Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.0

Project A: Part II 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 12, 2024

Note: This film is available on 4K UHD disc as part of The Project A Collection 4K from 88 Films.

Another informative and mile a minute commentary by Frank Djeng included in this set mentions how Jackie Chan wasn't quite "Jackie Chan" yet when the Project A films came along, and in fact it was those very films which helped to finally cement Chan's very unique status in the martial arts universe. Chan's completely distinctive blend of outrageous stunts combined with breezy comedy (both physical and verbal) found a near perfect outlet in Project A, and the film's overwhelming success proved that Chan's sense about how he should be presented on screen was completely correct. If there is a bit of that oft mentioned sophomore slump at play with the follow up film, the two offerings together are great examples of how Chan managed to connect with his relatively early audiences, establishing a template of sorts that would carry him through countless other productions. As of the writing of this review, only the first film has had a previous release on Blu-ray in Region A, but 88 Films is bringing out two sets simultaneously, this standalone 4K set, and another 1080 release which does not include some significant non disc swag that is included in this particular release, which may make this version the default choice for some who might not even have 4K setups.

By the time Jackie Chan got around to making this sequel to Project A, his figurative star had risen considerably, partly due in fact to the reaction the first Project A had engendered. It's therefore not surprising that this film attempts to pretty much duplicate what made the first film such a success, though kind of interestingly it does so without contributions from Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao (aside from some quasi "previously. . .on Project A" highlights at the opening), which might arguably deprive the film of some comedy. Project A Part 2 attempts to slightly shift things for Dragon Ma (Jackie Chan), adding a bit of a "fish out of water" context for the character, as Ma has to matriculate into a new location where it may be difficult to differentiate between the cops and the bad guys, at least based on less than honorable activities in the constabulary.

The film, while obviously completely oriented around Chan and his abilities, is in essence a rather sprawling ensemble piece that also has not one but two featured females in the form of Yesan (Maggie Cheung) and Carina (Carina Lau), with Yesan as the intended romantic interest and Carina helping to flesh out the film's supposed "political" subtext, carried over from the first outing. This film is probably even more vignette driven than the first Project A, with Ma having to contend not just with the local crime lord Tiger Ow (Chan Wai-Man), a bunch of cops on the take, and various other "official duties" like providing security for a high ranking official who's about to celebrate a birthday.

There's a slightly more slapdash quality to this second outing, though the film still provides some incredible opportunities for Chan's pretty amazingly athletic stunts. As with the first film, there's physical comedy in abundance, to the point that some of the bits may ultimately come across as shtick.

Project A: Part II 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc in this package, which I frankly think gives a more accurate representation of the palette in particular, rather than screenshots sourced from the 4K UHD disc which by necessity would be downscaled to 1080 and SDR.

Project A Part II is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of 88 Films with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.39:1. Perhaps in a subliminal "echo" of this second film's kind of "sophomore slump" ambience, the presentation in both 1080 and perhaps especially 4K UHD of this second outing as at least a minor downward step when compared to the first film. While this is another really pleasing looking transfer by and large, some of the color timing on this presentation struck me as being skewed a bit toward yellow tones on occasion, though kind of interestingly Dolby Vision / HDR tended to add a somewhat more brownish tone at times . There are also a few passing moments that look uncharacteristically rough when stacked up against the bulk of this transfer's generally consistent clarity and grain resolution, with one very noticeable example being at slightly past the 22:30 mark, where the image degrades to the point that it looks positively out of focus with much less crisp detail levels. Changes like this one are probably only more noticeable given the increased resolution of this version. The good news is these variances tend to be intermittent and not overly distracting, though they certainly won't escape notice. As with 88 Films' 1080 presentation, some of the strongest moments come in outdoor material, where the palette can be very nicely suffused, and where sometimes very heavy grain can appear a bit more tightly resolved.

Project A: Part II 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Project A Part II features another kind of gobsmacking array of audio options, though in this case they're largely limited to different versions of a Cantonese track. There is a Dolby Atmos Cantonese track, but then several Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono options, including Original Mono (Hong Kong Mix), Remixed Mono (Hong Kong Mix), and just good, old fashioned Mono (Japanese Mix). A Mandarin Remixed Mono track in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono and (for the Export Cut) an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track round out the options. There are some noticeable differences between the Cantonese Mono tracks, with, for example, the Remixed Mono having a noticeably more pronounced high end than the Original Mono (something it shares with the Japanese option, though the Japanese may arguably have a bit more tamped down high end). As with the first film, the Atmos track is not going to amaze any devoted audiophile, but it offers a much better overall rendering of the basic elements of the track in terms of a well balanced presentation without a surplus of hiss or other bothersome high frequency issues. Scoring and effects probably are the most noticeable uses of the surround channels. The dubbing in either version is almost comically at odds with lip movements at times, and so sync as they say is definitely loose. That said, dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Project A: Part II 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K Disc

• Hong Kong Version (1:46:36) and Export Version (1:38:09) are available under the Play Film menu.


• Audio Commentary by Frank Djeng and FJ DeSanto accompanies the Hong Kong cut.


• Hong Kong Trailer (HD; 3:09)


• Export Trailer (HD; 2:14)


• Tai Seng Trailer (HD; 1:41)

1080 Disc

• Hong Kong Version (1:46:36) and Export Version (1:38:09) are available under the Play Film menu.


• Audio Commentary by Frank Djeng and FJ DeSanto accompanies the Hong Kong cut.


• An Interview with Anthony Carpio (HD; 25:25) is subtitled in English.


• The Big Boss (HD; 19:40) is an interview with Chan Wai Man. Subtitled in English.


• Someone Will Know Me (HD; 13:12) is an archival documentary. This has English voiceover.


• Full Screen Jackie Chan Recording Session (HD; 2:33)


• Hong Kong Trailer (HD; 3:09)


• Export Trailer (HD; 2:14)


• Tai Seng Trailer (HD; 1:41)


• Stills Gallery (HD)

Project A: Part II 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As with many sequels, this follow up can't quite match the overall ebullience of the first feature, but it has some fantastic stunts and Chan as always is never less than completely engaging. Technical merits are also probably a bit less pleasing here than in the first feature, but are still generally solid. The supplemental material is also not as fulsome as with the first film, but is very enjoyable. As with the first film's 4K UHD presentation, those with an aversion to at times very heavy grain may well prefer the 1080 discs included in this set, but one way or the other, technical merits are generally secure. The non disc swag included with these 4K UHD discs is no doubt going to be another enticement for many fans. With caveats noted, Recommended.