REVIEW: Around the World in 80 Days

Well, I went today with the family to see the new Jackie Chan film AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. Previously, you may recall that we posted an article indicating the film was not exactly cleaning up, and it appears on track to continue that disappointment for Disney. Then again, when I am looking to see a film, I am not asking myself whether it is a financial success, but rather whether it looks like a good film. Is 80 DAYS worth the price of admission? Well, I would give it a qualified "Yes."



The film is based on the same premise as previous adaptations and the original H.G. Wells book. Phineas Fogg, a precise English gentleman, sets off to travel around the world in 80 days - spurred on by a wager - assisted by his French manservant, Passepartout. However, just as the horrible Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves has little to do with the original story, so this movie uses only the basic outline of the story to serve as a spare framework to showcase Jackie Chan. In this version, Fogg has gone from being simply an English gentleman (a social class Verne was looking to parody in the original) to being an eccentric inventor of hairbrained machines. He has scared off his last loyal valet, and is delighted when Jackie Chan falls out of a tree to apply for the position. Jackie Chan, having recently stolen a jade buddha from the Royal Bank of England, uses Fogg's need to provide him with a cover story and place to hide in plain sight. He then engineers the wager that sends Fogg off on his whirlwind adventure, and not-so-coinicidentally gets him back to his village in China by the fastest route available to 19th century technology.



Besides this, the movie has what you expect from a Jackie Chan film (and this film is far more Chan than Wells in its sensibilities): wacky chase scenes, bumbling villains, lots of martial arts, silly sight gags, and a straight man who speaks well when Jackie Chan's accent would normally get in the way. (No outtakes, though, which has previously been a requirement in Chan's films. These are sorely missed.) The movie is 2 hours long, but moves along very quickly for all of that, making it feel more and more like you are watching a highlight film rather than a complete story. Still, the film leaves you with a smile on your face, and precious little mental stimulation, aside from the irony of the role Arnold Schartzenegger chose to play in his all-too-brief cameo in the film.



If you are a die-hard fan of the book "Around the World in 80 Days" then avoid this film at all costs. The 1989 TV adaptation available on DVD, starring Pierce Brosnan, is a far more faithful adaption. (Though even there, many liberties were taken, and the final product was 4 hours long.) But if you are a Jackie Chan fan, this film will not disappoint (except, again, in the lack of outtakes). Chan returns here to what made him famous - spectacular and unlikely battles that teeter between action and comedy. There are few to no special effects regarding Chan, which is how God intended it, and stands in contrast to his last few films. The supporting cast is amusing, the cameos hilarious, and the ending suitably Hollywood. Frankly, I am surprised at the lack of money this film is making, as it is far better than many other choices this weekend, and much better than the average fare in other seasons.