Police Story 2 (1988)

police-story-2-1988-movie-poster
5.0 Overall Score
Story: 5/10
Acting: 6/10
Visuals: 6/10

A real sequel to Police Story

Feels redundant and some of the comedy gets old fast

Movie Info

Movie Name:  Police Story 2

Studio:  Golden Harvest

Genre(s):  Martial Arts/Action/Adventure/Comedy

Release Date(s):  August 13, 1988

MPAA Rating:  PG-13

police-story-2-1988-movie-review-jackie-chan-were-still-enemies

Jackie Chan’s coming for you!

After the disastrous arrest of Chu Tao (Chor Yeun), Chan Ka-kui (Jackie Chan) finds himself brought back down to a regular street officer.  When Chan Ka-kui learns that Chu Tao has been released from prison on a technicality, Chan Ka-kui quits the force when he realizes his job is endangering his girlfriend May (Maggie Cheung).  Unfortunately, a terrorist is attacking the city and Chan Ka-kui’s skills might be the only way that he can be stopped before another building is blown up!

Written and directed by Jackie Chan, Police Story 2 (警察故事續集 or Jǐngchá Gùshì Xùjí) is the follow-up martial arts action thriller to Police Story from 1985.  Like Police Story, the film did not receive a proper U.S. release until after Jackie Chan rose in popularity and a better copy of the film was released in 1999.

police-story-2-1988-movie-review-jackie-chan-lawyer-broken-glasses

Jackie Chan isn’t afraid to hit a man in glasses…multiple times

Police Story and Police Story 2 are closer to being one film than any films in the original series.  Police Story 2’s plot stems directly from the events of Police Story and feels even more like a continuation of the story than a sequel.  Like the first film, it does have some of the same good…and bad.

The story for both of the first two movies are all over the place.  There is a lot of comedy (with Jackie getting blamed for things like farts) but also a lot of action with long martial arts fights.  The story feels like it takes a left turn when it becomes a story about the arsonist and I think it should have stuck with the story of Jackie trying to hunt down Chu Tao and his lawyer.

police-story-2-1988-movie-review-girl-interrogators

Though they are rather randomly inserted into the story, I do like these interrogation girls

The movie’s supporting cast really pales in comparison to Jackie Chan.  Jackie keeps the movie light and fun and his brand of action and comedy at least keeps the story moving.  With the return of much of the cast of Police Story, there is a little bit of character development for the other actors including Maggie Cheung, but Jackie still is the star here.

The movie doesn’t have as many fun stunts as the original film.  The movie is loaded with explosions, but if I’m seeing a Jackie Chan movie, I want to see some incredible (and dangerous) stunts that you can’t believe he pulls off.  He does do some great stunts, but it isn’t as powerful.

Police Story 2 is a so-so follow-up to a slightly better than average action film.  The movie feels a bit like a continuation, but it also feels a bit redundant.  Police Story 2 might be the weakest of the first four original films but it is also followed by what was probably the best of the original four.  Police Story 2 was followed by Police Story 3:  Super Cop in 1992 (which was called simply Supercop in the U.S.).

[easyazon-block align=”center” asin=”B00AWHDFIA” locale=”us”]

Related Links:

Police Story (1985)

Police Story 3:  Super Cop (1992)

Police Story 4:  First Strike (1996)

Author: JPRoscoe View all posts by
Follow me on Twitter/Instagram/Letterboxd @JPRoscoe76! Loves all things pop-culture especially if it has a bit of a counter-culture twist. Plays video games (basically from the start when a neighbor brought home an Atari 2600), comic loving (for almost 30 years), and a true critic of movies. Enjoys the art house but also isn't afraid to let in one or two popular movies at the same time.

Leave A Response