Jackie Chan in Croatia

The year is 1986, and the streets of Zagreb and its surroundings become the backdrop for the ambitious action film Armour of God. It is one of Jackie Chan’s most famous projects from that period. The famous Hong Kong actor was already known for performing all the dangerous scenes himself, without stuntmen, which gave the filming a special authenticity, but also a great risk. It was during his stay in Croatia that an accident occurred that could have ended fatally and is still considered one of the most difficult in his career.
 

The accident that marked the filming of the film

During the filming of an action scene in Samobor, Chan was supposed to jump from a wall to a tree branch. He often performed this trick in his films. The first attempt went without a problem, but because he wanted the scene to look more convincing, he decided to repeat the jump. During the second attempt, the branch broke, and the actor fell to the ground and hit his head on a stone. The injury was serious, so he was rushed to a hospital in Zagreb, where he underwent surgery. He later said in interviews that he was very lucky to have survived, and that he still has a permanent scar on his skull as a reminder of the filming in Croatia.

Despite the accident, filming continued. Some of the scenes were filmed in Zagreb, Samobor and the surrounding area, where real locations were used. These included Dolac, where the action scene at the market was filmed, as well as the streets of the Upper Town, which were used for chases and fights.
 

A film that left its mark in Croatia too

The film Armour of God was one of the larger international projects filmed in the former Yugoslavia at the time. The production used locations in several countries. The Zagreb scenes remained among the most recognizable, especially to the domestic audience who could recognize the famous city streets and buildings in the film. That is why the film was also enjoyed in Croatia, where interest was even greater after it was learned that a serious accident had occurred during filming. Many Zagreb residents who were children at the time still remember secretly watching the filming and trying to get an autograph from the star who, despite his global fame, was remembered as an exceptionally modest and polite person.

Although he did not make any other films in Croatia after that, the story of Armour of God remained one of the most interesting moments in the history of foreign productions in this region. Today, that filming is often mentioned as an example of a time when big action scenes were created on real streets and without digital tricks. For the domestic audience, the film was remembered for the fact that Zagreb briefly became part of a great global film adventure.

Fun fact: The actual footage of the fall that occurred during filming in Croatia was included in the final shots of the film Armour of God, which was a common way for Jackie Chan to show that he was performing his own action scenes.