Action icon Jackie Chan says Hollywood stunt work today doesn’t feel as real as it used be in his heyday as it depends heavily on computer-generated imagery (CGI).
Chan, known for doing stunts on his own, said the current situation is like a “double-edged sword” where actors get the opportunity to perform impossible stunts with the help of technology but the audience knows there’s little risk involved. “In the old days, the only (choice we had) was to be there and jump; that’s it. Today, with computers, actors can do anything, but there’s always a sense of reality that you feel is missing.
“It’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, actors become more and more capable of doing impossible stunts with the help of technology, and yet, on the other hand, the concept of danger and limit gets blurred and the audience is numb (to it). But I’m not encouraging anybody to risk their lives to do the stunts like I did; it truly is too dangerous,” the 71-year-old star told Haute Living magazine.
Chan, whose credits include action movies such as “Drunken Master”, “Police Story” and “Rush Hour”, said he will continue to perform stunts on his own as it’s a part of his identity.
“Of course, I always do my own stunts. It’s who I am. That’s not changing until the day I retire, which is never! And to be honest, when you’ve done it for 64 years straight, there’s no physical preparation anymore. Everything is in your heart and soul; it is muscle memory,” he added.
The veteran actor will next be seen in “Karate Kid: Legends” alongside Ralph Macchio and Ben Wang. The film, which is slated to release on May 30, will see Chan reprise his role from the 2010’s “The Karate Kid” remake. (PTI)
