Famine's Review: The Accidental Spy

[Famine]

The Accidental Spy sees Jackie Chan return to Hong Kong cinema for the first time since 1999 - in the meantime he's had the Rush Hour films and Shanghai Noon, both great. His previous Hong Kong film was Gorgeous, which was cack beyond my ability to tell it and "The Tuxedo" - a Hollywood film - was ropier than a mountaineering supplies shop.

So, I wasn't expecting much. And I got it.

There's a storyline in there somewhere, but it's a struggle to find it - and we're asked to believe that Jackie is actually Korean (and playing a character called, and this must tax him to his limits, Jackie Chan...).

Even Jackie's traditional acrobatics don't get much of a workout here - there's a sequence with some taxis in Istanbul which works okay, and the Turkish Baths sequence too - but otherwise it's pretty thin on the ground.

Nonsense plot, wasted lead man... Not a lot going for it.

Summary: Watch Shanghai Noon again instead.

 

[Dave A]

Have you seen the Medallion yet. What a load of balls, another Jakie Chan film that I wouldn't wipe my arse with I enjoy soem of films quite a lot like Rush hour and Shanghai noon but some of his films are utter crap.

 

[jizzmirk]

Let's not forget the OBNOXIOUS product placement in the movie. Hopefully we will get more out of Police Story 5...

 

[Hyperglide]

Wait till his new movie comes out. It looks crappy too.

 

[Rue]

Everything good about Jackie was lost as soon as he went to Hollywood. His early films are great. With the relatively low budgets, I guess producers couldn't deflect the attention from the characters and story with multi-million dollar sets and stunts. Instead they had to rely on the performers, fighting choreography and storylines, which is how it should be I guess.

Even though I have so many movies, I'm nothing of a movie 'buff', but I have yet to see a Hollywood produced martial arts movie that I really enjoyed. Rush Hour was possibly THE worst movie I have seen - oh, better make that Rush Hour 2! I can't quite put my finger on what it is I hate so much about these movies though.

Since he's been in Hollywood, Jackie has gone down in my book. When he's in Hong Kong, he sees himself as some kind of been-there-and-done-it-acting-directing-legend and as world-famous as he is and how ever many movies he's been in, he ain't no Robert de Niro or Francis Ford-Coppola. He's just a guy with exceptional physical ability who got lucky. The old Jackie Chan - a big thumbs up. The new Jackie Chan - turn those thumbs the other way.

Anyway, there is someone appearing from Jackie Chan's shadow now, and that man is Phanom Yeerum (Tony Jaa). He's fired in the same furnace as Jackie Chan, maybe minus the comic timing element, but he will rock you some time in the near future. Let's hope he stays out of Hollywood for as long as possible.

 

[jizzmirk]

I agree that Tony Ja(a) has the physical ability to put him as a potiential heir to Jackie Chan's throne, but there is something that he has yet to prove (to me at least) - and that's if he's got the charisma and comedic and directorial ability to deliver the goods.

Fact of the matter is, Ong Bahk wasn't the least bit funny due to Ja. And his voice isn't exactly the best hero's call that I've heard - it's kinda nasaly and high for my tastes. There were a lot of "oohs" and "ahhs," but that was from his stuntwork. Hopefully, when Ong Bahk 2 is finished, the director will have toned down his multiple take a la Jackie Chan usage (OB had WAAY too many triple takes in my opinion).

-j