AROUND THE WORLD IN
80 DAYS
(USA 2004) 4.3
Directed by Frank Coraci Produced by Hal Lieberman, Bill Badalato Action by Jackie Chan, Nicky Li Chung Chi, Jackie Chan Stunt Team Starring: Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, Cecile De France, Robert Fyfe, Jim Broadbent, Karen Mok, Daniel Wu, Sammo Hung, Ian McNeice, Ewen Bremmer, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maggie Q, Rob Schneider, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Mark Addy, John Cleese, Kathy Bates, Ken Lo, Marsha Yuen Reviewing: Entertainment In Video UK DVD Release Genres: Action / Comedy / Adventure
Rating: 4 / 5
Entertainment In Video DVD Synopsis: An eccentric London inventor, Phileas Fogg (STEVE COOGAN), has come up with the secrets to flight, electricity, and even in-line skates, but the establishment has dismissed him as a crackpot. Desperate to be taken seriously, Fogg makes an outlandish bet with Lord Kelvin (JIM BROADBENT), the head of the Royal Academy Of Science: to circumnavigate the globe in no more than 80 days! With his valet Passepartout (JACKIE CHAN) and thrill-seeking French artist Monique (CECILE DE FRANCE) at his side, Fogg is headed on a frantic, heart-pounding round-the-world race that takes our heroes to the world's most exotic places by land, sea, and air. (100 Mins)
Herald Japanese DVD Synopsis: A super-luxurious cast of international stars! Including Jackie Chan from the "Rush Hour" series and "Medallion", Jim Broadbent from "Gangs of New York" and Karen Mok from "Shaolin Soccer", Owen Wilson in "Shanghai Knights" and Kathy Bates in "Misery", and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who become govenor of California after appearing in this film. A star-studded lineup! What's more, this time the Japanese dubbed version also features a super star-studded cast! Don't miss this film! (120 Mins)
Views: Many fans and critics slated Jackie Chan's globe-trotting adventure-comedy upon release, leaving it to be one of the years biggest flops and a movie that got tossed to the side. I don't know what they were watching, but I personally found it to be highly entertaining for its two-hour running time, with genuinely hilarious comedy, and some great action that showed Jackie at his most 'Hong-Kong-Chan' in any Hollywood production he's done to date!
After stealing the Jade Buddha from the Bank of England (and escaping in style), Jackie accidentally hides-out in the house of eccentric inventor, Phileas Fogg (played by Steve Coogan). Mistaken by Fogg to be his new help, Jackie agrees to take on the role of his valet and instantly gets to work, suffering as a guinea-pig for Fogg's mad inventions. Soon after, Fogg takes Jackie along to a meeting at the Royal Academy of Science, where the new valet tricks the laughed-at-inventor into making a bet with the head of the academy (played by Jim Broadbent in a hilarious, over-the-top role). That bet is for Fogg to circumnavigate the world in 80 days, with the prize being that of of Broadbent's position. But should he lose, the eccentric Phileas agrees to give up inventing for the rest of his days. It's a deal that Broadbent and his very staunch, old, and conservative friends certainly can't turn-down! Of course, Jackie's ploy is to get the Jade Buddha back to his village, where it was originally stolen from (unknowingly) by Broadbent, with the help of the Black Scorpion Gang – led by the wonderful Karen Mok (here, credited as Karen Joy Morris) from So Close, Black Mask, and A Chinese Odyssey 1 & 2. As Fogg and Jackie set-off on their adventurers, the evil Broadbent and Mok lay out a number of obstacles around the world, aimed to stop (or even kill) them on their journey. Naturally, this results in a collection of mad-cap action scenes, and some very funny situations.
Along the way, they meet the charming and beautiful Monique La Roche – an amateur artist and resident of Paris, who aids the odd couple at an art exhibition where some members of the Black Scorpion Gang have tracked them down. This results in the first exciting and fun fight sequence, as Jackie takes on host of familiar faces from the JC Stunt Team (most of who play Karen Mok's henchmen), in a creative and energetic battle that sees Chan create a painting with each strike of the fist. As the pair leave the gallery via a secret door in a painting, led by the overly-excited Monique, they stop for a moment at a location that looks exactly like the same place Jackie and Alan Tam first discussed Rosamund Kwan's kidnapping in Armour Of God (the beautiful historic estate with the large fountain and pond). After convincing Fogg to let her join them, the trio zip past the ticket seller of a hot-air-balloon (played by Richard Branson), and make their escape by air – with Jackie running after the rope as he fights-off the last of the gang members on the ground. It's another hilarious moment that sees the superstar almost mimic his own highly-praised rope ladder stunt, from Police Story 3: Supercop, as he bangs and bumps off statues and buildings while he holds-on for his life. He even takes a moment to save singer Macy Gray and her child, from a fire in their apartment. It also makes for one of my favourite comedy moments as a little-old-lady chases after them, when her handbag gets stolen, and comes crashing over a wall – landing right on her face in the most painful (but hilarious) looking way!
As they continue on their journey, Monique soon figures out who Passepartout (Chan) really is, and after listening to his explanation, agrees to keep his secret. Monique is played by the wonderful Cecile De France, who is outrageous and a scene stealer for the most of it. Her charm and comedy was such a great addition, and while they may seem like the oddest trio of people to travel the world together, they really do work well as a team. I first caught Cecile in the violent and fantastic Switchblade Romance (aka High Tension), that had come out just a year before. Around The World In 80 Days gives her a challenge in delivering a role that sits right at the other end of the scale, from what she had just given us in Alexandre Aja's twisted horror...
Their next stop is Istanbul where the train they are now on, is forced to a stop when Prince Hapi sends an order to have the trio join him for dinner. Prince Hapi is played hilariously by Arnold Schwarzenegger, complete with a wild hairstyle, cheesy lines, and a love for a statue of himself – which of course becomes collateral when Chan and Fogg try to rescue Monique from becoming the Prince's seventh wife. Their next stop is in India, where the police are on the lookout for them all, led by Lord Kelvin's (Broadbent) crooked cop, Inspector Fix (played outlandishly by Ewen Bremner). Before we know it, the Black Scorpion Gang are hot-on-their-tails, one of which includes the awesome Maggie Q in a cameo. It's here we get treated to another exciting and inventive fight scene, that pays tribute to Jackie's own Project A 2 when he and Fix are handcuffed together, and try to fight their way past some warriors. After a close escape, the gang finally end up in China – with Jackie finally returning home, giving him the chance to return the Jade Buddha statue, and see his family. Of course, this still has to be hidden from his boss who still doesn't know the truth behind his 'French' valet.
This is one of my favourite sections of the whole movie as it brings Jackie back into familiar territory, and makes for some great comedic, dramatic, and action-packed moments. It also gives us one of my favourite cameo's as the legendary Sammo Hung appears alongside Jackie, as one of the 10 Tigers Of Canton (and playing Wong Fei Hung no-less). After a drunken celebration, Fogg soon finds out who Passepartout really is and, feeling let-down and used, says his goodbyes. Unfortunately for him, this leads to Fogg's capture by the infamous Black Scorpion Gang, who have arrived in great numbers. With both Monique and Fogg now in cages, Jackie must challenge their leader (played by the wonderful Daniel Wu from Into The Badlands) for their freedom. It's definitely the highlight of the movie for martial arts fans, that sees the arrival of the 10 Tigers, and gives us Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung fighting alongside each other for the first time since 1990's Island On Fire (from director Kevin Chu). It's a fantastic fight sequence that offers a lot of incredible moves, great choreography, and some nice stunt-work!
Leaving Jackie and Monique in China to continue his journey and win his bet, Fogg ends up in San Fran where he gets robbed, sleeps in an alleyway for days, and meets homeless nutcase Rob Schneider before getting slapped in the face by director Coraci, in his brief cameo. As he reaches the lowest of low, Fogg finds light at the end of the tunnel when his 2 old friends turn-up to help him win his race. Getting their journey back on track, the trio soon breakdown 'somewhere in the desert' that gives us another great cameo by Luke and Owen Wilson, as the Wright brothers (inventors of the airplane). It's a fun moment, more-so for the fact that Chan and Wilson had just starred in the exciting and hugely popular Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights the year before this. A quick train journey across America takes them to New York, where crowds of fans are waiting for them – as well as the Black Scorpion Gang and their leader, Mok. Trapped in a warehouse, that just happens to house the upper half of the Statue Of Liberty, we are treated to another amazing and fantastically choreographed fight scene in and around the head of the French lady – that makes for some incredible moves, painful looking stunts, and hilarious moments. In fact, I'd say its one of my favourite Jackie Chan fights from any of his Hollywood movies – and also gives the brilliant Karen Mok the chance to kick some ass.
Having been delayed in battle, the trio miss the boat to England – but manage to hitch a ride on a smaller vessel with Captain Mark Addy (The Full Monty) in quite a funny cameo. As their fuel burns low, the Captain agrees to let Fogg build a flying machine from the decks of his boat, in return for some new nipples (of which he lost when a shark bit them off) and a new boat. Taking inspiration from the Wright brothers blue-prints, the wacky trio set-off on the final leg of their journey by air, on a cartoonish and wild looking wooden plane that defies all logic – but then again, what hasn't here?! Still, it makes for some great laughs, including a welcome cameo from the great John Cleese in a Monty Python inspired moment. As the people of London all watch with excitement when Fogg, Chan and Monique come-in for a landing, Lord Kelvin and his men do what they can to block the final passage that would allow Fogg to win his bet. As the evil Lord monologues, he puts his own foot in his mouth after he insults Queen Victoria, who just happens to be standing behind him. Played by Kathy Bates, the queen proves to be a big fan of Fogg and has even put some money on him to win the bet. Realizing they are well ahead of time because of the international date line, Fogg, Chan and Monique climb the steps of the academy to cross the finish line and celebrate their win, that sees its viewers out with a memorable music number, but unfortunately – no end bloopers or NG shots which was probably the most disappointing part for me...
Regardless, I just love this movie! I never tire of it and even though it has its flaws (of course), it never fails to make me laugh-out-loud on a number of occasions. I must admit, director Frank Coraci was an odd choice for the gig. The man had only made one 'serious' independent flick - Murdered Innocence - before going on to bring us two of Adam Sandler's biggest hits in The Wedding Singer and The Waterboy. Unfortunately for him, after this and the surprisingly fun Sandler film Click, he seems to have went downhill with any projects that followed. And because of it's constant nutty, comedy, I'd half-expected this kind of project to have been handled by someone like Tom Shadyac or even Chris Columbus, but the fact-of-the-matter is, Frank Coraci does a damn good job! Yes, everything is played in a theatrical, over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek kind of way, but that's what makes it work. Taking its cue from the classic David Niven version, this journey really shakes things up with a ton of slapstick, larger-than-life characters, a great cast, and of course, colour! I don't think I've seen a more colourful movie in a long time. Even as they travel from country to country, we are treated to a beautifully animated transition that was so different and looked fantastic, obviously inserted because its running time was already lengthy. Imagine if they had stopped at every country? If only Netflix had been about in 2004, this actually would have made an incredible series for all involved, and probably would have proved to be a much bigger hit.
As it was mostly geared towards a western audience, I feel that people have forgotten that this is a Jackie Chan movie. He is the executive producer, the fight choreographer and of course, the star. And even though the famed tale of Fogg's journey is the title of the film, this is really Chan's story of getting a sacred relic back to his people. Steve Coogan plays Fogg wonderfully and makes a great partnership with Jackie as an on-screen duo. He does have many hilarious moments along the way, as well as winning the girl at the end – which, as a Chan film did seem very odd, but it's a minor gripe. And then of course, there is the action! As I mentioned, this is about the best Hong Kong styled Jackie Chan in a Hollywood movie we have seen. His fight scenes, comedy and stunt work are all classic Jackie, and while toned down somewhat for the family audience, they still offer some amazing moments of imagination, physicality and martial arts. The village fight, where Daniel Wu gets to face off against Jackie, almost harks back to the days of Chan's Drunken Master, and even The Young Master as he uses a wooden bench as a weapon. Its also just a bonus to see Hung and Chan back on the big screen together, and such a shame they didn't get Yuen Biao involved also which would have been epic!
Regardless, Around The World In 80 Days is a lot of fun! Its supposed to be silly and cheesy, its supposed to have over-the-top acting (highlighted mainly by Ewen Bremner, Broadbent, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger in his hilarious cameo), and its supposed to be a classic-adventure-comedy that makes you feel good while you laugh hard at its nonsense. After all, it is a Disney movie! For me, it does all of the above, and in the most entertaining of ways. It's harmful fun and I do love it...
Overall: Underrated and lost, Jackie Chan's Around The World In 80 Days is one of his best Hollywood movies ever and hugely entertaining!
Entertainment In Video DVD Extras: Director and Cast Commentary, Making Of Documentaries, Jackie Chan Documentary Stunt Featurette, Deleted Scenes, Alternate Chicken Reel, Music Video
Herald DVD Extras: Jackie Action Around the World, Unreleased Scenes with Directors Commentary, Alternate Opening, Adventure Journey, Music Video
