Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Wheels on Meals Blu-ray Movie Review

Wheels on Meals is a Martial arts action-comedy with plenty of entertainment for Jackie Chan fans. The film was shot on location in Barcelona, Spain. Originally distributed by Golden Harvest, Wheels on Meals premiered in Hong Kong cinemas August 17^th 1984. In Japan the film was released under the alternative title of Spartan X.

Executive produced by Raymond Chow (Enter the Dragon, Fist of Fury), Wheels on Meals was nominated for Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Wheels on Meals features an epic fight scene between Jackie Chan and Benny Urquidez at the end of the film which is often cited as one of the most important fight scenes in Hong Kong cinema. Produced by Leonard Ho (Police Story, Rumble in the Bronx), Wheels on Meals even led to a video-game spin-off with Spartan X video-games and a comic-book series.

Thomas (Jackie Chan) and David (Biao Yuen) are two bumbling and easygoing friends who run a food truck while in Barcelona. While surrounded by the beauty of Spain, Thomas and David find more trouble than either friend ever expected. The guys find themselves spending time with the beautiful Sylvia (Lola Forner). David wants to ask her out on a date but is too chicken to do so.

As their time in Barcelona carries on, Thomas and David re-encounter Slyvia and think she is a prostitute (which is pretending to be) but she is actually working as a pickpocket. The belief that she is a prostitute causes a lot of unexpected comedic shenanigans between the three of them. Moby (Sammo Kam-Bo Hung) is also a private investigator who has been tracking her down as the plot thickens.

Ultimately, Thomas and David learn she is a pickpocket and help to protect Slyvia after it turns out she is a target by a gang determined to take her out. Intense martial arts battles ensue as the unexpected and aloof heroes fight against the henchmen.

Jackie Chan has a big role in the film and the performance is a great one. The role had Chan utilizing both his comedic funny-bone and his action chops. The actor has a good time with the role and the filmmaking showcases his nice range as an action-comedy film star. The performance is well worth seeing. There is a lot to appreciate about the performance.

The cinematography by Yiu-Tsou Cheung (Police Story, The Legend of Drunken Master), Francisco Riba (Waka- Waka, El E.T.E. y el Oto), and Arthur Wong (The Warlords, Bodyguards and Assassins) is quite impressive. There are a lot of wonderful elements to the cinematography. The visual style is superb: enhancing both the comedy and action-packed fun. A good effort from the team.

Edited by Peter Cheung (The Way of the Dragon, Fist of Fury), Wheels on Meals has a nice pace and sense of rhythm. The filmmaking flows well. The action-scenes are tightly edited and a ton of fun.

The score composed by Chris Babida (Fleeing by Night, Life After Life) and Siu-Lam Tang (Candlelight’s Woman, Story of Prostitutes) is a highlight of the film. The music adds a lot to the experience. With a decidedly fun soundtrack score, the film is all the more engaging as an action film. This keeps the energetic vibe of the filmmaking enthused.

With stunts coordinated by Jackie Chan, Chan proves once again to be an expert action hero. The stunt expert showcases his range as an action star with some incredible scenes. The final act of the film has a highly memorable fight sequence that showcases Chan at his absolute best.

Written by Edward Tang (Police Story, The Legend of Drunken Master) and Gwing-Gai Lee (Legend of the Dragon, Untouchably Yours), Wheels on Meals provides a nice blend of action and comedy. This makes the film all the more entertaining. The script is great and the dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny. Even in outlandish ways, the script works well as it bridges the gap between comedic scenes and the all-out action-packed mayhem that unfolds.

Directed by Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (Mr. Nice Guy, Millionaires’ Express), Wheels on Meals is a great classic of Hong Kong cinema. The energy of the filmmaking is exceptional. Wheels on Meals is an incredible blast of entertainment with Jackie Chan leading the way. Fans of the actor will be quite pleased with the fun thrill ride – a must-see.

Wheels on Meals Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray from Shout Factory, Wheels on Meals is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The high-definition video is excellent on the release. The transfer looks great and has a naturally filmic appearance. The print is excellent with good detail and clarity. The print does not suffer from egregious print damage. An impressive encode by Shout Factory.

Wheels on Meals Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The audio is provided in Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono, Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1, English Dolby Digital 5.1, and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. English subtitles are provided. The audio provided on the release is worthwhile and engaging. The lossless audio encoding is effective for the presentation. Dialogue is well reproduced. The soundtrack is preserved well by the encoding. An excellent selection of audio options for fans to select from on the release.

Wheels on Meals Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with David West, Critic and Author of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction to the Martial Arts Film

Break-Neck Brilliance: A new era of Jackie Chan and skeleton-shattering stunts (HD, 1:28:04)

Outtake Footage (HD, 4:01)

Original Theatrical Trailer (HD, 4:46)

Still Gallery (HD, 4:27)

Wheels on Meals Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Wheels on Meals is an energetic action-comedy classic. Jackie Chan delivers the goods in spades with an impressive performance. The film has a fun story and the action set pieces are full to the brim with fun spectacle. Fans of Jackie Chan won't want to miss the film. The Blu-ray release provides a worthwhile video and audio presentation alongside an impressive selection of bonus features, including "Break-Neck Brilliance" with an hour and a half of content about Jackie Chan and his stunts. Highly recommended.