Reviewed by: Joe

Directed by: Frank Coraci

Produced by: Hal Lieberman & Bill Badalato

Cast: Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, Jim Broadbent, Kathy Bates, & John Cleese

Action/Adventure and Comedy 2 hrs. 00 min. This version of the classic novel set in 1872 focuses on Passepartout (Chan), a Chinese thief who steals a valuable jade Buddha and then seeks refuge in the traveling companionship of an eccentric London inventor and adventurer, Phileas Fogg (Coogan), who has taken on a bet with members of his gentlemens' club that he can make it around the world in a mere 80 days, using a variety of means of transportation, like boats, trains, balloons, elephants, etc. Along the way, Passepartout uses his amazing martial arts abilities to defend Fogg from the many dangers they face. One major threat to their adventure is a detective that's following them. Why? Just as Fogg and Passeportout left London, a major bank was robbed, with Fogg suspected of using the "around the world" trip as an excuse to escape. Their path from London and back includes stops in Paris, Turkey, India, China and the United States of America.

Around the World’s exuberant boast of presenting a brilliant and imaginative take on the classic Jules Verne novel seems have been filled with nothing but hot air with numerous plot holes failing to deliver audience members to their promised destination. The problem is that the filmmakers never fix the film in a proper place in time, the novel itself was set in 1872, which allows them to place as many historical figures and events in a two hour film as they want without having to worry contradicting historical time periods. This is what hurts the film the most as this idea was tried not once but twice before with Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights, both of which starred Jackie Chan, which may give reason to why he was attracted to this film.

The lack of originality in the film’s direction makes it feel more like a cute joke that is used too often and becomes more tired and dull as it is told more and more often. But as much as there is to complain about the film’s lack of originality and its less then respected reverence to the classic Jules Verne novel, the latest adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days is not a complete train wreck and does contain several humorous moments sure to entertain the younger crowd it is aimed at and enough Jackie Chan fight sequences to keep adults from feeling they have totally wasted their time. In the end, the film is just another summer distraction for those who have felt they have seen Shrek 2 or Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban way too many times in the past few weeks.