From Deseret News archives:
Around the World in 80 Days
Film review
Even Jackie Chan's fans may not remember that his first high-profile film role in the United States was in the 1981 cross-country, car-chase spoof "The Cannonball Run."
Ironically, his latest film, a goofy remake of Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days," is pretty much the modern-day equivalent of "The Cannonball Run." It's a hit-and-miss — mostly the latter — collection of skits in which the characters must travel from Point A to Point B in a set amount of time.
Another similarity is that "Around the World in 80 Days" has a minimum of plot and often falls back on distracting, mostly unfunny cameos (action-star-turned-California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rob Schneider, Owen and Luke Wilson, John Cleese and Kathy Bates).
This is a very loose adaptation of Verne's novel, with Passepartout transformed into Lau Xing (Chan), who has just stolen a valuable jade statue from the Bank of England. (Actually, he's stealing it back — it's his village's good-luck charm.)
To escape from the bobbies, he pretends to be the new valet for inventor Phileas Fogg (British comedian Steve Coogan), who naively believes his claim to be half-French. He also eggs Fogg into accepting an around-the-world travel challenge — which allows the use of any means necessary to cross the globe in 80 days or less.
Along the way, they manage to cross swords (and fists) with Chinese assassins, encounter several of the brightest lights of the period — the 19th century — and pick up another traveling companion, Monique (Cecile de France), a would-be impressionist artist who steals Fogg's heart.
The film's action sequences are directed better than the comedy scenes. It's no surprise that the action scenes are good, as they were choreographed by Chan. But it's surprising the comedy isn't better, as it is directed by Frank Coraci, who also helmed his pal Adam Sandler's best movie, "The Wedding Singer."
As for Coogan, he's shackled by the script, and is rarely, if ever, allowed to cut loose. What's worse, he has no chemistry with the marble-mouthed, charmless de France.
"Around the World in 80 Days" is rated PG for action violence (martial-arts combat involving fists and knives, vehicular violence and some slapstick), scattered use of mild profanity, some crude humor (toilet gags) and glimpses of nude artwork. Running time: 125 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com
