it is something fans of his work will enjoy.

About the author

Panos Kotzathanasis

My name is Panos Kotzathanasis and I am Greek. Being a fan of Asian cinema and especially of Chinese kung fu and Japanese samurai movies since I was a little kid, I cultivated that love during my adolescence, to extend to the whole of SE Asia.

Starting from my own blog in Greek, I then moved on to write for some of the major publications in Greece, and in a number of websites dealing with (Asian) cinema, such as Taste of Cinema, Hancinema, EasternKicks, Chinese Policy Institute, and of course, Asian Movie Pulse. in which I still continue to contribute.

In the beginning of 2017, I launched my own website, Asian Film Vault, which I merged in 2018 with Asian Movie Pulse, creating the most complete website about the Asian movie industry, as it deals with almost every country from East and South Asia, and definitely all genres.

You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

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