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?

1

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).

2

Chan Ka-Kui (Police Story 2)

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

3

Asian Hawk (Armour of God)

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

4

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).

5

Ma Yung-Kwan (Project A)

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

6

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).

7

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).

8

Kuo Cheng-wah (Miracles)

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

9

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).

10

Eddie Chan (Crime Story)

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

11

Jackie (Who Am I?)

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

12

JC (Chinese Zodiac)

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