Chan says no to tsunami-based movie

JAKARTA: Action movie star Jackie Chan said that he had no plans to make a film that would be based on the Asian tsunami after witnessing the utter destruction that was left by nature's wrath in Banda Aceh.

Chan, famous for starring in action-packed movies such as Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon, said that he was so saddened at the plight that befell the Acehnese that making such a movie would be inappropriate.

"Their suffering was so heavy; it was very sad and I have no plan to make a movie based on the tsunami. Besides, it would be very difficult, technically speaking," he said here.

Chan, fellow movie star Eric Tsang, Miss World 2005 Peruvian Maria Julia Mantilla Garcia and British Olympic gold medalist athlete Daley Thompson are expected to appear at a charity concert for tsunami victims on Tuesday night.

Earlier in the day, Chan met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the State Palace after touring tsunami-wracked Aceh for two days.

He said after witnessing the devastation that people in Aceh had begun to regain their optimism and were eager to rebuild their lives. "I'm glad to see that the victims are in good spirits," he said.

Soon after the massive tidal wave struck countries bordering the Indian Ocean, Chan and a number of Hong Kong movie stars staged a charity concert to raise money for tsunami victims.

The concert collected US$5 million and the money has been channeled to tsunami victims through international aid agencies including the Red Cross and the United Nations Childrens Fund (Unicef). -- JP