Battle Creek Brawl (The Big Brawl) Review / Rant
5Movie review / rant on the first attempt by Jackie Chan to break into Hollywood The Battle Creek Brawl (The Big Brawl) from 1980.
The Big Brawl, (Chinese: 殺手壕) also known as Battle Creek Brawl, is a 1980 martial arts film which marked Jackie Chan's first attempt to break into the American movie market. It was directed by Robert Clouse and featured much of the crew from Enter the Dragon.
The film is set primarily in Chicago, Illinois in the 1930s (although it was shot in Texas) and follows Chan's character, a Chinese American martial artist, as he single-handedly takes on the Mafia.
The Big Brawl was a flop and led to Chan being advised to try supporting roles such as the Japanese racing car driver in The Cannonball Run. Chan later made another attempt to break into the American market with 1985's The Protector, which suffered the same fate as this film. It was not until 1995 with Rumble in the Bronx that a Chan film showcasing his signature humor mixed and stunt-work was a hit in American theaters.
The film featured an appearance from Lenny Montana, who had famously played Luca Brasi in The Godfather.