This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "Who Am I?" 1998 film – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Who Am I?Hong Kong film posterDirected byJackie ChanBenny ChanWritten byJackie ChanSusan ChanLee ReynoldsProduced byBarbie TungStarringJackie ChanMichelle FerreMirai YamamotoRon SmerczakEd NelsonWashington SixoloCinematographyPoon Hang SangEdited byPeter CheungYau Chi WaiMusic byNathan WangDistributed byGolden HarvestRelease date 17 January 1998 (1998-01-17) Running time103 minutes[1]CountryHong KongLanguageEnglish[1]Box officeUS$19 million (est.)
Who Am I? (traditional Chinese: 我是誰; simplified Chinese: 我是谁, also known as Jackie Chan's Who Am I?) is a 1998 Hong Kong spy action comedy film directed by Benny Chan and Jackie Chan, who also starred in the leading role, and writer with Susan Chan and Lee Reynolds. The film was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 17 January 1998. It is also Chan's second film to be scripted and shot in English, the first one being Mr. Nice Guy.
Plot[edit]Somewhere in the jungles of South Africa on Thanksgiving 1996, a multinational military unit named Special Force Unit ambushes a convoy and kidnaps several scientists working on a highly-volatile compound extracted from a recently discovered meteorite. Among the operatives is a Hong Kong national identified as "Jackie Chan". The CIA assigns Agent Morgan to investigate the incident, unaware that he and newly retired General Sherman orchestrated the abduction for their personal profit. At the same time, the CIA assigns another operative in South Africa for a more covert operation.
Jackie wakes up in a tribal village somewhere in the African veldt, still recovering from injuries sustained in an accident he cannot remember. When asked for his name by the natives, he does not remember who he is and repeatedly asks himself, "Who Am I?". He is referred to as "Who Am I?" by the natives, as they think it is his name. The tribesmen show him the remains of a crashed helicopter and gres of those who perished aboard. "Who Am I?" spends weeks recuperating from his wounds and learning about the tribe's culture. After spotting rally cars from several miles away, "Who Am I?" bids the village farewell and ventures on a journey back to civilization. He befriends Japanese rally co-driver Yuki after sing her brother from a snake bite and offering to help them finish the race. When they reach Johannesburg, "Who Am I?" meets Christine Stark, a journalist sent to interview him about his rally adventure.
Morgan hears of "Who Am I?" and sends a hitman team to kill him. Morgan also pretends to be his ally, telling him to contact him if he is in danger. After escaping from the hitmen, Christine cracks a secret code written on a matchbook found on one of the dead operatives, which leads them to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. "Who Am I?" and Christine bid Yuki farewell and head for Rotterdam to find more answers to his identity. In Rotterdam, "Who Am I?" discovers that Christine is actually an undercover CIA agent who tapped his calls. Not knowing whom to trust, he battles Sherman's hitmen and sneaks into the Willemswerf skyscraper alone, where he discovers the masterminds behind the kidnapping of the scientists.
It is revealed that Morgan and General Sherman are about to sell the extraterrestrial compound to an influential arms dealer named Armano. While waiting for the online wire transfer to finish, the three men lee the conference room for a coffee break – giving "Who Am I?" time to sneak in and steal the disc containing the compound information. He also cancels the transaction and transfers the money to Se the Children instead, which infuriates Armano. Sherman and Armano send several men after "Who Am I?" to get the disc back. While in the process of escaping, "Who Am I?" defeats several hitmen and is found by Morgan. Once he discovers Morgan's betrayal, "Who Am I?" tries to kill Morgan, but is interrupted by Morgan's hitmen, who also try to take back the disc. "Who Am I?" fights them off and recovers the disk, but Morgan flees. "Who Am I?" regroups with Christine, who calls for the execution of a "Plan B". Several CIA agents join the pursuit of Morgan, cornering him on the Erasmus Bridge in cooperation with the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. Christine takes Morgan into custody and asks "Who Am I?" if he has the disc. He throws the disc off the bridge and tells Christine that he will return to Africa.
Cast[edit] Jackie Chan as Himself / Who Am I? Michelle Ferre as Christine Stark Mirai Yamamoto as Yuki Ohsato Ed Nelson as General Sherman Ron Smerczak as CIA Agent Morgan Did Vlok as Morgan's head assassin Mike Ian Lambert as Peter (Morgan's hitman) Ron Smoorenburg as Morgan's taekwondo hitman Kwan Yung as Morgan's Cai Li Fo hitman Yanick Mbali as Baba Washington Sixolo as village chief Tom Pompert as CIA chairman Glory Simon as CIA secretary Chip Bray as Armano Frank Opperman as Internal security agent Jackie Chan Stunt Team[edit] Andy Cheng Rocky Lai Nicky Li Chan Man Ching Sam Wong Kwan Yung Bradley James Allan Paul Andreovski Production notes[edit] Willemswerf buildingWho Am I? was shot on locations in Namibia, South Africa, and Netherlands between February and March 1997. The film features several landmarks such as Sun City in South Africa, Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, the Beurstrerse (which was portrayed by the film makers as being in Johannesburg), the Cube houses and the Willemswerf building (which served as the headquarters of the villains and from the side of which, "Who Am I?" escaped by sliding to the ground). Dutch city Dordrecht was also used as a location on the Voorstraat, de Vleeshouwersstraat as well as the fountains by Hans Petri in front of the former Refaja hospital.
The film also features an elaborate chase scene involving the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV GSR and a pack of chasing BMW 3 series (E36), in which Jackie, Yuki, and Christine (in the Evolution) attempt to escape from their captors. Several memorable stunts in the Evolution IV were featured, including a spin parking manoeuvre, market chase, and flipping the car onto its side and roof. In the making-of documentary, the team outlined the numerous Lancer Evolutions that were used for the entire sequence due to the harsh physical challenges presented by the stunts. The use of the Evolution IV was consistent with the then-ongoing presence and sponsorship of Mitsubishi in Jackie Chan's films of that era.
Box office[edit]In Hong Kong, Who Am I? grossed HK$38,852,845 during its theatrical run.[2] In China, it grossed CN¥80 million at the box office.[3] In Taiwan, it sold 155,211 tickets and grossed NT$35,540,820.[4] In South Korea, film sold 193,293 tickets in Seoul City[5] and 579,879 tickets nationwide, grossing US$2.2 million.[6] In Europe, the film sold 157,427 tickets in Germany,[7] and 73,101 tickets in other European countries.[8]
Market Year Box office gross revenue Ticket sales Ref Local currency US dollars Hong Kong 1998 HK$38,852,845 $5,016,291 790,000 [2][9] China 1998 CN¥80,000,000 $9,663,000 11,000,000 [3][10] Taiwan 1998 NT$35,540,820 $1,092,846 155,211 [4][11] South Korea 1998 Unknown $2,200,000 579,879 [6] Germany 1998 €866,000 (est.) $971,000 (est.) 157,427 [7][12] Switzerland 1998 €37,000 (est.) $41,000 (est.) 4,735 [8] 1999 €66,000 (est.) $74,000 (est.) 8,010 Netherlands 1999 €219,000 (est.) $79,000 (est.) 39,135 Italy 1999 €16,000 (est.) $17,000 (est.) 3,071 Total est. US$19,154,137 (equivalent to $37,000,000 in 2024) 12,737,468 (est.) Reception[edit]On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 67% based on 9 reviews, with an erage rating of 6.2/10.[13]
Awards and nominations[edit] Accolades Ceremony Category Recipient Outcome 18th Hong Kong Film Awards[14] Best Film Nominated Best Actor Jackie Chan Nominated Best Editing Peter Cheung and Chi Wai Yau Nominated Best Action Choreography Jackie Chan Won Best Sound Design Nominated Home media[edit] United States[edit]The U.S. DVD release is cut by 9 minutes with the following changes and omissions:
Unlike the original HK version of the film, the scene where Jackie Chan and his unit are double-crossed in the helicopter is shown immediately after the helicopters take off. This takes away the "big reveal" effect of what actually happened with Jackie and his men. "Who Am I?"'s interaction with the African tribe has been reduced dramatically. Cuts include a scene in which he asks the tribal boy, Baba, how many days it takes to walk to civilization; a scene where he and Baba run away from a lioness after he picks up a lion cub; a scene showing the tribe's farewell ceremony for "Who Am I?"'s journey; and a scene in which he performs an interpretation of the tribal dance. The rally race scene has been shortened. A scene where "Who Am I?" recovers feeling in his mouth (as he chewed herbal lees into an anesthetic to cure Yuki's brother's snake bite) and explains his situation to Yuki has been cut. All but two instant replay shots (where Yuki, "Who Am I?" and Christine drive through a fruit stand, and where "Who Am I?" narrowly misses falling furniture in Rotterdam) he been deleted.Unlike other domestic releases of Jackie Chan's films, this version of Who Am I? retains the film's original musical score. Also, the U.S. release is the only cut which contains Jackie Chan's original spoken English during his time with the African tribe. The uncut HK releases he dubbed it in Cantonese.
Hong Kong[edit]The Hong Kong Universe Laser DVD (now out of print) contains the film as it was originally intended. The "double-cross" scene is not shown until during the interrogation scene as a "revelation flashback." It is meant to be a mystery as to what happened until the viewer sees these flashbacks. It also contains "Who Am I?"'s full interaction with the African tribe. However, his English dialogue during this interaction is dubbed into Cantonese during this part. There are English subtitles provided for the whole film. The presentation is not anamorphic, however.
Japan[edit]Warner Bros. Japan has released two DVD editions of the film: the single-disc DVD contains the original Hong Kong cut of the film with an anamorphic presentation, but with no English subtitles, and it retains the Cantonese dub of Chan during the African tribe scenes. The two-disc anamorphic edition contains both versions of the film, with English subtitles for the U.S. cut.[15]
See also[edit] Who Am I 2015, a remake Jackie Chan filmography List of Hong Kong films References[edit] ^ a b WHO AM I – BBFC. BBFC. Retrieved 23 October 2014 ^ a b "Who Am I?". Hong Kong Movie Database. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ a b "【ジャッキーチェン興行成績】 第9回：中国での興行収入". KungFu Tube (in Japanese). 16 August 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2018. ^ a b "1998 Taiwan Box Office" (in Chinese). National Chengchi University. Archived from the original on 22 April 2001. Retrieved 20 April 2022. ^ "영화정보" [Movie Information]. KOBIS (in Korean). Korean Film Council. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ a b "【ジャッキーチェン興行成績】 第10回：韓国での興行収入". KungFu Tube (in Japanese). 5 September 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2018. ^ a b "Wo shi shei (Who Am I?) – Germany". JP's Box-Office (in French). Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ a b "Ngo si sui". Lumiere. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ "UIS Statistics". UNESCO Institute for Statistics. UNESCO. Retrieved 3 May 2019. ^ Daily Report: China, Issues 79-87. Foreign Broadcast Information Service. 1995. p. 58. Audiences pay five ($0.59) to 10 yuan ($1.19) to see a Chinese movie. ^ "Historical currency converter with official exchange rates (TWD)". fxtop.com. March 1998. Retrieved 30 April 2022. ^ "Cinema market". Cinema, TV and radio in the EU: Statistics on audiovisual services (Data 1980-2002) (2003 ed.). Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. 2003. pp. 31–64 (61). ISBN 92-894-5709-0. ISSN 1725-4515. Retrieved 23 May 2020. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help) ^ Who Am I? at Rotten Tomatoes ^ "List of Nominees and Awardees of The 18th Hong Kong Film Awards". Hong Kong Film Awards. Retrieved 29 April 2022. ^ "WHO AM I? フー・アム・アイ？". Warner Bros. Japan. Retrieved 8 September 2021. External links[edit] Who Am I? at IMDb Who Am I? at Rotten Tomatoes Who Am I? related article PodcastOnFire.com vteJackie Chan Filmography Discography FilmsFilms directed The Fearless Hyena (1979) The Young Master (1980) Dragon Lord (1982) Project A (1983) Police Story (1985) Armour of God (1986) Project A Part II (1987) Police Story 2 (1988) Miracles (1989) Armour of God II: Operation Condor (1991) Who Am I? (1998) Jackie Chan: My Story (1998) Jackie Chan: My Stunts (1999) 1911 (2011) CZ12 (2012) The Diary (TBA) Films written Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (1978) Gorgeous (1999) Rob-B-Hood (2006) Little Big Soldier (2010) Films produced only Naughty Boys (1986) The Inspector Wears Skirts (1988) Rouge (1988) Story of Kennedy Town (1990) The Shootout (1992) Hot War (1998) Everlasting Regret (2005) Legendary Amazons (2011) Dragon Blade (2015) Who Am I 2015 (2015) The Foreigner (2017) Bleeding Steel (2017) Wish Dragon (2021) Television Jackie Chan Adventures (2000-2005) episodes characters Video games Kung-Fu Master (1984) Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu (1990) Spartan X 2 (1991) The Kung-Fu Master Jackie Chan (1995) Jackie Chan Stuntmaster (2000) Jackie Chan Adventures: Legend of the Dark Hand (2001) Jackie Chan Adventures (2004) Jackie Chan J-Mat Fitness (2005) Books I Am Jackie Chan (1998) Never Grow Up (2015) Related JCE Movies Limited JJCC Jackie Chan Action Movie Awards Jackie Chan Stunt Team Looking for Jackie Traces of a Dragon A Tale of Three Cities Duang "Jackie Chan" (song) Charles and Lee-lee Chan Joan Lin Jaycee Chan Willie Chan vteFilms by Benny Chan Muk-singFilms directed Let's Rage the Gangland (1988) A Moment of Romance (1990) What a Hero! (1992) A Moment of Romance II (1993) The Magic Crane (1993) Man Wanted (1995) Big Bullet (1996) Who Am I? (1998) Gen-X Cops (1999) Gen-Y Cops (2000) Heroic Duo (2003) New Police Story (2004) Divergence (2005) Rob-B-Hood (2006) Invisible Target (2007) Connected (2008) City Under Siege (2010) Shaolin (2011) The White Storm (2013) Call of Heroes (2016) Meow (2017) Raging Fire (2021) Films produced only Little Big Master (2015) The Trier of Fact (TBD) vteHong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography1980s Sammo Hung, Lam Ching-ying, Yuen Biao & Chan Wui-ngai for The Prodigal Son (1982) Yuen Biao, Lam Ching Ying & Chan Wui-ngai for Winners and Sinners (1983) Jackie Chan Stunt Team for Project A (1984) Jackie Chan Stunt Team for Police Story (1985) Ching Siu-tung for Witch from Nepal (1986) Jackie Chan Stunt Team for Project A Part II (1987) Jackie Chan Stunt Team for Police Story 2 (1988) Jackie Chan Stunt Team for Miracles (1989) 1990s Ching Siu-tung for The Swordsman (1990) Yuen Cheung-yan, Yuen Shun-yi & Lau Kar-wing for Once Upon a Time in China (1991) Yuen Woo-ping for Once Upon a Time in China II (1992) Corey Yuen & Yuen Tak for Fong Sai-yuk (1993) Lau Kar-leung & Jackie Chan Stunt Team for Drunken Master II (1994) Stanley Tong & Jackie Chan for Rumble in the Bronx (1995) Stanley Tong for Police Story 4: First Strike (1996) Stephen Tung for Downtown Torpedoes (1997) Jackie Chan for Who Am I? (1998) Stephen Tung for Purple Storm (1999) 2000s Yuen Woo-ping for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) Stephen Tung & Jackie Chan Stunt Team for The Accidental Spy (2001) Ching Siu-tung for Hero (2002) Donnie Yen for The Twins Effect (2003) Yuen Woo-ping for Kung Fu Hustle (2004) Donnie Yen for SPL: Sha Po Lang (2005) Yuen Woo-ping for Fearless (2006) Donnie Yen for Flash Point (2007) Sammo Hung & Tony Leung Siu-Hung for Ip Man (2008) Stephen Tung & Lee Tat Chiu for Bodyguards and Assassins (2009) 2010s Sammo Hung for Ip Man 2 (2010) Yuen Bun, Lan Hai Han & Sun Jiankui for Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011) Jackie Chan & He Jun for CZ12 (2012) Yuen Woo-ping for The Grandmaster (2013) Donnie Yen, Stephen Tung, Yuen Bun & Yan Hua for Kung Fu Jungle (2014) Li Chung Chi for SPL II: A Time for Consequences (2015) Stephen Tung for Operation Mekong (2016) Sammo Hung for Paradox (2017) Dante Lam for Operation Red Sea (2018) Yuen Woo-ping for Ip Man 4 (2019) 2020s Donnie Yen, Ku Huen Chiu, Kenji Tanigaki & Nicky Li Chung Chi for Raging Fire (2020/2021) Jack Wong Wai Leung for Warriors of Future (2022) Stephen Tung for Bursting Point (2023) Kenji Tanigaki for Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024)