A Jackie Chan Adventure

There's no denying that Jackie Chan is a legend, a master of cinematic martial arts and conqueror of choreography. No one can scale walls unassisted or use everyday objects from chairs to wiper blades as props and weapons in fight sequences. From his action comedy roles in America to his original Chinese films, he's established himself as a solid entertainer and general nice guy.

As with most actors, he hasn't always made the best choices. One could certainly make a case for The Tuxedo and, if pressed for a second worst film, The Medallion. Shorter, simpler films aimed at families, they lacked some of the spirit of his usual movies, as well as some of the action. I finally got around to seeing The Medallion the other day, and did find a few redeeming qualities that set it apart from The Tuxedo.

Jackie plays a detective trying to rescue a young boy from some kidnappers, but the young boy has a secret, a special medallion that can grant immortality and special abilities under very specific circumstances. Most of his fight scenes are “magic” enhanced, although there is one impressive chase scene that's 100% Jackie, including scaling a big metal fence with almost fluid motion and no wires. While his love interest was played by Claire Forlani, who’s always nice to look at, especially her eyes, the comic relief of his partner, played by Lee Evans left something to be desired. He starts out playing a somewhat serious agent, but the film shifts awkwardly to comedy and suddenly he's the same British oaf he played in There's Something About Mary.

I think what made this a 3 star movie for me as opposed to a 2 star movie, aside from Jackie and Claire, was that it reminded me of The Jackie Chan Adventures, a five season animated series that told the tale of Jackie as an archaeologist who, assisted by his uncle, niece, and other allies, must beat antagonists to various mystic artifacts. The first season featured talismans based on animals from the Chinese calendar, each of which granted special powers. The talismans returned and remained crucial to the plot in subsequent seasons, but other objects of power and quests became the focus. The Medallion felt a little like an episode of that series, especially since the villain, played by Julian Sands, voiced one of the animated Jackie's primary rivals, Valmont. I never even knew who Sands was before Strong Sad mentioned him. You might have seen him in such shows as Stargate SG-1 or 24, and perhaps mistook him for Hans Gruber.

So, as a film, The Medallion shouldn't make the top of anyone's list. As an extended live action version of an animated series, I found it enjoyable. The best recent Chan I'd recommend is The Forbidden Kingdom, which pits him against contemporary legend Jet Li for the first time. The film pays homage to quite a few martial arts epics of the 70s, though feels less like the genre either actor is best known for and more like a nostalgic ‘80s movie in which an ordinary youth with a destiny travels to a strange land to fulfill it. Sometimes, that's just the story I'm looking for.