I always feel excited whenever this particular friend of mine recommend a movie for me cos I know for sure that it will be interesting, after so many busy times at work.
And finally got the chance to watch Ride On and honestly it was not what I first expected. When I hear Jackie Chan has a new movie, I was thinking of his usual style full of stunts, comedy fights, and crazy action. The movie actually has all that, but it also carry a lot of emotions that surprise me.
The story is about Lao Luo, a stuntman played by Jackie Chan, who is no longer young and struggling to survive. He has a horse that he treat almost like his child, and that horse become part of his daily life. At the same time he is also trying to reconnect with his real daughter who has been away from him for long time. The movie balance between action and family drama, and for me that’s what make it special.
One of the most important scene for me was when Lao Luo and his horse perform a stunt on the street, fighting off some men who try to take the horse away. That scene was funny and action packed, but also show how much he love and protect the horse. It felt like classic Jackie Chan because he use everything around him to fight ropes, poles, even the horse itself. I was laughing and amazed at the same time.
Another very touching scene was the moment between him and his daughter in the hospital. After years of anger and distance, she finally see how much he sacrifice for her, even if he never say it directly. That scene almost made me tear up because Jackie Chan show both the strong side of a father and the weak side of an aging man who just want forgiveness.
Of course the movie is not perfect. Some parts were a bit slow, and you can clearly feel it is more about emotions than big blockbuster action. But honestly I didn’t mind, because it show Jackie Chan in a more human way. It remind me that even heroes get old, but love and courage don’t fade.
Watching Ride On felt like watching Jackie Chan say thank you to his fans, mixing the laughter, the stunts, and also the lessons about family. For me it was worth it and I will remember those two scenes for long time.