‘1911’: Epic Chinese tale tries to do too much

A revolution ought to make good movie subject, and in the Chinese revolution of 1911, star and co-director Jackie Chan has the material for a giant historical epic with the proverbial cast of thousands.

Unfortunately, the movie has an “official record” air about it, which means it’s informati

ve and full of history, but not really all that much fun. Which is a shame, because Jackie Chan has a strong background in creating fun.

Here, the puckish martial-arts star takes a role in the large ensemble. As the film tracks the efforts of rebels to bring down the Qing Dynasty in 1911-12, dozens of characters fly past.

Prominent among them is Huang Xing, the character played by Chan. This is a revolutionary fighter who loses a couple of fingers in an early battle and whose life is saved when a pocket watch stops a bullet’s trajectory — incidents that lead him to adopt a cheerful attitude toward his charmed life.

He’s the warrior, in comparison to Sun Yat-Sen, the statesman who ushered China out of the Imperial system and into the 20th century. He’s played by Winston Chao (who years ago starred in “The Wedding Banquet” and “Eat Drink Man Woman”), an actor whose striking physical similarity to the famous leader has led him to play Sun Yat-Sen in a handful of movies lately.

There’s also political skullduggery inside the child emperor’s world in the lavish Forbidden City. This is the same ruler whose story was told in “The Last Emperor,” but here the palace scenes are dominated by the emperor’s mother (Joan Chen), who has more than a touch of Marie Antoinette about her.

At one point, her advisers relate the story of Louis XVI and his doomed reign, as though to remind the Dowager Empress that heads could roll. This sort of intrigue should be more involving than it is.

Maybe that’s because Chan and his co-director Li Zhang are so caught up in including characters and turning points and battle scenes that none of it truly gets traction. We end up reading a lot of onscreen text to catch us up to the next pivotal moment.

A miniseries might handle all this stuff, but the movie can’t do it. However, “1911” does confirm that, on the heels of his excellent turn in the otherwise bland “Karate Kid” remake, Jackie Chan could be a terrific, low-key character actor if he wants to be. Even in his limited time here, he shines.

“1911” (2 stars)

A Chinese historical epic co-directed by Jackie Chan, who takes a role in the large ensemble here. The movie’s got too much story to tell to truly gain traction, and the incidents and characters fly by in a blur; even the court intrigue isn’t very satisfying. In Cantonese, with English subtitles.

Rated: R for violence.

Showing: Meridian.