What is the best Jackie Chan acting performance in a film he directed?

When Jackie Chan steps behind the camera, the results are some of the most thrilling, personal, and physically extraordinary films ever made. His self-directed roles aren't just performances — they're love letters to cinema. Which is the greatest Jackie Chan performance in a film he directed?

Chan Ka-Kui (Police Story)

Jackie's career-defining role as a Hong Kong detective with jaw-dropping practical stunt work in Police Story (1985).

1/12

Chan Ka-Kui (Police Story 2)

A tense sequel deepening the character while escalating the action sequences in Police Story 2 (1988).

2/12

Asian Hawk (Armour of God)

A globe-trotting adventurer retrieving sacred relics featuring near-fatal stunts Chan performed himself in Armour of God (1986).

3/12

Asian Hawk (Operation Condor)

A Sahara Desert adventure with some of Chan's most physically demanding stunt sequences in Armour of God II: Operation Condor (1991).

4/12

Ma Yung-Kwan (Project A)

A period coast guard officer fighting pirates, featuring the legendary clock tower fall in Project A (1983).

5/12

Ma Yung-Kwan (Project A Part II)

A politically richer sequel with complex allegiances and signature Chan stunt choreography in Project A Part II (1987).

6/12

Dragon (The Young Master)

Chan's directorial debut featuring dazzling martial arts in a story of rival martial arts schools in The Young Master (1980).

7/12

Kuo Cheng-wah (Miracles)

A stylized 1930s gangster role showcasing Chan's rarely seen dramatic range in Miracles (1989).

8/12

Wong Fei-hung (Drunken Master II)

Chan's legendary portrayal of the folk hero using drunken boxing style to spectacular effect in Drunken Master II (1994).

9/12

Eddie Chan (Crime Story)

A rare serious dramatic performance as a real-life detective investigating a brutal kidnapping case in Crime Story (1993).

10/12

Jackie (Who Am I?)

An amnesiac special ops soldier trying to piece together his identity while evading multiple enemies in Who Am I? (1998).

11/12

JC (Chinese Zodiac)

Chan's self-directed swan song as a stunt actor in a globe-spanning adventure in Chinese Zodiac (2012).

12/12