Winners and Sinners is the first of three films in which Jackie Chan 'co-starred' alongside Samo Hung and five Hong Kong comedians called the Lucky Stars. Actually,'co-starred' is not really the word,because Chan's role in these films was little more than a glorified cameo,especially in this one. Chan puts in small appearances in quite a few films,and distributors often give the impression that his role is larger in a film than it actually is.
Still,Winners and Sinners is quite a fun film,actually one of the first Hong Kong films set in the present day that would combine comedy and action. Chan would in time perfect the formula in later films,and Winners and Sinners has rather more comedy than action,which may disappoint action fans. As is often the case,much of the humour,mainly revolving around the antics of the five 'Lucky Stars', does not really work for western audiences,the silly slapstick usually works {well,slapstick always travels well,something Chan had already learnt} but some of it is humour that will only be understood and found funny by a Hong Kong audience. Still,there are some laughs,such as a scene when Richard Ng {easily the funniest of the Lucky Stars} thinks he has become invisable and the rest of the group decide to play along with him,and two very funny comedy fight sequences in which the Lucky Stars try and conceal the fact they can't fight by using silly moves and techniques.
Even if there isn't a great deal of action,what there is is still good. Chan's two scraps are two brief,but his chase scene,which has him rollerskate down a busy road and UNDER a moving lorry,climaxing with a car pile-up involving about thirty cars,is terrific,while Samo Hung has some great fight action in the climax. It's a fun,breezy romp which entertains as long as you don't expect too much. And even if you don't find it funny,you can laugh at gaffs such as the fake grass which has creases in it!
Still,Winners and Sinners is quite a fun film,actually one of the first Hong Kong films set in the present day that would combine comedy and action. Chan would in time perfect the formula in later films,and Winners and Sinners has rather more comedy than action,which may disappoint action fans. As is often the case,much of the humour,mainly revolving around the antics of the five 'Lucky Stars', does not really work for western audiences,the silly slapstick usually works {well,slapstick always travels well,something Chan had already learnt} but some of it is humour that will only be understood and found funny by a Hong Kong audience. Still,there are some laughs,such as a scene when Richard Ng {easily the funniest of the Lucky Stars} thinks he has become invisable and the rest of the group decide to play along with him,and two very funny comedy fight sequences in which the Lucky Stars try and conceal the fact they can't fight by using silly moves and techniques.
Even if there isn't a great deal of action,what there is is still good. Chan's two scraps are two brief,but his chase scene,which has him rollerskate down a busy road and UNDER a moving lorry,climaxing with a car pile-up involving about thirty cars,is terrific,while Samo Hung has some great fight action in the climax. It's a fun,breezy romp which entertains as long as you don't expect too much. And even if you don't find it funny,you can laugh at gaffs such as the fake grass which has creases in it!