Jackie Chan: 10 Fight Scenes That Took Place In Iconic Locations

While movie legend Jackie Chan may be best known for his groundbreaking and dangerous stunts as well as the dynamic fight choreography that has made him a star in multiple countries, fans of the Hong Kong-born actor-turned-filmmaker also know him as a bit of a world traveler who has visited a number of historic and iconic locations in his films.

Of course, Jackie Chan doesn’t just visit places like a normal tourist, he goes there to perform amazing fight scenes across the world that have made him a global star and a favorite among martial arts and comedy fans alike. Today we’ll be exploring a few of the most memorable locations Jackie Chan has fought in on the big screen over the years.

10 L.A. Convention Center – Rush Hour (1998)

Jackie Chan teamed up with Chris Tucker for 1998’s buddy-copy actioner Rush Hour, which saw Hong Kong’s Inspector Lee team up with the LAPD’s Detective Carter to help solve the kidnapping of the Chinese consulate’s daughter.

While Chan and Tucker hilariously made their way through the streets of the city on the iconic Hollywood Tour and hit local spots like the Foo Chow Restaurant, the climax took place at a Chinese art exhibition that was held at the L.A. Convention Center, which featured a huge fight scene and stunt that helped launch the Rush Hour franchise.

9 Willemswerf Skyscraper – Who Am I? (1998)

1998’s Who Am I? introduced an amnesiac Jackie Chan as he recovered from a head injury with an African tribe who named him “Who Am I” after his confused response to their questions about his name. He then attempted to discover the truth about his identity as a special agent with the Hong Kong Special Forces who was investigating the kidnapping of several scientists.

When the trail led him to the kidnappers in the Willemswerf skyscraper in the Netherlands, Jackie Chan unforgettably ran down the exterior sloped design of the building to escape before a final showdown on the city of Rotterdam’s famous Erasmus Bridge.

8 The Forbidden City – Shanghai Noon (2000)

Jackie Chan starred as Chon Wang alongside Owen Wilson’s Roy O’Bannon in 2000’s Shanghai Noon, which saw Imperial China meet the Wild Wild West after a princess (Lucy Liu) was kidnapped from The Forbidden City.

While there aren’t a lot of fight scenes that occur at The Forbidden City in the movie beyond the training of the Imperial Guard, the sequel featured a murderous theft that gave a further look at the beautiful location.

7 The Desert Inn – Rush Hour 2 (2001)

2001 saw the release of Chan and Tucker’s Rush Hour 2, which brought the new friends to Inspector Lee’s home turf in Hong Kong before returning to the States as they tracked down a Triad leader involved with counterfeit money who was also revealed to have killed Lee’s father.

Lee and Carter ended up in Las Vegas at the Red Dragon Casino, which was actually the iconic Desert Inn on the Las Vegas strip that appeared in a number of movies prior to its demolition and replacement with the Wynn Hotel. However, it was painted and made almost unrecognizable to those not familiar with the landmark due to the hotel closing down prior to filming.

6 Buckingham Palace – Shanghai Knights (2003)

Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan reunited in 2003’s Shanghai Knights, which brought both characters out of their comfort zone as they traveled to London, England following the theft of the Imperial Seal of China from The Forbidden City.

The duo visited a number of iconic locations across the city including Madame Tussauds wax museum, though they were forced to face off against guards hiding behind the paintings in Buckingham Palace after crashing a gala held at the iconic royal manor in disguise as Major General “Sherlock Holmes” and the “Maharaja of Nevada.”

5 Big Ben – Shanghai Knights (2003)

As if fighting his way through Madame Tussauds and the Buckingham Palace wasn’t enough for Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson, the climax of 2003’s Shanghai Knights saw the final battle between Chon Wang and Lord Rathbone (Aidan Gillen) take place inside one of London’s most well-known landmarks, Big Ben.

Rathbone’s theft of the Imperial Seal and his attempted forced succession to the throne resulted in the death of Wang’s father and the kidnapping of his sister, which made their dynamic swordfight through the inner workings of the London Clock Tower.

4 Dublin Castle – The Medallion (2003)

2003’s The Medallion saw Jackie Chan as Hong Kong police officer Eddie Yang who was working with Interpol to stop the kidnapping of a young boy who was involved in a prophecy to merge two halves of an ancient and powerful medallion that was capable of many things, including the resurrection of Yang after he sacrificed himself to save the boy.

He was granted enhanced abilities when he returned, though the boy was captured and taken to Dublin, Ireland. The evil villain’s lair in the finale of The Medallion is the historic Dublin Castle, which was the former British seat of power in Ireland and has had a number of movie and TV appearances.

3 The Orient Express – Around The World In 80 Days (2004)

Disney released a loose adaptation of Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days in 2004, which followed a British scientist and his valet (Jackie Chan) as they attempted to win a bet by circumnavigating the globe, all while avoiding a corrupt (but loveable) police inspector and a group of highly-trained warriors searching for the stolen Jade Buddha statue.

They visited a number of noted locations like the Montmarte artists district of Paris and the dock warehouse containing pieces of the Statue of Liberty, but it’s the fight scene on the world’s most famous train that really stood out.

2 Eiffel Tower – Rush Hour 3 (2007)

The hit Rush Hour franchise starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker came to an end in 2007 with Rush Hour 3, which reunited estranged friends Lee and Carter after the Chinese consulate was assassinated by Lee’s brother in a continuing struggle with the Chinese Triad.

After the deceased Chinese consulate’s adult daughter was kidnapped again by Lee’s brother and a corrupt French ambassador and taken to the Eiffel Tower. The climax of the film takes place on different levels of the famous tower, both inside and out, as a series of dangerous stunts and battles ensued.

1 Lambeth Bridge – The Foreigner (2017)

Jackie Chan starred alongside Pierce Brosnan in 2017’s The Foreigner, which followed a series of bombings from a splinter IRA group that took the life of the daughter of restaurant owner and former special forces operative Ngoc Minh Quan, who takes it upon himself to bring vengeance to those responsible by any means necessary.

He targeted Irish politician and former IRA leader Liam Hennessy (Brosnan) to find out the names of those involved as bombings continued. Fight scenes happened in a number of historical places across Ireland, including a scene involving an explosion on a bus on Lambeth Bridge that resulted in a number of calls to police from concerned citizens.

About The Author

Scoot Allan
(193 Articles Published)

Entertainment reporter, writer, and all-around geek, Scoot Allan has written for print and online media sources like Geek Magazine, GeekExchange, GrizzlyBomb, WhatCulture, RoguePlanet.tv and the Urban 30 before joining CBR, ScreenRant, GameRant and The Gamer as a staff writer. He enjoys salad but prefers french fries.

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