Box office In North America,
Box Office Mojo credits
The Protector with a tally of US$981,817 during its limited run, equivalent to around $3 million adjusted for inflation in 2024. Chan's re-edited version grossed HK$13,917,612 () in Hong Kong, a respectable sum, but significantly less than any of Chan's domestic films at the time. Elsewhere, it earned a decent response in Asian countries such as
Japan and
South Korea. In Europe, available figures show a tepid reception although
France, where
The Big Brawl had been a surprise hit, was kinder to the film than most. In that country,
Samuel Hadida's
Metropolitan Filmexport, then very much an exploitation distributor, bought the rights to Chan's old comedy
Half a Loaf of Kung Fu and quickly retitled it
Le Protecteur to ride on the release of his new vehicle.
Critical response Contemporary reviews for the film were mixed.
Rick Kogan of the
Chicago Tribune was positive, calling the film "an interesting combination of adventure film clichés and pleasant surprises". He mentioned the "style and invention" of the action scenes, as well as the "fresh and clean if not terribly high budget look" created by director James Glickenhaus. He found Chan to be "a most likeable actor" while Aiello "ma[de] for a perfect partner." Trade magazine
Variety was also positive, writing that the opening speedboat chase "rival[ed]
James Bond pictures for elaborate thrills" and that the film was elevated by "the tongue-in-cheek humor running throughout" as well as Chan's "superhuman acrobatics".
Video Review praised "a superior martial-arts-oriented adventure" tailored to bring Chan into the mainstream like
Chuck Norris'
Code of Silence, but opined that mangled English made it a harder watch than it should have been. Jon Pareles of the
New York Times wrote that "[t]he movie has an adequate budget but few original ideas." Although he noted that it had "comparatively few straight fight scenes" relative to Chan's previous efforts, he accepted that "[e]xcept for a dud of a climactic hand-to-hand between Mr. Chan and Mr. Wallace, the action stays snappy — and far better than Mr. Chan's attempts to emote." Jan Herman of the
New York Daily News wrote that "[t]he movie opens with vivid scenes in the
South Bronx and
Manhattan, and a speedboat-cum-helicopter chase down the East River. But then things get pretty dry." He complained that the film suffered from a "lack of chopsocky" and Chan's "barely comprehensible" English. Desmond Ryan of
The Philadelphia Inquirer criticized Chan's decision to work with the director of
The Exterminator, noting that while "Glickenhaus has cleaned up his act somewhat", he still pandered to the audience's "
Bernie Goetz fantasies". Lou Cedrone of the
Baltimore Evening Sun was negative, noting that Jackie Chan "is given no chance to show his stuff". He complained that "the film is busy with stunts, but that's all they are", and a "chase, which at this point in movie history is instant yawn". He complained about cliches such as villains "involved in the usual dope running" and "a madman armed with a chainsaw", concluding that "
The Protector is, by turn, obvious then embarrassing."
Glickenhaus' response In an interview with James Glickenhaus by Bey Logan held before Chan achieved mainstream success with American audiences, Logan mentioned that many of his fans were disappointed with the movie. An unfazed Glickenhaus responded, "Well, you know that's still the most successful Jackie Chan movie internationally and always will be because the American audience, the mainstream audience will never sit still for Jackie's style of action". == Soundtrack ==