First Look At Jackie Chan In LITTLE BIG SOLDIER

I do believe this makes it official:  Jackie Chan views his western fans as little more than a perpetual cash cow to be milked of as much money as possible. Chan now has a well established pattern of simply signing with the highest bidder regardless of quality here in North America, a practice that brought The Spy Next Door to fruition. 

And I'd be tempted to say that he has simply lost any sense of taste that he may have had or has lost perspective on his own career but - if you look at his Chinese output from the same period as his US decline what you'll find is that, since New Police Story, Chan has clearly been choosing his projects with an eye to his future legacy, picking up age-appropriate roles with increasing dramatic depth.  In China he is trying to transform himself and age - at least on screen - gracefully.  In the US, not so much.

And he latest entry in Chan's Chinese canon is Little Big Soldier, a film he has shepherded along himself as producer with The Underdog Knight director Ding Sheng in the director's chair.

It was the darkest of times in China, when ruthless warlords waged battles to satiate their endless aggression.  Millions of lives perished, and those who survived had only two choices - kill or be killed.

The battalions of warring states Liang and Wei collided in a bloodbath that lasted from dawn until dusk.  Only two men were left standing - a FOOT SOLDIER from Liang (Jackie Chan) and the rival GENERAL from Wei (Wang Leehom). The Soldier survived because he is an expert in playing dead, with a device strapped on his body which protruded like an arrowhead for added realism.

The Soldier captured the wounded General, hoping to use the enemy as his ticket to freedom - by handing the Gerneral to the Liang warlord, the Soldier could be honorably discharged and return home to his peaceful life.  The young General, though taken captive, was condescending towards the Soldier.  The two men were often at loggerheads during the long and winding journey.

You see what I mean?  Good director, good story, a Jackie Chan movie that I'd actually really like to see - one that uses his history to its advantage while also moving him into new territory. 

Though no footage has been released yet we do have a series of eight images from the film in the gallery below.  Be aware, though, that these have been run through a sepia tone filter for publication in PR guides and do not likely represent the actual finished color scheme of the film.