So much average

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The action sequences in this film are utterly superb, among the best in Hong Kong's long history of fine action films. Yet it's a difficult film to recommend.There are a number of real problems with the film. First and foremost is Wong Jing's decision to use the film to strike out at Jackie Chan. While I can understand that Wong and Chan did not work well together on City Hunter, and a case can certainly be made that Chan is overly fond himself and does, indeed, occasionally use stunt doubles (contrary to hype), nothing suggests that Chan is a coward and a raving lush. To suggest this isn't mere satire, it's direct character assassination. This is an incredibly bad strategic decision. All fans of Chan, all who only respect him, and perhaps even many who have only heard his name, will find this attack unnecessary in the extreme and profoundly upsetting.And there is more in the film to upset the average viewer. The film is not only excessively violent (I rather like excessive violence), but depressingly so. Innocent women and children splat like flies against a window. Various efforts at heroism and decency go unrewarded or even punished. The whole atmosphere of the film is gaudy, dark, choppy, nasty.Wong Jing has made many films, and some of them are even quite fun. But this isn't really one of them. Wong's history shows that he also doesn't take his profession very seriously, and many of his films suffer for it, getting terribly sloppy at times - and Melt Down is no exception. Which is unfortunate - when you have a stunt crew like this, action choreography as good as this, not to mention Jet Li at the top of his form, so much could have been done, yet it is here left unaccomplished.Oh, well. Occasionally fun, occasionally disturbing; one last good thing to say of the film is that the end is surprisingly strong and satisfying. If only the same could be said of rest of the film.

I can't say it better myself. This movie rocks, HARD! It's filled with non-stop comedy and action sequences and is never boring. Jet Li is a police officer who is asked to fill in for a stunt-man, who is a Jackie Chan-persona, one fine day. The next couple of days, the cop's supposed to be a bodyguard for the spoiled star who's to meet with his managers a couple of business partners in a huge rich, business building with a lot of people.All of a sudden, the party is crashed by some jewel thieves who have been wanted for various terrorist acts in Hong Kong, including one where a bus armed w/ explosives & had a ton of hostages on it was blown to pieces. Included was Li's wife and child so the film is part- revenge flick as well. The movie starts out explosive, has funny in-between moments and has the last couple of minutes be all about kung fu, more explosions, gun-fights, people using random objects as weapons, more gun-fights, snakes (!) and a helicopter crash along with another random fight. It never gets old!

Jet Li is Kit Li, a man who after his wife is killed by a terrorist with the moniker of 'The Doctor', finds himself working for Frankie Lone, the drunk action star who doesn't do his own stunts (Jacky Cheung lampooning Jackie Chan). When they find themselves at the mercy of the Doctor and his goons once again, this time after priceless diamonds, it's up to everyone to do their part to foil the terrorists evil plans. Like a Chinese Die Hard, this film lacks the spirit that made the Bruce Willis action extravaganza such a classic. The humor falls flat, and granted some of the action stunts and martial arts work, there's not enough of the latter, and only a few nice set pieces of the former (the helicopter scene is the only one that sticks out in my mind). The version I watched is missing some footage, I hear, but I doubt it would have made the film better really. As it is you get a simply passable film, with a hopelessly derivative storyline.My Grade: C- DVD Extras: Talent files; Photo gallery with Jet Li trivia; Theatrical trailer; and Trailers for "Once Upon a Time in China" 1-3, "Red Dragon", "Gorgeous", & "the Prisoner"

ok, let's see...What if this movie was made this cliché and this badly dubbed on purpose? Then it would be a brilliant parody/tribute to Bruce Lee, As much of the Frankie Lone character obviously is borowed from him. No, not the coward part, but a lot of the poses he does. There is also the yellow clothing which MUST refer to Game of death... I'd more or less leave out Jet Li's Character in this analysis since I considder it to be more of a sidekick but yet extremly important to the story. In this case I'd give this movie a 8/10But what if this movie wasn't made like this on purpose?Then it would become something completly different. It would become a badly made ordinary action movie. The story is nothing new and have been made a 1000 times before. Ok, it would still have some humor in it but it would be almost a a turkey... In this case I'd give it 4/10Movie-Man