Wheels on Meals

The film's title was supposed to be Meals on Wheels. Superstitious Golden Harvest executives however demanded the title change because their two previous films with titles that began with the letter 'M' – Megaforce and Menage à Trois – were both box office flops.[1][2]

The three action stars, Yuen, Chan and Hung, are long time best friends and had been Peking Opera School colleagues in their youth.[3] The release of Wheels on Meals came in the midst of their most prolific period working together as a trio. The three men had acted together on Chan's Project A and the first of Hung's original Lucky Stars trilogy, Winners and Sinners in 1983.[4][5] Wheels on Meals was released in 1984, and a year later they were reunited twice more for the Lucky Stars semi-sequels My Lucky Stars and Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars. This was something of a golden period for Hong Kong cinema-goers, as three of the nation's most beloved action stars performed together on screen.

The film also features cameo appearances from fellow Lucky Stars Richard Ng and John Shum as mental patients in the hospital attended by the father of Yuen's character.

Wheels on Meals was the first of two films which paired star Jackie Chan against former professional kickboxing champion Benny Urquidez (the other being the 1988 film Dragons Forever). Their fight in this film is typically regarded as one of the greatest on-screen martial arts fights ever performed. At one point in the final battle between the pair, a spin-kick performed by Urquidez is so quick that the resulting airflow extinguishes a row of candles. This is shown onscreen, with no cuts or trick photography.

Co-star Lola Forner appeared in another Jackie Chan film, Armour of God (1987).

Audio commentator Bey Logan explains why Sammo Hung decided to shoot the film outside of Hong Kong. By the time it was made in 1984, shooting in Hong Kong had become practically impossible – firstly, because the action stars had become so famous that they could not walk through the streets with impunity, and secondly due to the mounting difficulties in obtaining a permit from the government in order to film in Hong Kong. Bruce Lee had paved the way for Hong Kong filmmakers shooting abroad with the 1972 film Way of the Dragon, whose location filming was done in Italy, whereas the interiors had been shot at Golden Harvest studio.

When Hung took his cast and crew to Barcelona, he wanted to strongly establish the locations in Barcelona as real, and to avoid shooting interiors at Golden Harvest. In comparison to Hong Kong, the Spanish authorities were very cooperative in allowing the use of locations for filming, even for car chases and fight scenes.[6]

During its Hong Kong theatrical run, Wheels on Meals grossed HK$21,465,013[7] (US$2,745,589),[8] becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of the year in Hong Kong.[9] In Taiwan, where it ran during September–October 1984, it became the third highest-grossing film of the year, earning NT$23,455,346[10] (US$601,075).[11]

In Japan, where it released as Spartan X, it grossed ¥2.02 billion[12] (US$8.5 million),[13] becoming the sixth highest-grossing foreign film of 1985.[14] In South Korea, it was the second highest-grossing film of 1985, with 307,751 box admissions in Seoul,[15] equivalent to an estimated ₩1,077,128,500[16] (US$1,238,050).[17] Combined, the film's total estimated box office gross in East Asia was approximately US$13,084,714, equivalent to US$37 million adjusted for inflation.

The film was generally well-received by critics. Jamie Havlin of Louder Than War called it "one of the most highly regarded martial-arts comedies ever made."[18] Casimir Harlow of AVForums rated it 9 out of 10, calling it "a hugely fun, thoroughly imaginative and frequently action packed affair."[19] Justin Bowyer of Empire rated it three out of five stars, praising the action and comedy while criticizing the lack of plot.[20] David Rees of Asian Action Cinema rated it 8 out of 10, calling it "an altogether very enjoyable if at times silly romp."[21] John Krewson of The A.V. Club said that, while not as good as "other films the three principals have made", "it's right at the top of Hong Kong cinema's second tier".[22] David Poplar of The Digital Fix rated it 8 out of 10, describing it as a "vintage Jackie Chan slapstick comedy featuring some astonishing choreography".[23]

The final fight between Jackie Chan and Benny Urquidez is considered one of the greatest fight scenes of all time.[19][24][25] The climax leading up to that, involving Thomas climbing a Spanish castle to rescue Sylvia (with the help of Moby and David) and fighting enemies along the way, has been compared to Bruce Lee's Game of Death (1972).[26]

• 1985 Hong Kong Film Awards:
  • Nominated: Best Action Choreography

The film was adapted into an arcade video game called Spartan X (the film's Japanese title), developed by Irem in 1984. It is a loose adaptation of the film's final part, which involves Thomas climbing the castle to rescue Sylvia.[26] The game also borrows heavily from the Bruce Lee film Game of Death (1972). It was re-titled Kung-Fu Master for Western markets without using the film's license. The arcade game laid the foundations for the beat 'em up genre,[27][28] and inspired Super Mario Bros. (1985),[29] Street Fighter (1987),[30][31] the French film Kung Fu Master (1988),[32] and the Red Ribbon Army saga in the manga and anime series Dragon Ball.[33]

The game was ported to the Famicom/NES console in 1985 as Spartan X in Japan,[34] and released as Kung Fu in Western markets. The Famicom/NES version sold 3.5 million cartridges,[35] including 1.42 million in Japan[36] and 2.08 million overseas. At a retail price of ¥5,292,[34] the game grossed an estimated ¥7.515 billion (US$69 million) in Japan. Internationally, at a retail price of US$24.99,[37] the game grossed an estimated US$52 million overseas, bringing the game's estimated worldwide retail sales revenue to approximately US$121 million.

The game had two sequels. Vigilante was released for arcades in 1988. Spartan X 2 was released in Japan for the Famicom console in 1991.

An image of Thomas, Chan's character in the film, was used in the title screen and cutscene of the 1995 unlicensed Super Famicom game Hong Kong 97 as the game's character, Chin, a fictional relative to Bruce Lee.

Between 1997 and 1998, a series of Spartan X comic books were published. Three issues of Jackie Chan's Spartan X: The Armour of Heaven were published in 1997,[38] and four issues of Jackie Chan's Spartan X: Hell Bent Hero For Hire were published in 1998.[39]