The Bad: I'll start with the Bad because that's sort of how Railroad Tigers starts...badly. Within the first 30 minutes, we get at least 15 unnecessary character title cards, detailing every single person involved in the narrative. It's clunky, ugly, and distracting, as is the incessant editing. My GOD, does Ding Sheng love cutting. There are so many unnecessary cuts that it actively makes the film feel longer than it is.
The movie takes a while to get going, but I'd say the when Jackie Chan and his band of brothers go to steal explosives from the Japanese Army, the film finds its footing. But man, the first bit of this movie is very rough. It's hard to tell what's happening, we're constantly getting introduced to characters, and no scene is ever left to breathe. I also felt the film had a few too many characters, not all of whom are given time to develop.
The Good: But, Railroad Tigers transforms into a genuinely fun, interesting, often hilarious action comedy when the train gets rolling. I was impressed with the stunts and physical comedy; the slapstick is an art Hollywood has long forgotten, but I'm happy to see it's alive and well in Asia.
I like how lighthearted the film is, despite the heavy setting. It deftly manages its tone; being serious when necessary, funny when it has to be. The Japanese are not presented as hyper incompetent (so you question how they ever conquered so much of China in the first place, ala RRR and the British) but they are made fun of constantly and tastefully. It's poking the eye of fascists, but ensuring they are still a formidable threat. Hiroyuki Ikeuichi may be typecast as an OP Japanese general, but he's a genuinely fun villain.
Chan and his band of brothers are great. I really grew to like these guys and felt genuinely moved by their dedicated to their country, putting themselves and their personal interests aside for the greater good. It is an admirable moment in Chinese history and i think it's a story - especially in our world of rising geopolitical tensions - many non-Chinese viewers could benefit from as well. In that spirit, Jackie Chan is *in* this movie, but it's not a Jackie Chan movie. He's one part of a whole - and barely a main character at times - and the film is better for it.
I also liked how tasteful the violence was; it was realistic at points, funny and slapstick at others, but didn't go overboard with the gore. I find a lot of Chinese films have this issue (The Mermaid, anyone?) where they are tonally inconsistent because the filmmakers insist of a bevy of blood and gore, for no reason. Thankfully, we're spared that here.
The Ugly: I love scallion pancakes, and if you do too, you'll be disappointed by how they're depicted in this movie. These guys eat A LOT of them, and you're expecting a golden brown, crispy pancake with little flicks of green scallion and deep brown hoisin sauce, right? Well, here they appear more like folded paper with big sticks of celery. A shame. These things should be presented as gloriously as they taste.
